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tioned in our last number, p. 397. The letter is dated St. Cloud, 25th April, 1811.

"My Lord Bishop of -, the most illustrious and populous churches in the empire are vacant-one of the contracting parties of the Concordat has rejected it. The conduct adopted in Germany for ten years has almost destroyed episcopacy in that part of the Christian world. There are now but eight bishops; a great number of di ceses are governed by vicars apostolic; the chapters have been disturbed in their right to provide, during the vacancy of the see, for the administration of the diocese. They have plotted dark manuævres to excite discord and sedition among our subjects. The chapters have rejected the briefs, contrary to their rights and the holy canons.-Yet time is passing away-new bishoptics are vacant every day. If no 'speedy provision be made, episcopacy will be extinct in France and Italy, as well as in Germany. Wishing to prevent a state of affairs so contrary to the good of religion, the principles of the Gallican church, and the interests of the state, we have resolved to unite on the 10th of next June, in the church of Nôtre Dame, at Paris, all the bishops of France and Italy in a national council."

ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS

AMERICA.

IN NORTH

A letter of the Roman Catholic Bishops of America to their brethren in Ireland, relative to the situation of Pope Pius VII. is said to be publicly circulated in Ireland, and to have excited great interest there. The following extract from it has been published in

another periodical work. We give it without vouching for its genuineness,

"In the mean time, we declare before God, that we will respectfully listen to the admonitions of our holy father, notwithstanding his captivity, and that we will yield a cheerful submission to his directions and ordinances, provided they bear the proper and genuine character of the voice of Peter, and of the real intention and authority of the supreme pontiff. But we shall not think ourselves bound by any briefs, or other documents of any kind, which may be circulated in his name, and under his alleged authority, unless every the least apprehension of his not enjoying full and perfect liberty in deliberating and resolving, shall be removed from our minds. And should the chief pontiff depart this life (which God forbid should happen in the present perilous state of the church), we, no less than you, venerable brethren, are fully persuaded that God will not be wanting to his church, which though it should, even for a considerable time, be de prived of its chief pastor here on earth, would be exposed to less mischief than if any person, by force or terror, were to place himself in the chair of Peter, and thus the mystical body of Christ were to be torn to pieces by a fatal schism. Hence we are resolved to instruct the flock committed to our care, to acknowledge no person as the true and genuine successor to St. Peter, bat him whom the far greater part of the bishops of the whole world, and the whole Catholic people, in a manner, shall acknowledge as such."

VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS,

FRANCE.

BONAPARTE'S speech to the Legislative Body, of which we gave some account in our last number, has been followed, as usual, by an exposée from the minister of the interior, in which the brief notices of the Emperor are dilated into minute details, Since the last session, the empire, it is said, has received an addition of sixteeen depart. ments, and four millions of people, yielding a revenue of a hundred millions, and three hundred leagues of coast, with all their ma ritime means. The mouths of the Rhine, the Meuse, the Scheldt, the Eius, the Weser, and the Elbe, are now all French. France

unites all that France, Germany, and Italy produce for the construction of ships. The union of Rome has given coasts to the empire; and it deprives the popes, who have invariably sacrificed eternal things to temporal ones, of their temporal dominion. It is further expedient, that the bishop of Rome, the head of the church, should not be a stranger, but that he should unite with the love of religion the love of country. "Besides, it is the only means whereby, that proper influence, which the pope ought to possess over spiritual concerns, can be, rendered compatible with the principles of the empire, which cannot suffer any foreign

bishop to exercise an authority therein "."— "The Emperor is satisfied with the spirit which animates all his clergy." The establishment of schools, the re-establishment of churches, the construction of cathedrals, all prove the Emperor's interest in the splendour of religious worship and the prosperity of religion." Twenty-seven bishopricks are vacant, to which the Pope has refused to institute the persons named by the Emperor. This refusal has nullified the Concordat: it no longer exists. A council of the clergy has been convoked, which "will decide whether France, like Germany, shall be without episcopacy."-After all this, it is added, "there exists no disunion between the Emperor and the Pope, as the head of religion, which can cause the least inquietude to the most timorous souls."The exposeé then proceeds to state a variety of improvements, as they are called, in the course of instruction; one of which is the abolition of private seminaries, and the placing of instruction entirely in the hands of the state. The extraction of sugar from beet, &c. and of indigo from woad, is to render colonial products unnecessary. The public works, ports, roads, canals, &c. are enumerated in pompous detail; and the French are consoled for the loss of all their colonies, by the prospect of having shortly 150 sail of the line to cope with England. The war in Spain would have been closed but for England, who, departing from her usual policy, came to place herself in the front line; but the result, it is said, must be disgrace and ruin to England. The ruin of her finanical system is also predicted, while that of France will continue to flourish.After some campaigns, Spain shall be subdued, and the English driven out of it. (This is modest.) What are a few years in order to consolidate the great empire? Peace would now be useful only to England. France will be able to make peace with safety, only when she shall have 150 sail of the line; and in spite of obstacles, she shall have them. "Thus the guarantee of our fleet, and that of an English administration founded on principles different from those of the existing cabinet, can alone give peace to the universe."-The exposée con

