400 
tention, as we conjecture, to 
maintain the entire execution 
of the holy canon law, we are 
incapable of duly expressing 
our thanks to your Majesty 
for it. 
But we most respectfully take 
the liberty to lay before your Ma- 
jesty an article of the new consti- 
tution, which, in securing the 
same protection to all religions, 
would be incompatible with the 
free and entire exercise of our 
official duties. 
We are bound, Sire, incessantly 
to.preserve the people entrusted 
to our care, from the doctrines 
which are in opposition to the 
doctrines of the Catholic church. 
We could not release ourselves 
from this obligation without vio- 
lating our most sacred duties; 
and if your Majesty, by virtue of 
a fundamental law, provected in 
these provinces the public profes- 
sion and spreading of these doc- 
trines, the progress of which we 
are bound to oppose with all the 
careand energy which the Catho- 
lic church expects from our office, 
we should be in formal opposition 
to the laws of the state, to the 
measures which your Majesty 
might adopt to maintain them 
among us, and in spite of all our 
endeavours to maintain union and 
peace, the public tranquillity 
might still be disturbed, 
And since, by Art. 136 of the 
proposed Constitution, the public 
. exercise of a form of worship may 
be hindered, when it might dis- 
turb the public tranquillity; it 
follows, that the free exercise of 
our religion might be hindered 
by a possible consequence of the 
use of the rights and liberties of 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
the Catholic church in these pro- 
vinces. 
We dare not conceal from you, 
Sire, that such regulations, if 
they were confirmed by your Ma- 
jesty,could only lead to a renewal 
of the troubles which desolated 
these provinces in the sixteenth 
century,and that they must sooner 
or later alienate the hearts of your 
faithful subjects in this part of 
your kingdom, with whom, at- 
tachment to the Catholic faith is 
stronger and more lively than in 
any other country in Europe. 
Already the proclamation of 
your Majesty, which announced 
that the new Constitution should 
insure the liberty ofreligions, and 
give all equal favour and protec- 
tion, filled every heart with con- 
sternation. It is known that this 
dangerous system is one of the 
main articles of the modern phi- 
losophy, which has been the 
source of so many misfortunes to 
vs; thatevidently aimsat exciting 
indifference to all religions, at 
lessening their influence from day 
today, and at destroying them in 
the end entirely. We are bound 
Sire, to tell you the truth in its 
full extent, The clergy of these 
provinces have not observed with- 
out pain that your Majesty has 
been persuaded to exclude them 
from the assemblies in whioh the 
great interests of the state were 
discussed; that the plan of the 
new Constitution contains ho- 
nourable distinctions for the no- 
bility, and that the clergy, once 
the first class in the state, are de~ 
prived of them ; that it will'not 
even have the right of being re- 
presented in the Provincial As- 
semblies, that its influence on the 
