perienced in the Papal territory a reception the most friendly, and a hospitality the most genens:-a hospitality which cost bitter tears to the Holy Father, who was indispensably obliged to load his subjects with imposts for the maintenance and payment of the French troops; in short, his Holiness calls to witness his Majesty himself, for whom he has not ceased, on all occasions, to testify the most particular regards. But it his Holiness were able to testify the surprize excited by the two first articles advanced to justify this spoliation, he wants words to express the profound astonishment produced by the expressions contained in the third. It bears upon the donation of Charlemagne, and it is remarked, that that was made for the beneat of Christianity, and nitor the advantage of the enemies of our holy region. It is well known that this celebrated and glorious monarch, whose memory will be eternally blessed by the church, dd not give to the Holy See the provinces which have been usurped. It is notorious that they were, at an epoch very remote from his age, in the possession of the Roman Pontiffs, in consequence of the voluntary submission of the people, who were abandoned by the Emperors of the East; that the Lombards having afterwards occupied the Exarchat of Ravenna and the Pentapolis, which include these provinces, Pepin, the illustrious and religious tather of Charlemagne, recovered them, and restored them to Pope Stephen; that that great Emperor, who was the honour and admiration of the 8th century, far from wishing to revoke the generous and pious donation of his father, approved and confirmed it under Pope Adrian; that far from wishing to strip the Roman Church of her pussessions, he had no other intention than to secure and aggrandise them; that consequently in his will he laid an express obligation on his three sons, to protect the states of the church with their arms; that he reserved to his successors nd right of revoking that which his father Pepin had done for the advantage of the chair of St. Peter; that h's sole design was to protect the Roman Pontiffs against their enemies, and not to compel them to exerte enemies; that ten centuries which have passed away since the days of Charlemagne, a thousand years of peaceable possession, render useless all more ancient investigations and all ulterior interpretations; that even if that pious Prince had, instead of a free restitution or gift of these territories, restored or given them for the profit of Christianity, it is exactly for the welfare of Christianity, or, to speak more strictly, of the Catholic Religion, that the Holy Father wishes peace with all the world, avoids to revoke the resentment of any power, and refuses to interfere in political quarrels. After so many voices have been raised against different Popes, who have, for the best reasons, engaged in wars, the Holy Father cannot perceive why it can be attributed to him as a crime that he refused to assume a warlike character, and, at the suggestion of a foreign power, commence a war without any provocation, and which must be highly prejudicial to religion and his subjects. His Holiness cannot on any account overlook the injury watch done him in the before-mentoned decrce, wherein it is remarked, "that the gift of Charlemagne was not made for the be "nefit of the enemies of our holy religion; "there by accusing his Holiness of betraying the interests of the church. This accusation has made a lively impression on the mind of his Holiness, who for upwards of three years has been suffering persecution in behalf of religion, and for having acted FAITHFULLY in his Apostolic capacity. He has suffered it, that he might not implicate himself in a permanent system of warfare, and that he might not, by his conduct, obstruct the free exercise of the Catholic worship. His Holiness hath submitted to it, because he could not adrait the principles which were frequently intimated to him, which were, that if his | Holiness was Bishop of Rome, his Majesty was, notwithstanding, the emperor of it, and that the Holy Father ought to submit to him in temporal. matters in the same manner as his Majesty submitted to his Holiness in religious matters;. that the territories of the Holy See appertained to the French empire, and that therefore the Pope sught always to make common with the Emperor and his successors; that. he ought at all times to consider the enemies of France as his own, and that he ought by consequence to become a part of the Federative system of the Empire. cause The solemn oaths which the holy father hath made to obtain his liberty and independence, so essential to the Catholic religion and the free exercise of his supreme spiritual power, do not allow him to subscribe to those destructive and fatal maxims. His Holiness suffers this persecution, because he would not consent to the pretensions of his Majesty to nominate as many French cardinals as should form one-third of the Sacred College. which must have sapped the fundamental base of its constitution, attacked the independence of his spiritual power, and again introduced those unhappy disasters which the church still deplores. His Holiness suffers, because he would not enter into an offensive and defensive league against