INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON HIBERNIAN SOCIETY.
EXTRACT FROM THE SLIGO JOURNAL.

"Ar a meeting held in a private room of the County Court-house, of the Committee forming the Sligo Branch of the London Hibernian Society, for establishing Schools and circulating the Scriptures in Ireland, upon Monday, the 3d of October; the Lord Bishop of Elphin having honoured the meeting by a personal attendance, and expressed a desire to become a member of the Committee, his Lordship was requested to take the chair. Besides the members of the original Committee, many respectable gentlemen of the county were in attendance.

"The Rev. C. Hamilton briefly opened the business of the day, after a few preliminary observations. He read two letters from gentlemen nearly connected with the Society, explanatory of its objects. After some remarks from the agent of the Society, Mr. Blest, Colonel Irwin addressed the Chairman. Before enrolling himself in the list of the members of the Society he wished to become better acquainted with its principles and objects. He at present belonged to a society peculiarly connected with the Established Church he meant the Association for Discountenancing Vice-and he could not help regarding with jealousy any society which might, in the least degree, militate against the interests of that Association and of that Church. He had come there for information, and was ready to give his support to the business before them, if he found his apprehensions groundless.

"The Bishop of Elphin said, that he fully concurred with Colonel Irwin in attachment to the Association for Discountenancing Vice. A branch of that association had been formed in his diocese, and was in operation. It particularly became a person in his station to countenance Scriptural Education, now that the Committee of Education Inquiry had, by their Report, endeavoured to fetter the exertions of the Protestant Clergy in that case, and to give latitude to the Clergy of the Roman Catholic persuasion. The Kildare-street Society appeared, by a late regulation, much to have fallen in with the same view. Under these circumstances he thought it his duty to support that society, for the extension of whose operations they were then met together.

"The Rev. Charles Hamilton agreed with Colonel Irwin, in regarding, with the utmost jealousy, any society whose views were incompatible with the interests of the Established Church. At the same time he must observe, that the Association for Discountenancing Vice was unable, from lack of means (partly caused by the diminution of the parliamentary

grant,) to meet the wishes of the Established Church in the promotion of education. As to the joining of that Association with the Hibernian Society, he believed that many schools, flourished under the joint patronage of the two bodies, the perpetuating of which arrangement the Kildare-street Society had rendered impossible, as far as concerned itself by its late regulation. In support of what he said with respect to the concurrence of the two former societies, he would refer to Mr. Blest.

"Mr. Blest fully confirmed what had fallen from the last gentleman, and asserted that the Hibernian Society wished for nothing so much as the patronage and superintendence of the Established Church.

"Colonel Irwin declared, that, after what had fallen from the Chairman, he should no longer hesitate in joining the Hibernian Society.

"Dean Blakely declared that he had come to the meeting with sentiments exactly similar to those of Colonel Irwin, but that, by the explanation of Mr. Blest and other gentlemen, his objections had been altogether removed, and he would now give the Society his best support."

We understand, from another quarter, that considerable impression was produced upon the meeting by the statement of two facts, which ought to be more generally known. First, That, while the London Hibernian Society invites the co-operation of Ministers of every denomination, it especially appoints the Parochial Ministers as superintendants and guardians of every school in their respective parishes; and thus gives them that prominence of respectability and influence which was denied them by the Commissioners of Irish Education Inquiry, though deputed by Royal authority and sent forth as the delegates of Parliament;-a denial which enabled the Roman-Catholic priests to usurp a temporary authority, and seriously interrupt many valuable schools. - The second point stated was, That the Marquis of Lansdowne had placed the schools under his influence, which were jointly supported by the London Hibernian and the Kildare-street Societies, exclusively under the latter; assigning as his reason, that a connection with the Kildare-street Society would be more agreeable to the Roman Catholics than any union with the London Hibernian Society! Alas for Ireland! that Protestant Noblemen, of the rank and influence of the Marquis of Lansdowne, should stop to inquire what will please the Catholics, rather than what will most effectually benefit their tenants and dependants!

THE PROTESTANT.-No. X.

THE Irish newspapers have recently been occupied with a discussion between some leading individuals in the Hibernian Bible Society, and several of the Roman-Catholic Clergy belonging to the Jesuits' college near Carlow: we are now happy to present to our readers the following brief view of the points at issue, extracted from "The Courier" of Tuesday October 18.

In the summer of 1824, the Clerical agents of the Bible Society of Dublin visited Carlow, for the purpose of being present at the annual meeting of the Auxiliary Society of that town. The proceedings on that occasion were interrupted, in an unusual manner, by the opposition of several members of the neighbouring Jesuits' College, who denied the fundamental principles on which the Society was constituted, and raised a long discussion upon this preliminary question. That the result of the whole was not entirely satisfactory to the Jesuits, was apparent from their announcement that the attack should be recommenced at the next Anniversary. They gave a pledge, which they would now gladly recal at any cost, that, if the Society held a similar meeting in the following year, they would be at their posts to oppose its proceedings.