We trust that this exposée will be read with the attention it deserves by the Catholics of Ireland, and by those advocates of theirs, who, without imposing any control on the power of the pope, which pope will, in future, be French, would open all the avenues of power to that body.

cludes thus: "Every thing at present guarantees to us a futurity as happy as full of glory; and that futurity has received an additional pledge in that infant so much desired, who, at last granted to our vows, will perpetuate the most illustrious dynasty; of that infant who, amidst the fetes of which your meeting seems to form a part, receives already, with the great Napoleon, and the august princes whom he has associated to his high destinies, the homage of love and respect from all the nations of the empire." SPAIN.

After the battle of Albuera the siege of Badajoz was resumed under the immediate direction of Lord Wellington himself. It appears to have been carried on with great vigour; and breaches having been effected, two attempts were made to storm the place, both of which failed. In the mean time, the French determined to make another effort to raise the siege. Soult again advanced in the direction of Badajoz, and was joined, not far from that place, by the force which had been opposed to Lord Wellington in the north of Portugal. He collected at the same time the whole of the French force from Castile and Madrid, what is called their centre army, and all the troops from Andalusia, excepting what were necessary to maintain their position before Cadiz. In consequence of this effort, he so far outnumbered the army under Lord Wellington, although his lordship had drawn down all his forces from the neighbourhood of Almeida, that it was deemed prudent to raise the siege of Badajoz, and retire behind the Guadiana, where the British army took a very strong position, its right resting on Elvas, and its left on Campo Major. The enemy are stated by Lord Wellington to have risked every thing in all parts of Spain, in order to collect this large army in Estremadura; with which, it may be supposed, they had hoped, at one decisive blow, to have terminated the campaign. The wary conduct of the British commander has completely frustrated this expectation. He has fallen back to a position where he is almost unassailable, where he has the entire command of his resources, and is in the way of receiving the succours which are daily arriving from England without the slightest danger of interruption. The French, on the other hand, are said already to have begun to feel the inconvenience of having collected so large an army in a country where no magazines have been formed, and their chief attention is turned to the procuring of the means of subsistence. They have maga zines, indeed, at Seville ; but the distance be

tween that place and Badajoz is considerable, and the activity of the Spanish guerillas makes the passage hazardous for convoys. It appears from the latest accounts, that the French had begun to retire; and it was even said, that Soult had reached Llerena, and that Marmont, with his part of the army, was at Merida. The Spanish parti zans, in the mean time, were very active. A

very valuable convoy had been intercepted between Salamanca and Ciudad Rodrigo; and the baggage and private property of King Joseph had also been taken on their return to Spain. King Joseph himself is supposed to have reached Madrid.-The strong fortress of Tarragona has at length been carried by the French, after a very obstinate defence.

GREAT BRITAIN.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

Parliament was supposed to be on the point of being prorogued, when about the end of last month a bill was unexpectedly brought forward by Lord Stanhope, in the House of Lords, on the subject of the alleged depreciation of bank notes. Lord King was understood to have issued a notice to his tenantry, that in future he should expect his rents to be paid in gold, or in bank notes, calculated at their depreciated rate as compared with gold. This notice was made the ground of Lord Stanhope's Bill, the object of which was to protect from distress any tenant who should offer bank notes at their nominal value in payment of his rents; and to prevent persons from giving or receiving more than 21s. for a guinea, or less for a bank note than the value it purported to bear. His Majesty's ministers were at first disposed to throw out the bill; but on finding the conduct of Lord King defended by many members of the opposition, they changed their purpose and supported it. The bill has passed through both Houses, though not without considerable resistance, and has also received the Royal assent. If any proof had been wanting of the depreciation of bank notes, the admitted necessity of framing such a bill as this would take away all doubt on the subject. At the same time, except in what regards the protection of the tenant from the summary process of distress, a provision which seems equitable, the bill appears to be perfectly nugatory. Guineas pass currently in Ireland for 25s. There is a law, indeed, against carrying guineas abroad, but none against carrying them to Ireland. The man who has guineas to sell, and who yet wishes not to violate the law, has, only to send them to Ireland, where a profit of from 15 to 20 per cent. awaits them. And what is there in this bill to prevent a stock-broker from selling 100l. 3 per cent. consuls for fifty guineas, which stock the purchaser may sell on the following day for 621. in bank notes? The bill, in short, effects nothing in curing the evil of a depreciated paper currency. Nor is it within the sphere of legislation to apply any remedy

