Puslapio vaizdai
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"1st, I assure you and them,-that every charge "brought against me by Dr. Milner, in any of his "former or recent publications, is either absolute inven"tion,-(which applies to the greatest part of them)— "or absolute falsehood,-or that misrepresentation, "which amounts to falsehood.-I do not except one "single charge:

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2dly, Particularly in respect to the protestation ;"not one word of it, as it stood originally, or was sub"sequently corrected, was suggested by me;-I knew "nothing of it, or of any protestation's being in contemplation, till I received it from two members of the "committee, with their directions to send copies of it "to the four vicars-apostolic;-which was immediately "dɔne.

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"The control and direction of the measures of the "committee, and of the catholic concerns in general, "which Dr. Milner ascribes to me, is an absolute chi

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'3dly, On the veto I have nothing to say in addition "to what I have published in my Letter to an Irish "Gentleman:-Not one word of which Dr. Milner has "refuted*.

"4thly, I have only to add that, in all my literary publications, it has been my earnest wish to recom"mend the roman-catholic religion; and I believe it impossible to extract a single line from any of them, "contrary to the faith or discipline of the roman-ca"tholic church, or to any opinion which the general "body of pious catholics respect.-If any such should "be pointed out by any one of your lordships, I will

* This letter does not contain a single word in defence, either of the lawfulness or the expediency of the veto; its sole object is to show, that the fifth resolution did not bind those, who signed it, to the veto,—or to any specific measure.

"most certainly retract it without arguing on it; and "this has ever been my disposition.

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My lords, with the greatest respect,

"I have the honour to be,

"Your lordships

"Most obedient humble servant."

"Aug. 13, 1811."

NOTE III.

SUCCINCT CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF THE VETO.

1799.

The Resolutions of the Irish Prelates, admitting the
Veto.*

Ar a meeting of the roman-catholic prelates, held in Dublin on the 17th, 18th and 19th of January in this year, it was resolved that," the candidates elected to "vacant sees should be presented by the president of "the election to government; which, within one month "after such presentation, will transmit the name of the "said candidate, if no objection be made against him, "for appointment to the holy see, or return the said "name to the president of the election, for such transmission as may be agreed on.

"If government have any proper objection against "such candidates, the president of the election will be "informed thereof within one month after presentation,

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"who in that case will convene the electors to the elec

❝tion of another candidate."

Signed by the four titular metropolitan catholic archbishops, and by six titular catholic bishops of Ireland*.

1808.

Dr. Milner's note to Mr. Ponsonby, recognising the Veto admitted by the Irish Prelates, and describing its import and extent.

"THE catholic prelates of Ireland are willing to give "a direct negative power to his majesty's government, "with respect to the nomination of their titular bishop❝rics, in such manner, that, when they have among "themselves, resolved who is the fittest person for the "vacant see, they will transmit his name to his majesty's "ministers; and, if the latter should object to that "name, they will transmit another and another, until a "name is presented to which no objection is made;"and,-(which is never likely to be the case),-should "the pope refuse to give those essentially necessary "spiritual powers, of which he is the depositary, to the person so presented by the catholic bishops, and so "approved by the government, they will continue to propose names, till one occurs which is agreeable to both parties, namely the crown, and apostolic see.”

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July 1808.

Dr. Milner's advocation of the Veto in a Letter to a Parish Priest t.

TOWARDS the close of July an outcry was raised in Ireland against the veto: doctor Milner advocated its + Ib. 184.

* Hist. Mem. vol. ii. p. 176.

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lawfulness and expediency, in his celebrated letter to a parish priest, a work of great ability. He closes it by observing, that, "if the prelates should abide by what they had solemnly resolved upon, they will have nothing "more to do than what is within their sphere, and "what is comparatively easy to be done; namely, to enlighten their people, and show them how grossly they have been imposed upon as to facts and reasonings."

66

66

This letter was afterwards explicitly retracted by doctor Milner.

14 September 1808.

Declaration by the Irish Prelates on the inexpediency of the Veto*.

On the 14th September a convention of the Irish prelates met in Dublin, and "declared it to be inexpedient "to introduce any alteration in the canonical mode "hitherto introduced in the nomination of the Irish "roman-catholic bishops."

31 January 1810.

The fifth Resolution of the English Catholics.

On this day certain resolutions were agreed to at à meeting of English catholics: the 5th was expressed in the following terms:

"That the English roman-catholics, in soliciting the " attention of parliament to their petition, are actuated, "not more by a sense of hardships and disabilities, un"der which they labour, than by a desire to secure, on + Ib. 191.

*Hist. Mem. vol. ii. p. 189.

"the most solid foundations, the peace and harmony "of the British empire; and to obtain for themselves "opportunities of manifesting, by the most active exer❝tions, their zeal and interest in the common cause, in "which their country is engaged, for the maintenance "of its freedom and independence; and that they are "firmly persuaded, that adequate provision for the "maintenance of the civil and religious establishment "of this kingdom may be made, consistently with the "strictest adherence, on their part, to the tenets and discipline of the roman-catholic religion; and that 66 any arrangement founded on this basis of mutual sa"tisfaction and security, and extending to them the full enjoyment of the civil constitution of their country, "will meet with their grateful concurrence."

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26 February 1810.

The sixteenth Resolution of the Irish Prelates.

"THAT as to arrangements regarding our church, and "said to be intended for accompanying a proposal "of the emancipation of Irish roman-catholics, prudence "and a regard for our duty forbid us to pronounce a "judgment. However, we declare, that no spirit of "conciliation has ever been wanting on our part; that "we seek for nothing beyond the mere integrity and "safety of the roman-catholic religion, in its christian "faith and communion, and its essential discipline, su"bordination and moral code; nor may we be justly "reproached for our solicitude in guarding those sacred

things, for which we are bound to watch and bear "testimony with our lives if required."

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