This unfortunate pledge has proved to them but "the beginning of troubles" Given at the moment when they were smarting under the effect of their opponents' arguments, they soon saw that, although it might serve the temporary purpose of lessening the shame of present defeat, it but protracted the evil day, and bound them to face again those antagonists whose very names they would gladly have forgotten. They soon ascertained, too, that the superiority of Protestant reasoning was proved in the most effectual and unanswerable manner, by the crowds of Roman Catholics who pressed forward to obtain those very Scriptures, the reading of which they had endeavoured to prove dangerous: insomuch that the sale of Bibles in many districts increased in a four-fold degree.

In this unpleasant predicament, the only hope that remained to them was that of contriving some expedient to get rid of their pledge, without absolutely confessing that they dare not fulfil it; and, accordingly, we have had a succession of paltry contrivances, none of which, however, have yet succeeded.

The first step was to endeavour to raise a dispute about the order of proceeding at the meeting. To leave them no excuse on this ground, the Society's Officers even promised to pass through the regular business of the day with all possible pro forma brevity, in order, afterwards, to give them time to state their objections to its principles. Upon these terms they could not avoid accepting tickets for the meeting. Their courage, however, could not be screwed up to the sticking point; and, within a few hours of the time of meeting, the tickets were returned.

But they soon began to find that an unredeemed pledge is not quickly forgotten. If to stand the combat appeared too dreadful a hazard, the shame of flight was, in its turn, intolerable. Hence a second expedient became necessary; and a most valorous one did they adopt. They would hold a Bible discussion themselves, and keep the field for a whole morning against all comers; taking care, however, like most prudent champions, that their antagonists should hear nothing of it till all was over. Waiting till the Clerical advocates of the Bible Society had left Carlow, they called this Public Meeting in their own Chapel at two days' notice, so that it was physically impossible for the Protestant Clergy to return in time.

A manœuvre like this only required to be explained, to call down upon its contrivers universal derision. But the friends of the Bible Society wished not so much to bring their opponents into shame, as to establish before the people of Ireland the truth and importance of their own principles. Personally, they were already triumphant, their opponents evidently fearing to meet them. But an implied victory was less desirable to them than a real conflict of argument, the result of which was certain, while its operation on the public mind would be more decisive.-Six of the Protestant Clergy, therefore, joined in addressing the Carlow Priests. "You have expressed," said they, "a desire to be heard, in a public meeting and in the face of day, against the principles of the Bible Society. You have expressed this desire by obtruding yourselves upon the Carlow Bible Meeting of 1824. You have again expressed it by applying for admission to the Meeting of 1825. You have a third time expressed it, by calling another Meeting in your own Chapel for that express

purpose: but in all these attempts you have failed of your own purpose. The first was a hasty and angry interruption of business; in the second, you declined meeting us; in the third, you took care that we should not be able to meet you. Now, therefore, we offer you what you profess to have been seeking. Let us agree to meet in the face of the public-you, to state your reasons for opposing the circulation of the Scriptures; and we, to be heard in defence of them. We are ready for a fair, temperate, and open discussion of the question; and you, if you do not really fear to enter upon it, will surely accept our offer."

It

A straight-forward and manly appeal of this kind always proves in the last degree perplexing to those who are relying upon management and address. involved the Carlow Priests at once ten times deeper in the predicament from which they were endeavouring to extricate themselves. Their friends saw no way of escape for them, but in braving the worst, and venturing at once upon that contest which, while they professed to be seeking, they really dreaded. The lubricity, however, of genuine fear is not easily calculated upon. A third expedient, and one which most forcibly confessed the terror they felt, was now resorted to. The renowned Dr. Doyle came forward in propria persona, and, clad in all the plenitude of Roman episcopal power, forbade the meeting; while, in order to give some colour to this strange proceeding, he stated no less than seven grounds upon which he judged such a discussion to be highly improper.

After the astonishment, which this step naturally excited, had a little subsided, the Protestant Clergy began to examine these grounds; and one of them, the Rev. R. Daly, addressed a letter to Dr. Doyle upon the subject. He remarked, that all these reasons for not agitating the question had existed long before the present occasion. They were not derived from temporary circumstances, but from general principles. How was it, therefore, asked Mr. Daly, that they were not earlier discovered? How was it that they did not prevent the Carlow Priests from disturbing our peaceable proceedings in 1824? How was it that they did not prevent our being threatened with a similar interruption in 1825? And how was it that they were allowed, without whisper of prohibition, to hold a meeting for the very same discussion which we now propose, but at a time and place which it was known would secure our absence? Leaving Dr. Doyle to answer these questions, Mr. D. reminded him, that, however adroitly he might have covered the retreat of his troops, and whatever credit might be due to him, personally, on that ground, still a retreat was in itself a confession that the body effecting it feared to come to an engagement. This remark was generally acquiesced in by the public; and the Carlow Priests soon found that their retreat, though effected, had not extricated them from the predicament of being generally understood to have shrunk from the open defence of their own principles. A fourth expedient, therefore, became necessary, and was accordingly resorted to-and a most singular manœuvre it presented.

ous.