but one, and that is to make the paper exchangeable for its nominal amount in gold. In the existing circumstances of our curren cy, we admit, that this remedy is one of very difficult application; at the same time we believe it to be the only safe, and the only efficacious remedy. The practicability of it will depend on the previous reduction of the quantity of paper in circulation; and it appears to us that little doubt can be enter tained both that the evil arises from an excessive issue, and would be cured by a restriction of that issue. To such of our readers as wish to make themselves acquainted with this subject, we beg to recommend a careful perusal of two pamphlets which have recently been published by Hatchard, con taining the speeches of Mr. Canning and Mr. H. Thornton on this question.

Parliament was prorogued by Commission on the 24th instant. The Commissioners delivered a speech on behalf of the Prince Regent, which adverted, with strong approbation, to the conduct of the war ou the Pe ninsula, and to some of the measures adopted by Parliament; but avoided all controverted topics, as the Bank and America.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

The state of his Majesty's health, we are deeply concerned to state, has been such as to produce the most serious alarm respecting the issue of his indisposition. He is still considered to be in a situation of very considerable danger.

The twelve Judges, to whom the case of De Yonge, a man who had been convicted of selling guineas for more in bank notes than their nominal value, have pronounced their judgment upon it; which is, that De Yonge was in fact guilty of no offence against the

statute.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

The most important circumstances of a naval kind which we have to notice, is the ren. counter of an Americau frigate with a British sloop of war, which was briefly mentioned in our last Number. The statements of the respective commanders have since been laid. before the public; and from these it appears

to us highly probable that the American was the aggressor. The captain of the American frigate admits that he chaced the Little Belt for a considerable time, and at last came up with her; but maintains that he knew neither her force, nor her nation, until the engagement was over. This deRial, however, is most completely falsified by himself; for in affirming that the first shot proceeded from the British sloop of war, he adds, that he was induced to fire in return, by supposing that the commander of the vessel had in view to obtain promotion from his own government by insulting the American flag. But how could he have formed such a supposition, and acted upon it, without being well aware of the nation at least to which the vessel belonged? He admits, too, that one shot was fired from his ship without orders. The very occurrence of such a circumstance might have led him to suppose that the shot from his antagonist might have been equally unauthorised. But no: that could have proceeded only from a design to insult America. There are several other inconsistencies in the account of the American, which takes away his title to credit, respecting the main point, the point of aggression. Captain Bingham's account, on the contrary, is perfectly simple, and consistent in all its parts; and is a modest, full, and clear statement. It certainly shewed no small degree of firmness in him and his ship's company, to support with sixteen guns, a close action against a frigate of fortyfour guns, for three quarters of an hour. Captain Bingham states, that as he was proceeding along the American coast to execute the orders of his superior, he was chaced by a frigate, which he saw to be an American, and which gained on him so fast, that as night approached, he deemed it

right to heave to, and shew his colours, that no mistake might arise. Captain Bingham hailed, but was answered only by another hail. Captain Bingham again hailed, and was answered by a broad side. The action then commenced, and continued for three quarters of an hour, when the American ceased firing, appearing to be on fire about the main hatchway. The British ship also ceased. In the morning, Commodore Rogers sent an officer on board, to express his regret at what had happened, and that had he known the force was so inferior, he should not have fired at us. He said that the British had fired the first shot, which Captain Bingham positively denied. "Nor is it proba ble," he observes, that a sloop of war, within pistol shot of a large forty-four gun frigate, should commence hostilities." The orders which Captain Bingham had received from Admiral Sawyer, were to proceed with dispatches to a ship of war off Charlestown, and then to return to Halifax; and in the course of his voyage to be particularly careful to give no just cause of offence to the government or subjects of the United States. -A war with America is unquestionably to be avoided and deprecated on every prin ciple of sound policy, no less than on every moral and humane ground; and on that ac count we very anxiously hope that such explanations may be afforded respecting this untoward affair, as may prevent all future collisions.

