Imatges de pàgina
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the following resolutions were unaimously agreed on.

રૈદ Resolved, 1st. That the late efforts of our gracious Sovereign in support of the dignity of his crown, of the Protestant religion, and of our unrivalled constitution, demand our warmest gratitude and praise. That his Majesty's present loyal ministers possess our confidence, and that the exalted characters in both Houses of Parliament, who, on a recent occasion, rallied round the throne, deserve the thanks of every honest man.

"Resolved, 2dly. That as it is the duty of Orangemen, in turbulent and dangerous times, to prove, by active loyalty, and zeal, their firm attachment to their king and constitution; so, upon the establishment of tranquillity, it is equally incumbent on them to use every means for the extension of harmony and peace.

"Resolved, 3dly. That as disaffected persons, to excite public notice, and to serve their own private ends, continue to calumniate our association, we now, as we have frequently done before, hereby most solemnly assure our fellowsubjects, that treasonable practice, not religious opinion, is the sole object of our hostility; and that our countrymen of every persuasion, so long as they remain well affected to his Majesty's

government, are intitled to, and shall receive the strongest marks of, our respect and regard.

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Resolved, 4thly. That these are our genuine principles, from which we shall never deviate; and in conformity to them, as our country now enjoys internal peace, we will abstain on the approaching 12th day of July, being the first Old Style, from celebrating our accustomary procession, on the return of our grand anniversary, (it happened in 1807, on a Sunday), especially as we consider such assemblage in some measure unsuited to the Lord's-day, which, as Christians and Orangemen, we are bound to observe with reverence; and we trust all our brethren will avail themselves of the solemnity of that day, to implore, for their king and their country, in the present arduous crisis, the favour and protection of Almighty God.

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Resolved, 5thly. That although the abovementioned motives induce us, for the present, to decline the form of a public meeting, we will in no wise relax our vigilance in the detection of treasonable designs, and in guarding against their pernicious effects; and, finally, we hope these resolutions may be accepted as a proof of the moderation of our principles, and that they will tend to remove any prejudice, which disaffection and calumny may have raised against our loyal institution. Signed, by order

"ROBERT ELLIS, Secretary."

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The reader will not perceive, in these resolutions, any inclination in the Protestants composing these Orange lodges, to extend any further participation of political privileges to Irish Romanists than they then enjoyed: but, on the contrary, he will find, by the first resolution, that they express the greatest gratitude to his Majesty for supporting the dignity of his crown, the Protestant religion and the constitution, by rejecting, with disdain and resentment, the attempt made upon him, by the Talents' ministry, to surprise him into an assent to a bill, conferring new privileges, of a very dangerous tendency on the Romanists, and for his dismissal of the Talents' ministry for their attempt, and forming a new one, which the resolutions state to possess the full confidence of them, and of every honest man. The resolutions directly militate against the inferences in the History of the Penal Laws; it is also incorrect in its assertion, that these Orange lodges had determined not again to celebrate the battle of the Boyne. The reader will see that they resolve not to celebrate the first of July, Old Style, being the anniversary of the battle of the Boyne, in that year only, that is, in the year 1807, by any public assembly, for two special reasons; one that the country was then in tranquillity, the second that it fell upon a Sunday, which might be more usefully employed in attending divine ser

vice, and praying for the prosperity of their king and country, than in public rejoicings and festivity.

It may not be amiss to make a few short observations here on the contents of the insertion No. 3, in the Appendix annexed to the History of the Penal Laws, with the title of " The principles of Roman Catholics from the Prayer Book which is in general use amongst the Catholics of Ireland, and which was published by Doctor Copinger, titular Bishop of Cloyne." It is meant to confine these observations to such points of this No. 3, of the Appendix, as relate to doctrines of the Romish religion, hostile to the constitution of this Protestant empire. It is stated, "that if a general council, much less a papal consistory, should presume to depose a king, and to absolve his subjects from their allegiance, no Catholic could be bound to submit to such a decree; hence it follows, that the subjects of the King of England, may, without the breach of any Catholic principle, renounce, upon oath, the teaching or practising the doctrine of deposing kings excommunicated, for heresy, by any authority whatsoever, as repugnant to the fundamental laws of the nation, as injurious to sovereign power, and as destructive to peace and government.

"As for the king-killing doctrine, or murder

of princes excommunicated, for heresy, it is universally admitted in the Catholic church, and expressly so declared, in the council of Constance, that such doctrine is impious and execrable, being contrary to the known laws of God and

nature.

"It is a fundamental truth in our religion, that no power on earth can license men to lie, to forswear, or perjure themselves, to massacre their neighbours, or destroy their native country, on pretence of promoting the Catholic cause or religion."

In the first place, it is worthy of remark, that the above positions, purporting to be the principles of Roman Catholics, are the assertions of one Romish bishop only; and he totally omits, except in one point, assassination of princes, the authorities from which he deduces them: as they may appear, on a superficial view of them, totally to contradict the express decrees of their general councils in many particulars, it may be proper to examine them with some attention, because, if they be found to disagree with the express decrees of their general councils, particularly that of the fourth Lateran council, which have been ratified by the Pope and his consistory, acting in direct conformity with these decrees, ever since their promulgation; and if all other Romish divines, Doctor Troy among

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