The mandate of Dr. Doyle, as we before said, stated no less than seven grounds upon which a meeting of the kind proposed would be highly improper and dangerOne of the Carlow Priests, the Rev. Mr. M'Sweeny, professing to overlook the whole of these, treats the mandate as a simple prohibition, resigns his situation at the Carlow Seminary, withdraws himself from the Doctor's jurisdiction, and, in his turn, challenges the Protestant Clergy to a discussion. But his challenge is so clogged with ridiculous stipulations, that we cannot, notwithstanding its swaggering tone, look upon it in any other light than that in which we have ourselves heard a Roman Catholic describe it. "The Protestants," said he, "gave a challenge which we did not like to accept, and now, to be even with them, we have contrived such a challenge as they will not accept."

Unfortunately, however, for his purpose, Mr. M'Sweeny managed the matter rather badly. His stipulations guarded him, it is true, from any possibility of being compelled at last to appear in the field; but they did this in a very palpable and bungling manner. He stated, first, his object to be, the convincing the people of England, by his arguments, of the truth of his principles; and then he laid down a condition of the discussion, which, while it could avail nothing for this end, was perfectly absurd as coming from a Catholic, while it would have been equally so if accepted by a Protestant. He proposed that the dispute should be held before a tribunal of fifty Protestants and fifty Catholics, and that both parties should sign an agreement to abide by the verdict of this body.

The absurdity of establishing a tribunal thus constituted was apparent. It secured to Mr. M'Sweeny a drawn battle at least ;, for the point to be argued was one on

which the Church of Rome had already pronounced its opinion, by which opinion one half the jury, the fifty Roman Catholics, would, upon their own principles, be bound. These fifty would, therefore, come into the jury box, pledged to affirm Mr. M'Sweeny's proposition; and could he but gain the vote of a single man of the fifty Protestants, the whole of whom he took care to stipulate should be of his own choosing, his triumph was safe. Even should he fail of this, a drawn battle he must obtain.

Dr. Singer, Mr. Daly, and Mr. Urwick, have all accepted his challenge, but they demur to this absurd stipulation; and the ground they take is perfectly unanswerable. "You cannot persist in-you ought not, as a Catholic, to have proposed→→→ such a tribunal as this. As a member of the Church of Rome, you must contend for the infallibility of that church, and you must submit to be bound by its decisions, and by them alone. You are not at liberty, Dr. Doyle has already told you, to submit a question, on which your church has already decided, to the verdict of any hundred men and you cannot bind yourself to receive their verdict, against the authority of the church; nor could we, as Protestants, give up the right of private judgment to any body of men whatever. We accept your challenge, but you must, as a consistent Roman Catholic, modify this stipulation."

Thus stands the question.-By the last Dublin Evening Post we learn, that Mr. M'Sweeny gives no other answer to this acceptance, than a reference to a former letter, in which his stipulations were stated. In other words, he neither defends his absurd position nor yet abandons it. The English public will know what to think of Mr. M'Sweeny. They will say to him" You have expressed an earnest desire to hold an argument on the propriety of the right of private judgment, and on the circulation of the Bible; and you have distinctly stated, that your object was, to disabuse and enlighten us. An opportunity is now afforded you, and nothing hinders but a single point of disagreement. That point is one, which, it clearly appears, you cannot, as a consistent Roman Catholic, persist in; it is also one which has nothing to do with the judgment we shall form on the arguments adduced. We look to you, therefore, at once either to abandon or to justify it; and your failure in doing the one or the other, must oblige us to suppose that the whole affair is a trick, and that nothing real has ever been intended by you."

In our minds, indeed, there remains no doubt of the real nature of Mr. M'Sweeny's proposal. It is nothing more or less than a new expedient to extricate himself and his brethren from their uncomfortable predicament; but it will fail, like all the preceding manœuvres for the same purpose. It has already failed. The letters of Mr. Daly and Mr. Urwick have already put the sincerity of his intentions to the test, and he now stands before the public in the character of a man who gives a challenge, but takes care there shall be no fighting,

This last expedient has, therefore, left the Carlow Priests rather worse than better by its operation. They will feel less comfortable now than they did before its trial. We shall wait, with some curiosity, to see what will be their next effort. Something they must do something they will do-and the chances are, that every fresh manœuvre will sink them deeper into the mire.

Notices and Acknowledgments.

THE last month's Methodist Magazine contains an article animadverting on the Christian Guardian in the same lofty and arrogant tone which distinguished their former observations on our Review of Mr. Robinson's pamphlet.

They attack us, in the first place, for having passed over in silence many of their former assertions; and contend that such silence is a tacit admission of the truth of their accusations. Now, what is the fact? The Wesleyan Magazine had employed nineteen pages in animadverting on a review which, together with the extracts, occupied only six of ours. These animadversions contained much irrelevant matter, and we therefore confined our reply to the leading points; introducing the last paragraph with the remark, "It were easy to enlarge upon various topics, but both time and space compel us to close: we must therefore content ourselves with simply denying the "remaining charges brought against us in the Wesleyan Magazine *". It required some hardihood to charge us with tacitly confessing what we thus expressly denied.

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The Methodist Magazine for July states, that, 'From a note in Mr. Welch's Inves❝tigation, it appears that the review of Observations on the System of Methodism was

* Number for September, p. 352.