any power in Europe, Catholic or otherwise, to the manifest injury of religion If this refusal implies an abandonment of religion, let heaven, the church, the world, and posterity judge. The Holy Father hath the most conscientious reflection, that he never did any injury to his Majesty, or to France; but if his Majesty actually had any complain's against his Holiness personally, that would not jutify him in resenting them on the Catholic church,. by irrevocably and for ever robbing it of that very property which the same decree declares to have been bestowed for the good of Christianity, nor to rub that church, which is not the proprietor, more than the Fontiff, who is only the guardian of it. That church having the spiritual superin tendance of every other, hath, since the peace of Constantine, been enriched by the piety of monarchs and people, and hath, by an admirable ore der of Providence, first accumulated considerable property, and afterwards diferent states, that it might maintain spiritual government with more decency, liberty, and advantage-this very church which his Majesty would reduce to a state of degradation, and incapacity of exercising its divine supremacy. His Holiness cannot sufficiently regret the error into which his Majesty hath fallen, since, in his decree, whereby he deprives the Holy See of a part of its states, on the ground" that they were not intended to benefit the enemies of the Catholic religion," his Majesty has published, in the same states, that code, against which his Holiness has so often, but unsuccessfully, complained, on account of the articles it contains contrary to the Gospel and the laws of the church, particularly those of marriage and divorce. the same time strongly protests, in the face of all the earth, against the usurpation of his states. He solemnly declares it to be unjust, vain, void, and of no avail, that it never can truly affect the imprescriptible and legitimate rights of sovereignty and possession of his Holiness and successors for ever; and if force shall deprive him of its possession, he is determined to maintain the INTEGRITY of his rights, because the Holy See can recover the real possession, when it may please "the "true and faithful God, who fights for justice, and "who hath inscribed on his garments and fore"head the King of Kings and Lord of Lords." At the same time his Holiness addresses the most ardent vows to the Father of Mercy, to inspire his subjects, withdrawn from his power; and who shall always remain dear to his heart, with a spirit of patience and resignation, to the end that they may one day obtain from heaven consolation and peace, and that they may always preserve inviolate in their hearts, religion and faith. The God of Israel will grant his people strength and virtue. His Holiness cannot conceal his astonishment at seeing the demand of his excellency, Cardinal Caprara, for his passports, made an additional motive to justify this scandalous spoliation. After what the undersigned had the honour of signifying, in answer to the note of his excellency M. Champagny in the month of April, his Holiness belives that the grounds of the principal accusations are completely refuted. He hath already suffeciently proved that the demand for passports was accompanied with the equitable condition that the french emperor should evacuate Rome, and relinquish those pretensions which his Holiness felt inadmissible. His Holiness, therefore, cannot abstain from repeating, that it was discretionary with his Majesty either to permit the departure of M. Caprara, who was not only the ambassador of the court of Rome, but at the same time the Apostolic Legate, or to permit him to continue his residence at Paris. His departure ought not, therefore, to be made any subject of complaint. If the injustice of this decree has increased the grief wherewith the mind of his Holiness is overwhelmed, he could not but be additionally afflicted on perusing the other decree of the same date, which enjoins all cardinals, prelates, and officers, holding any employment at the Court of Rome, Letter from the Pope's Secretary of State to who are natives of Italy, to return, under the penalty of their whole property in case of disobedience. It is, therefore, perfectly clear to his Holiness, that it is not his temporal authority, but also his spiritual, which is intended to be subverted, although the second decree makes a studied distinction between the temporal sovereign of Rome, and the Vicar of Jesus Christ, under the pretext of shewing a seeming respect for the latter. It must be evident to the universe, that the intentions of his Majesty the Emperor are to gender his Holiness INCAPABLE of fulfilling his saered duties, by dispersing his senate, and overturning the church establishment, and removing from him those persons most dear to him, thereby depriving him of the only consolation which remained to him in the exercise of his apostolical functions, always on the decline. The Pope is not only the bishop of Rome, as hath been so improperly asserted, but he is at the same time the head of the Catholic church, and in that character he is entitled to choose his ministers, and coadjutors from the different nations of the earth. In fact, since the