1 830. ] . State of 'Ireland. 145 



other paltry expedient, to crush these exceedingly popular topics 

 among the Irish Roman Catholics ; all his efforts will only make them 

 clasp these idols more closely. In vain will he strive to win over the 

 papal clergy, or even the See of Rome itself, in order to avert the 

 tornado which threatens him ; every such proceeding on his part will 

 be justly construed into a proof of his weakness, and every concession, 

 every fresh measure of " conciliation," besides calling forth the appre- 

 hensions of Protestants, will be haughtily used as a stepping-stone, by 

 means of which the Jesuitical party may arrive at the cherished objects 

 of its ambition. The Roman Catholics will continue, after every addi- 

 tional acquisition, to repeat to the expediency cabinet, the cutting retort 

 which Mr. O'Connel, and his brethren of the agitating school, flung at 

 those treasury sycophants, who reminded them of the gratitude they 

 owed the Duke of Wellington ." has he not himself acknowledged," 

 replied the agitators, " that 



" His Poverty but not his Will consented ?" 



Thus will the very path which the apostates have marked out for 

 themselves, lead them into still greater difficulties. The demands of 

 popery will be incessant ; and each bonus conferred on the sworn 

 enemy of the reformed faith, will effect (if possible) still greater aliena- 

 tion of the Protestants or, to employ more correct phraseology, an 

 increased anxiety for the removal of men, whose continuance in power, 

 is regarded with no ordinary disgust and alarm. 



In the interim, an object of increased curiosity, if not of commi- 

 seration, is the probable fate of the established church of Ireland. 

 However premature the honest declarations of Dr. Drumgoole might 

 have been deemed in December 1813, we fear that some of them, at 

 least, cannot be treated as ludicrous in July 1830: 



" That she" (the Established Church), said the enthusiastic doctor, 

 tf stands in great need of securities, who can doubt ? when she sees 

 division in the camp, and observes the determined war that is carried 

 on against her, muros pugnatur intra et extra that her articles of asso- 

 ciation are despised by those who pretend to be governed by them ; 

 that Socinians, and men of strange faith, are amongst those in command; 

 * * * and the columns of catholicity are collecting, who challenge the 

 possession of the ark, and, unfurling the oriflamme, display its glorious 

 motto Evryrw vixa?" 



Those politicians who are still disposed to regard as apocryphal the 

 words we have quoted from Dr. Drumgoole's speech, more especially 

 the concluding portion of the extract, let them merely reflect upon the 

 proceedings which took place throughout Ireland, at the vestries held 

 this year for providing for parochial affairs intimately connected with 

 the service and discipline of the established church. They will find, 

 that not only have parishes been illegally taxed, in several places, for 

 the direct support of popery, but that the Roman Catholics, where they 

 could insure a majority of votes in their favour, have actually thrown 

 the entire of the church rates upon the episcopalian Protestants of the 

 parish. We also beg to refer all state sceptics with regard to the 

 danger which awaits the Irish branch of the established church, to the 

 numerous petitions from Ireland presented against the vestry laws, 

 against tithes and church property in a word, against every part of 

 the system which the constitution Vainly attempted to render perma- 

 nent for the support of that church, the " rights and privileges" of 



M.M. New Series. Vol. X. No. 56. T 



