1828.] The Brunswick Clubs. 569 
to all religious sects and persuasions—civil and religious liberty, in the highest 
possible degree, possessed and enjoyed equally by all classes of his Majesty’s 
subjects—and all the objects and purposes for which civil governments are 
instituted, adequately fulfilled and accomplished.” 
The Ear] of Rathdowne, exhorting his Protestant countrymen “to be 
temperate, firm, and, though last not least, to be wigilant,”—a warning 
which cannot be too deeply inculcated on both Ireland and England,— 
moved the Resolution— 
“ That, in the present crisis of danger to the Protestant constitution of the 
realm, and from the alarm that prevails among a great number of his Majesty’s 
Protestant subjects of Ireland, from the daring proceedings to which an unlaw- 
ful and unconstitutional assembly, calling itself the ‘ Catholic Association,’ has 
resorted, evidently with a view to the subversion of the constitution,—it is 
imperatively incumbent on all who revere the principles on which the Bruns- 
wick Club of Ireland is founded, to associate themselves for the purpose of 
promoting the true and independent expression of Protestant public opinion— 
to facilitate the progress of petitions to the legislature and the throne, and to 
exhibit their union of sentiment in support of our glorious constitution.” 
The remainder of the business consisted of arrangements for the pro- 
pagation of the principles of the Club, for the holding of other meetings 
through the country, and the presentation of petitions to the two Houses 
of Parliament, and an Address to his Majesty, explanatory of the objects 
of the Brunswick Associations—the successive resolutions for which were 
sustained by a number of able and manly speeches from Members of 
Parliament, and other personages of public distinction, all uniting in the 
sentiment, that the Irish Agitators required not freedom, but subversion ; 
that to give them the power of entering the Legislature, would be in the 
first place to throw the whole Irish Representation into their hands, in- 
asmuch as the priests would not suffer the rabble of the forty shilling 
voters to return a single Protestant Member ; and, in the next, would be 
the introduction of a hostile and unprincipled body of demagogues, 
bound together by their dependance on the priesthood, into the right of 
making the laws for’a Protestant State and Church, both of which they 
were, by their corrupt religion, and by their criminal politics, pledged to 
embarrass, and finally destroy. 
Thus far have the men of Ireland advanced in the great duty of rescu- 
ing themselves and their liberties from the hands of a furious faction. 
Well and wisely have they taken their defence into their own hands, 
waiting for no ministerial subtlety, or proud contempt of religious and 
- moral principle, to make its bargain of their privileges with the cunning 
or the cupidity of Popish rebellion. Let their respect for the ability of 
the British Cabinet be what it may, woe be to those who leave themselves 
to be trafficked for in a Concordat, or bandied from Pope to Populace by a 
Cabinet Vote. Let the Protestants of the Empire raise their voice, and 
hi the depositaries of power be treacherous, they will be forced to learn 
_ wisdom from fear ; if they are honest, they will welcome this irresistible 
auxiliary. But, in all events, let the Protestants raise their voice, and 
their triumph is secure. 
M.M. New Serics.—Vou. VI. No. 36. 41) 