commencement of Christianity, the church of Rome has been always composed not only of Romans, but of individuals from all nations, as is evident from the number of strangers admitted amongst the clergy of Rome, and who, during the first four centuries, ascended the chair of St. Peter. All these motives justify the grief of his Holiness, who protests against a law which spares not even distinguished ecclesiastics, chosen to assist him in his Labours for the church of God. His Holiness at the undersigned has been required by his Holi- G. CARDINAL GABRELLI. the Cardinals resident at Rome. Quirinal Palace, March 5, 1808 His Holiness having been informed, that general Miollis has invited to an entertainment all or nearly all the members of the Sacred College, he has ordered me to signify to your eminence, that in the state of tribulation in which the Holy See is placed, he cannot believe that any individual of the College will accept such an invitation, or will be present at any such assembly or converza, tione, for the purpose of making known that the Sacred College also participates in the just affliction well if the Sacred College would assign as the moof his Holiness.-In giving an answer, it would be tive of their refusal, in general terms, the situation in which the Holy Father is placed. (Circular to the Cardinals.) Quirinal Palace, March 30, 1808. The present circumstances giving too much reason to believe, that the French military force will assume the reins of the Papal government, his Holiness, knowing your honourable sensiments, is well aware that he need not exhort you to fidelity and constancy. He has thought proper, however, to request all those who occupy the first stations, that should they be invited to continue their functions in the name of whoever may take possession of the Papal States, they give a deci ded refusal, and do no act but in the name of his Holiness. (Signed) G. CARDINAL GABRIELLI. 181] Justice:" Yes, unhappy pontiff! You then Panorama Office, September 26, 1808. Only that allwise Providence, which with infinite benevolence superintends the affairs of men, and knows the end from the beginning" can penetrate the obscurity that hangs over the politics of the kingdoms of Europe, or can tell whether we be correct in anticipating calamities-extensive, intense, and, perhaps, lasting. We fear, that we describe the coming months but too truly, when we call them wrathful, sanguinary and destructive. We fear that a WAR OF EXTERMINATION is about to burst upon Europe, and that ferocity hitherto rarely exampled will cost humanity many a tear. The milder virtues of human nature, which of late have enjoyed but little respite from the contemplation of misery, will again be found painful excellencies by their possessors: and hearts of stone will enjoy apparent ad-plains that his neutrality has been violated for vantages in their insensibility over those who are victims to "The compunctious visitings of Nature," We repeat, that, without being able to assign reasons effectually sufficient to vindicate the impression on our minds, we look forwards with that anxiety, which natural sympathy demands, and that compassion which morality and christianity enjoin. What then is our duty, in such a case? Placed between the fear that events of the most decisive character are approaching and the possibility that our fears may prove unfounded, aware that we cannot speak positively, without putting our veracity in some degree to hazard, yet conscious that we have authority on which most writers would rely without scruple; unwilling to " harrow up the soul' by the anticipation of evils that, by possibility, may never exist, yet expecting their existence and their consummation at no very distant day, we think it our duty to be perfeetly explicit as to our statement of this general fact; while for particulars we refer to the opening events of time. The paper in which the sentiments of the Pope are expressed by his command, has appeared to us to be extremely well entitled to attention. The language he has used, is, for him, altogether extraordinary, and manifests a deeper resentment in the pontiff's mind, of the indignities to which he has been subjected, than may appear on a cursory perusal. We take for gran ed, that the Pope wrote originally in the Latin language: but That pubthis original we have not seen. lished at Palermo, in the Italian language, which we have seen, supplies the place of the original with us. The Pope remarks, that he was the person "who placed in the hands of Buonaparte the Scepter of Sovereignty and the Rod of so long a time, and with so great injury to the interests of individuals as well as of the pub lic: but this presents no distinguished oppression suffered by the Roman government. Reigning only by violence and terror, by military execution and force, Buonaparte dare not trust the natives of any state under his dominion with their own free agency: he knows that outraged nature would impell so eminently is he them to insurrection; Napoleon the well-beloved!" The Pope calls on the commander of the French troops to declare whether they have not been received with the greatest cordiality, and whether they have not experienced the most generous hospitality hospitality and