46 RELIGION. 



kingdom. Great pcfieflions gave thofe landlords an intereft in 

 the public welfare ; which in emergencies of danger might 

 induce them to ufe their influence to keep their dependants 

 quiet ; but when none are connected with them richer than 

 themfelves, and the whole party confiding of a poor and half 

 ruined peafantry, and priefts almoft as poor as themfelves, 

 what tie, or what call is there upon them to reftrain the dic- 

 tates of refentment and revenge ? At this day the beft fubjects 

 among the catholics, and many there are very much to be de- 

 pended on, notwithftanding all their oppreflions, are the men 

 of landed property: how impolitic to willi to leflen the num- 

 ber ! to be defirous of cutting off" two millions of peafantry 

 from every poflible connection that can influence their fubmif- 

 fion. The fame obfervation is applicable to mortgages, and 

 in fliort to all inveftments of money within the kingdom. 

 Surely the obedience of a man who has property in the realm 

 is much fecurer than if all he is worth is in the Englifh. or 

 Dutch funds ! While property lay expofed to the practices of 

 power, the great body of the people who had been ftripped 

 of their all were more enraged than converted : they adhered 

 to the perfuaficn of their forefathers with the fteadieft and 

 moft determined zeal $ while the priefts actuated by the fpirit 

 of a thoufand inducements, made profely.tes among the com- 

 mon proteftants in defiance of every danger. And the great 

 glaring fact jet remains, and is even admitted by the warm- 

 eft ad vocases for the laws of difcovery, that the eftablifhed re- 

 ligion has not gained upon the catholic in point of numbers, 

 but on the contrary that the latter have been rather on the in- 

 creafe. Public lifts have been returned in the feveral diocefes 

 which confirm this fact ; and the intelligence I received on my 

 journey fpoke the fame language. 



Now as it is the great body of the common people that form 

 the ftrength of a country when willing fubjects, and its weak- 

 refs when ill-affected, this fact is a decifion of the queftion : 

 after feventy years undifturbed operation, the fyftem adopted 

 in Queen Anne's reign has failed in this great end and aim ; 

 and meets at this day with a more numerous and equally de- 

 termined body of catholics as it had to oppofe when it was 

 firft promulgated. Has not the experience of every age, and 

 every nation proved that the effect is invariable and univerfal ? 

 Let a religion be what it may, and under whatever circum- 

 ftances, no fyftem of persecution ever yet had any other effect 

 than to confirm its profeflbrs in their tenets, and fpread their 

 doctrines inftead of reflraining them. Thus the great plea cf 

 the Roman catholic priefts, and their merit with their congre- 

 gations are the dangers they hazard,- and the perfecutions 

 they fuffer for the fake of their faith ; arguments that ever 

 had and ever will have weight while human nature continues 

 formed of its prefent materials. 



The quellion of internal fecurity is decided almoft as foon as 

 named : the fubmiffion of the catholics is yet felt to be fo 



