The Church of England quarterly review

and all the evils that have befallen Britain are just because her Statesmen did not remember this great truth-they appealed to the people on other grounds than that of Protestantism, and the people would not know their voice (cheers). They would not leave their occupations-they would not desert their industry, but let an appeal be made on behalf of religionlet the cry be raised-I care not what it is-the cry of No Popery'the cry of Protestantism is in danger'-any cry that would appeal to the Protestant principles of the people, and millions would respond to such an appeal (cheers). I do not hesitate to say that there is another reason why I rejoice that a popular movement has been made for Protestantism. We must not disguise from ourselves what every day's experience is forcing on the notice of each of us. There are two sections united together in one party now supporting Conservatism and Protestantism; there are some who are anxious for Protestantism because it happens to be connected with Conservatism; there are others who only care for Conservatism because it involves the protection of Protestantism. What, then, is my inference from this? For that we need separate into two parts; no such thing, for all must feel that with Protestantism the security of all the institutions of the country, the rights of prosperity, the just ascendancy of rank, the privileges of the crown and the peerage-all are involved in the security of that Protestantism which is the essential element of the Constitution (immense cheering). All classes, then, who value the Constitution, must now unite in support of Protestantism. Why, then, do I feel it right to make the distinction between that feeling which is merely Conservative, and that which is essentially Protestant, and therefore Conservative in its best sense? Because, Sir, while I wonld deeply regret that the merely Conservatives should be separated from us (cheering), I would still more regret that their union with us should induce us for one instant to lower the ground of our defence, or descend from that high Protestant principle on which alone we can be secure ("hear, hear," and cheers). Let there be a popular movement, and it must be a Protestant one; and it is only by an appeal to Protestantism we can triumph. For the people we must have a broad, a plain, and intelligible principle. The learned gentleman continued to say, that if he had but one sentence of advice to utter to the Protestants of Ireland, it would be to depend on no party, on no people, but on themselves (hear). He did not undervalue the importance of English sympathy; but the way to gain it must be to shew themselves. Two arguments had been brought forward, which might have a very injurious tendency-he should rather call them delusions-one, that the influence of Mr. O'Connell was declining; the other, that his demands were too extravagant to be conceded. They were told when the repeal was demanded, when the establishment of the Roman Catholic religion was spoken of, that Protestant England would never suffer this (hear, hear) Let them examine these two grounds of reliance. What was the evidence that Mr. O'Connell's influence was declining (hear)? Letters like those of Priest Daveren (hear). If his influence was declining it was only because his prudence induced him to cloak, although he did not mitigate, his hostility to Protestantism. When would Conservatives cease to speak of an individual, and neglect the influence which alone gave him his power? He, Mr. Butt, repeated Mr. O,Connell was but the impersonation of a power which exisied indepen

dent of him, and would survive him. He had said it before, and he would say it again, were Mr. O'Connell in his grave to-morrow, while the elements of Popish bigotry remained the same, their own cowardice and their own indolence would raise up another O'Connell in his stead. But let them examine the other argument. They were told of the tremendous majority against repeal? Did they know that when first the Roman Catholic petition for the franchise was presented it had not a second supporter—it was literally kicked out of the House (hear). Had any one then predicted that emancipation would have been granted he would have been laughed at as a visionary. Let them come to times within their own recollection. If after emancipation was carried they had been told that ten Irish bishoprics would have been suppressed, it would have been pronounced impossible. If they had been told that one-fourth would have been taken from the property of the Church with the consent of all parties in Parliament, they would have answered, Protestant England will not suffer it.' What, if they had been told that the Protestant Corporations would have been destroyed? Nay, even when the Conservatives had assented to their destruction-if they had been told that in one year more they would witness the same Conservatives assenting to the establishment of popular -of Popish Corporations in their room, they would have pronounced all or any of these things impossible: yet all these things have come to pass (loud cries of hear, hear'). They had been too often deceived by this reliance on the impossibility of concession-they must rely on it no longer, unless they wished, as a great man had said, to fall into the unpitied calamity of being repeatedly caught in the same snare.' Let them rather adopt the plain lesson which this experience taught, let them lay this to heart; there was no demand too extravagant to be conceded, no consummation too improbable to be realized, no calamity too grievous to occur, if they but folded their arms in the vain and fond assurance of their impossibility (loud cheers). The learned gentleman concluded by strongly urging on the Protestants of Ireland the necessity of union; the course to be taken was a popular one-a Protestant one. The country was ready for such a course; the proceedings of that Society were but as an eddy to the surface of the stream, but an eddy which marked the depth and strength of the current that flowed beneath. The time was past for temporising; the Protestant people of Ireland would not suffer it-they demanded a confederation of their strength that Protestant strength should be displayed; that Protestantism should be no longer insulted and suppressed without even the poor satisfaction of a complaint (hear). These were the feelings of the great mass of the Protestants of Ireland (hear, hear.) They felt that Protestantism was in peril-peril that could only be arrested by a confederation of Protestants, and this confederation they would have.-(Loud cheering, which lasted for a considerable time).