cordiality which have cost bitter tears to the heart of his Holiness. Alas! He does but speak the sentiments of all other governments; they too have shed bitter tears; they too have deeply regretted the cordiality and the hospitality which they have exercised toward the French. The Pope observes, that he had refused the application of Buonaparte for the admission of a preponderating proportion of French cardinals into the sacred college: this reveals the craft of the Corsican, whose wishes for power, are too manifest in this proposal; and who together with that number of voters, would have had that number of spies: then intelligence would have answered no less purpose than their influence. Being deprived of his council of ecclesiastics the pontiff is deprived not only of his temporal power, but also of his spiritual authority, and this with studied intent, (una studiata astrazione del sovrano temporale di Roma della persona d Vicario di Gesù Cristo)-to render him unable to discharge the functions of his office not that ofsimple bishop of Rome, but that of Pastor of the church universal. And against this" usurpation" the pope protests in strong terms (e ́solennemente dichiara esser ingiusta, irrita, nulla, e di niun valore.)-Whether the Pope would dare to excominunicate Buonaparte, and what would be the cousequences of such an act, we are not sufficiently acquainted with the present state of public opinion on the continent to conjecture. We have been assured, by a gentleman, a foreigner, who travelled last year over great part of Germany, and elsewhere, in a public capacity, that, whatever we protestants may suppose, the Papal power is yet sufficient to render such a step extremely injurious to the subject of it and that Buonaparte had better face another 100,000 of soldiers fighting against him in the field. What stronger language short of excommunication he can use, than UNJUST, VAIN, NULL, and OF NO EFFECT, in reference to the act of the usurper, we do not readily perceive. Will xot this language, and the outrage that occasioned it, produce great sensation in the catholic courts, and anong the catholic world at large? We think it will: indeed, we think it has. What will the catholics say, if the emperor and king should assume the tiara himself: and what will then be left for him to assuing, but the crescent of Mahomedanism: a noble combination surely! a triplicity at once the most ridiculous and the most awful! -but after what he has done, who can think any thing strange, that he may do? church apply for spiritual influence, and communications?-Let Hibernian good sense consider these facts. But we turn from a war of words to a war of deeds: the patriotic Spaniards have hitherto conducted their affairs with great circumspection and propriety. They are drawing a vast body of forces toward the passes west of the Pyrennees, a description of which we inserted, Vol. IV, p. 929, and apparently intend to surround the French armies, in the centre of which is Joseph Buonaparte, before they strike a decisive blow. The province of Biscay, by a revolt for which circumstances were not favourable, has suffered by a loss of inhabitants, and by plunder seized by the enemy. But if a formidable Spanish force approaches, this province, with Navarre, will repeat its attempts to regain its liberty. We turn our eyes with great anxiety to the head of the Ebro; and the passes into Spain from France. The fate of the peninsula will be decided before the snows fail on the mountains. If the French continue to hold them during winter; they will give a prodigious. advantage for their early exertions in spring, If the Spaniards obtain possession of them the discomfited Erench will suffer severely, and their fate will be determined. At all events, we expect to hear that the Ebro has witnessed a violent combat; and that its waters have been mingled with the blood of the combatants. May victory attend the sons of liberty, and crown their banners with glory! It is probable our countryinen may exclaim, "proceed now to something that concerns us."-But, in truth, this very subject nearly concerns us. The public does ¦ not know, that there exists, and lately The British public has been thrown into it has become more evident, a difference of a consternation of joy, by accounts of a opinion among the catholics on the character spirited action between the British troops unof Pius VII. It is, it seems, a fundamental der the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley, and irrevocable principle in the catholic in Portugal, and a detachment of Junot's church, that whoever holds communion of army, Aug. 17. This was succeeded by a any kind with heretics or schismatics, Le- more considerable engagement with the comes ipso facto a heretic himself: and we whole of Junot's disposeable force. The dishave before us sundry publications accusing positions made on this occasion, do not apthe Pope himself of heresy !