FRENCH PROTESTANTS.

WHILE the COMMITTEE of DISSENTING MINISTERS have been exposed to the slander of men who were determined to reject evidence, as insufficient because it was too powerful for their prejudices and their perverseness, and while they have had to contend with a prevailing disposition to abandon the Protestants to those who persecute, because they have had the audacity also to calumniate them, they have neglected no means, which could justify the confidence of their wise and benevolent friends, develope the truth and bring before Europe the proofs of those crimes which have been committed, in the name of Loyalty and Virtue.

The Rev. Clement Perrot, Pastor of the French Congregational Churches in the island of Guernsey, was accordingly requested by them to repair to France, in order to examine in the capital, and also on the t, the real situation of the Protestants,-arrange plans for the application of the money obtained for their relief, and collect the history of transactions which had been so long stoutly denied, or ingeniously palliated.

For this important Mission their friend was specialy qualified, not only by his perfect knowledge of the French language and the great respectability of his character, but also by possessing, in a high degree, the confidence and esteem of the most respectable Protestants and Protestant ministers, and an intimate acquaintance with them, formed on his visit to the South of France, during the first restoration of the Bourbon family, and confirmed by frequent correspondence since that period.

It will be seen, by the Resolutions which follow, that this gentleman kindly undertook the task-that he has succeeded in the great objects which the Committee were anxious to accomplish-and that the General Body of Ministers had the satisfaction of his personal attendance at their Annual Meeting, just returned from a journey of nearly 3000 miles, effected amidst many dangers and difficulties, in the course of eleven weeks.

In a country, which may be denominated a vast prison, where private confidence and personal liberty are nearly annihilated, where spies mingle in every society, and arbitrary power seals up the channels of information, it required great exertion and prudence to collect precise and authentic intelligence, and at the same time not endanger the safety of individuals. Directed however, and favoured by Providence, which seems to have prepared its agent by a former visit for this great service to the general interests of truth and religion; Mr. Perrot has been able to procure and to bring to England, besides his personal testimony (after having travelled to Nismes and the surrounding country) a mass of evidence which will at once set the whole question in its true light, and form materials for the history of Protestantism in the 19th century.

It is impossible, in this paper, to give even an outline of these very important communications; but it would be improper not to refer to the objections which the documents, preparing for publication, must for ever silence.

Mr. Perrot demonstrates, that politics have only been the pretext for the persecutions which have ravaged several of the Departments —that the Catholics had no ancient wrongs to avenge on the Protestants,-that it is impossible to throw the blame on an unmanageable populace,-that it is equally impossible to exculpate the local authorities from a share, at least by connivance, intho outrages committed, and that to this day not one individual concerned in the

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horrors which have afflicted the city of Nismes, and the Department of which it is the capital, bas been punished.

To illustrate the spirit which has actuated the persecuting royalists, we insert the following account of the State of Affairs in the months of April and July, 1814;

"The Catholic domestics no longer served their masters with the same zeal and affection as they bad hitherto done. Husbands were separated from their wives, and wives from their husbands,-though the only motive was a difference in religion.

We were told that Catholic women actually received, in the confessional, the horrible advice to poison their Protestant husbands. The following is a fact less revolting, and which we can with certainty guarantee :

A mau named Mariana du Hameau de Maza, in the Commune of Cardel, Department of Gard, lived for three years upon the best terms with his wife, who was a Protestant. He went one day to confess to the Cure of his parish, Jean de Serre. This Priest put the express condition to a refusal to give absolution to his penitent; that he must endeavour to convert his wife to the Catholic religion, and the following was the advice which he gave him for that purpose:- You must present yourself before her with an angry countenance, and when she demands the reason of this change, you must answer her, I am not my own master, I am possessed with a demon from which you can deliver me, by turning Catholic, and you may thus save me, by saving yourself.' Marianna was a good Catholic, but he had the religion of good sense; he was above all a good husband, and he rejected the baneful advice, which tended to place bim on ill terms with a wife whom he had always found worthy of his affection.

A man of the name of Julian, a perruquier, at Nismes, had not the same strength of mind. During several months he rendered his wife the most unhappy of women, without ever attempting to assign a motive for the unaccustomed harshness with which he behaved to her, or the iH treatment which he made her undergo. It turned out, that it arose from his having been told by a priest, that there must be no longer any Protestants in France. Having reflected, however, that there was more of passion than of religion, in the advice which had been given to him, he suddenly changed his conduct, and confessed all to his wife,

We might present many other similar instances; but these are sufficient to shew the spirit which actuated the principal directors of the people, and which leave little room for astonishment at the disorders of which we are about to present a deplorable, but true picture.'