In the East Indies our squadron has been, successful in the capture, not only of ships but of colonies from the enemy. The island of Banda, the principal of the Spice islands in the Molucca Seas; the Dutch possessions on the island of Celebes; and the island of Ternate, have all been captured, and it was expected that Batavia would soon fall.

OBITUARY.

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by the cheerfulness and gaiety of her manners and disposition. Her mind, naturally active and energetic, was cultivated by considerable reading; and she was from her youth habituated to regard with the greatest reverence and attention, the duties and ordinances of religion, so far as she had gained an insight into them. She was not, however, free from the misconceptions which then generally prevailed respecting the real nature and extent of religious duty; and she continued, during the first years of her married state, to be conversant principally 3 P

about worldly objects, and to engage in fashionable amusements, so far as consisted with moderation and with her love of the quiet occupations of domestic life.

At the birth of her youngest child, 23 years before her death, she was visited with a paralytic attack, which entirely deprived her of the use of her left side; and confined her to her chair during the remainder of her life. This afflicting dispensation, doubly trying to one who had always been unusually active, she herself afterwards regarded as a most signal blessing, and as the beginning of a new existence to her. Indeed, it was soon permitted to her, even before her mind was opened to those views of divine things with which it was subsequently enriched, to discover the Hand of mercy ordaining and mitigating her affliction. For besides that her confinement, by withdrawing her from the world, enabled her to devote her time and attention more entirely to the education of her children, she was herself also gradually training in the study of that salutary lesson of adversity in which she afterwards became so great a pro

ficient.

In less than seven years after this event, she was called upon to sustain the loss of her husband, who was taken from her very unexpectedly, and under circumstances of a peculiarly distressing nature; and she was left in a state of great bodily infirmity, for some time almost inconsolable and incapa ble of directing her attention even to her young family. In this dark night of afflic tion, in a retired country situation, where, in appearance and in the estimation of her friends, she was sunk in the lowest depths of misfortune, she had the first, though still an indistinct, view of the unspeakable love and mercy of God, through a Redeemer, of which a fuller discovery was shortly to be imparted to her. For the sake of greater advantages in the education

of her children, she soon afterwards removed to Carlisle, where the great doctrine of redemption through a crucified Saviour began about this time to excite general at tention. Of its ministration, she was among the very first fruits-the good seed was sown in a heart well cultivated and fitted for its reception, and its growth was in proportion rapid, and its produce abundant. Having been humbled under the rod of affliction, and deeply convinced of her own weakness, and of the vanity of all human dependencies, she stumbled not at the doctrines which declared man's utter depravity and helplessness, and proclaimed his acceptance and salvation only through the merits

and death of the Son of God; and har ing been bereft of her dearest earthly com forts, she had less difficulty in accepting the scriptural injunctions which required her to wean her affections from things below and to fix them on things above.

The saving truths with which she thus became so fully and so experimentally ac quainted, she laboured with a proportionate earnestness to impress upon the minds of her friends, anxious to remove their preju dices, and to persuade them to build on that sure foundation upon which her own hopes of present comfort and future happiness were now wholly established.

In the mirror of the Gospel she now saw more distinctly revealed the gracious designs of Providence, the fainter perceptions of which had been her solace under her afflictions; and she could, with unmixed grati tude and pious joy, retrace the successive events by which she had been called off from the world and led to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. The hours of solitary confinement she henceforth considered the happiest of her life, as they afforded her large opportunities of communion with her God and of meditation on his word and providence. Never was the power of religion in administering hidden support to the soul, more fully displayed than in her,―sbe might truly be said to live by prayer and by faith in the written word. She particularly delighted in the compositions of the Holy Psalmist; the records of whose experience were, indeed, in an eminent degree, the language of her own. In the exercise of an unshaken trust in God, under circumstances which often put it to the severest trial→ in a deep and realizing sense of his presence and of joy in the light of his countenance-in an habitual resort to him as her friend, her counsellor and her guide-in an humble conviction of her own weakness and of the necessity of constant vigilance and self-denial, she richly displayed the fruits of a careful study of the Scriptures, and of an experimental acquaintance with their divine efficacy. Of controversial religion, she happily knew, and desired to know, nothing; whatever is clearly revealed in the Bible, as necessary to salvation, she received in an honest and good heart, with serious self-examination and a practical application of it to her own heart and conscience. On the death of Christ she rested her entire hope of salvation-and to his life and conversa tion she studied, through the sanctifying aid of his Holy Spirit, to assimilate her own

Nor were the exercises of her faith confined to the contemplative hours of her re

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