In July, 1814, M. Baron, Counsellor of the Cour Royale of Nismes, conceived the project of voting to God a child of silver, in the event of the Duchess d'Angouleme giving a prince to France. He communicated it to the Marguillerie; it assembled-deliberated, and this project of M. Baron was soon changed into a religious yow, unanimously formed, which was solemnly proclaimed the 19th of July, in the parish-church of St. Castor, and in a church dedicated to St. Francis de Salles. The whole city of Nismes was informed of it-it was talked of in the societies-it was talked of tete a teteit excited the people to repeat without end their paters and aves, who, after they had inflamed their passions by crying Vive le Roi!-Vive les Bourbons !-came to kneel at the altar, where their imaginations were again filled with the same

objects. This unhappy effect produced no alarm in the minds of those who maintained an influence over the populace. However, this might be, a depu. tation of the Marguilliers of the parishes of the city of Nismes, consisting of M. M. the Viscount de Bernis, the Abbe d'Esgrigny, the Viscount de Suffren, the Marquis d'Assas, the Marquis de Rochemaure, the Marquis de Montcalm, the Marquis de Calviere Vesenobre, Trinquilagues, first Advocate General of the court of Nismes, and Froment Secretary of the King's Cabinet, having had the honor of being admitted to an audience of Madame the Duchess d'Angouleme, to communicate to`her the vow of which she was the object, M. Trinquilagues spoke as follows:

"Madame,

"In the name of the administrators of the parishes of the city of Nismes, we come to present to you the homage of a religious act with which they have been inspired by their ardent love for the blood of their King, and their profound veneration for your Royal Highness. Like all Frenchmen, they have felt that there is wanting to our happiness a son of yours; and they ask it of him from whom emanates every good. They have deposited at the foot of the altar their vow to consecrate to him a monument of their gratitude. They would have left this vow of their hearts under the vale of the sanctuary, and have waited in respectful silence for the benefit which their prayers solicited; but your Royal Highness has often said that the love of the French could only convey consolation to your heart; and they rejoiced at the thought that, in communicating their sentiments, they might perhaps soften a moment of melancholy recollection," &c.

We subjoin a fact which took place on the 3d of July, 1815. The Sieur Bigne, a Commission factor at Nismes, after having passed some months at Lyons, was on his return home. On the 1st July, 1815, he arrived at St. Esprit. There he learned that the environs of Nismes were infested by banditti, who committed the greatest excesses against the Protestants. He was undecided, in consequence, what course to take; but as he had done no ill to any one, why should they do harm to him? Important business and the desire of seeing his family urged him besides to return home. He set out from St. Esprit the 2d July, in the evening, with two travelling companions, Protestants, like himself. On the 3d, as the day began to break, they arrived at Besome, a Catholic village, two leagues from Nismes. They heard a tumult, and perceived gendarmes, Their carriage was soon surrounded. They shewed themselves, and some one recognized them. "There are the Black Throats" (Gorges Noires) cried they; and the cry spread from mouth to mouth. The whole village assembled in an instant. They made the travellers descend from the carriage, and conducted thence to a field of olive trees, where they were to be shot. The signal for execution was given, when, by providential interposition, the Mayor, who was a well-meaning man, but durst not say any thing, made the Sieur Bigne comprehend by a gesture, which he understood, that a sign of Catholicity might save him. The gesture was seized with as much rapidity as it had been made. It was to the sign of the cross, and to some words of pater that they had learned in their childhood, that the three unfortunate men owed their safety. Now," cried the populace, we were about to kill our brethren.”

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Mr. Perrot brings a dreadful account of the situation of the Protestants as late as the last Month.

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Ar the ANNUAL MEETING of the General Body of PROTESTANT DISSENTING MINISTERS of the Three Denominations,

Rev. JOHN HUMPHRYS in the Chair,

The Secretary having made a Report from the Committee appointed to pursue Measures for the Relief of the persecuted French Protestants, and the Rev. Clement Perrot having communicated the result of his personal inquiries, undertaken at the request of the Committee, into their past and present situation,

Resolved unanimously,

1. That the Report of the Committee appointed by this Body," for the purpose of Inquiry, Superintendence, Distribution of the Funds which may be contriLuted for the relief of the French Protestants, suffering for conscience-sake,"-now presented by the Secretary, displaying the zeal, the industry, and the perseverance with which they have prosecuted the objects confided to their care, be accepted by this body with the highest sentiments of satisfaction and gratitude.

2. That the account now commanicated to this body, of the situation of the French Protestants, by the Rev. Clement Perret, who, at the request of the Committee, has so generously, and with so much personal inconvenience and risqué, visited the scenes of persecution in France, while it demands our most cordial acknowledgements, has produced the deepest conviction that no relaxations should be suffered in the exertions of the Committee, but that their most vigorous efforts should be continued, till complete security and repose be obtained for those who are suffering for conscience-sake.

3. That although the lawless outrages of the persecutors in the south of France have happily abated, yet that the circumstances of our suffering Protestant brethren in that quarter, still call, for our sympathy and assistance; and that it be strongly recommended to our brethren throughout the Kingdom, who have not yet made collections on their behalf, to follow the example of those who have already, by this means, declared publicly their abhorrence of persecution, and contributed to the relief of suffering humanity.

(Signed)

By Order of the Committee,

THOMAS MORGAN, Secretary.

Battersea

ton, Wilts
Griffith's do. Trefgarn,

Pembroke

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2 13

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3 0 0

4 5

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Smith's do. Nantwich
Edward'sdo.Northampton 3 2 0

Contributions will be received by the Rer. T. Morgan, Williams's Library,

Red Cross Street.

The REPORT of the Rev. C. PERROT, printed by order of the Committee, may be had of all Booksellers; and an HISTORICAL RELATION of the Persecutions endured by the Protestants of the Sonth of France, in one volume octavo, prepared by the same Gentleman, will speedily be published.

R. WILLIAMS, Printer, Clerkenwell.