-In vain have pear to be wonderful instances of military pastoral admonitions, and ecclesiastical ex- skill; but the superiority of the British in hortations been directed to those who hold manual practice, and especially of the artilthis opinion they hold it still; and the lery, has obtained them an extremely honours catholic officers, who have emitted these (not able repart. This is the more acceptable, as bulls, as yet, but) bulletins, have been the French have been long in the habit of obliged to withdraw them. We believe, that vaunting the excellence of their artillery: the matter proceded even to excommunication; but now they must yield to British dexterity. -nevertheless, the Pope is deemed a heretic The victory decided clearly in favour of as much as before, and the arguments to prove the British, produced a proposal, the next him so, are not diminished. This then, con- day, for a convention by which the French cerns us; inasmuch as it demands the serions were to evacuate Portugal. This was signed consideration of our catholic fellow subjects; August 30, and has been the subject of and it connects with questions we have hereto continued animadversion by the British public fore put to them, in reference to their public ever since it was communicated to them. It conduct. We suspect, that CATHOLIC EMAN- was negotiated on the part of the French by CIPATION is very fast approaching for-nog-neral *Kellerman [son of Marshall Keller Pope no catholics. When there is no head of the church, where can the body of the * Kellerman was the man who gained the man] the general who regained the lost victory at Marengo, after Buonaparte had retired in confusion from the field of battle: he has proved himself in the present instance, no less adroit as a negociator. It is said, that all his propositions were accepted; and little trouble taken to investigate them. The consequence is, that our generals appear to have conducted the business on their parts with a clumsiness equal to the Frenchman's dexterity. The public had anticipated the unconditional surrender of Junot: we even know that his captivity and confinement in England was expected at Paris, and that the not finding him in that state was a disappointinent to some (foreigners) who have lately been suffered to exchange France for Englant!. Certainly this treaty is liable to great exceptions; our allies the Portuguese are wholly overlooked in it, as a political power; and perhaps, this was felt as a difficulty by our officers, since they could only recognize the Regency left by the prince; but this had been dissolved by the French long ago. They might, indeed, have communicated with the ⚫ general commanding the Portuguese army of insurgents; but from what regular source he derives his authority we have not heard. We are unwilling to believe reports; but if his means were not superior to what some things reported indicate, his resources were inadequate, by far inadequate to his zeal. This convention, however, is not likely to be executed to its full extent. The British admiral does not seem to have been delighted with it originally, and the extortions of the French since the surrender have been so excessive and atrocious, that this violution of the agreement on their part, dispenses with strict adherence to the letter of the treaty on our part. The whole character of Portugal has been strangely metamorphosed during the course of the last twelvemonths. When the Russian fleet entered the Port of Lisbon, it sought safety in that as in a neutral dominion: it was there secure from attack. Russia in deelaring war against England, had not declared war against Portugal: the peace was not broken between those powers. Had the Regency appointed by the Prince of Portugal been continued in authority, Lisbon would have still enjoyed the right to protect the Russians; and they would have been liable to seizure, only after the expiration of an allowed time from their having quitted their victory of Marengo, after it had been lost by Buonaparte ne led on his squadron of horse of 900 men, and routing the regiment of Lchtenstein, threw the whole Austrian army into confusion :-Dessux followed with the corps-de-réserve, and was killed in the action The recovery of the fortune of the day has always been attributed to Dessaix. Asylum.-But, the French by annulling the appointments of the Prince, and exercising the authority of the state, changed completly the character of the ports, as of the whole territory, and rendered that inimical to Britain, which its lawful owner had not so intended. Was the Portuguese territory an enemy's territory when these ships were captured-it certainly was: and as these ships would have been lawful prize if taken on the high Seas, can their being taken in an enemy's port deprive them of this character of lawful prize? On the other hand, if the Regency appointed by the Prince, had continued to conduct the civil affairs of the country: does their being obliged to yield an unwilling obedience to a foreign force, against which their Sovereign had declared no war, yet which he had not voluntarily admitted, render them enemies, strictly and properly speaking? That they are subjugated must be granted, but is not subjugation a different state from enmity, a state rather demanding. commiseration than warranting violence? It must also be known whether the Russians in any manner contributed assistance to the French, against the friends of the Prince Regent; against the troops of Britain: if they did, whether by men or arms, they violated the neutrality of the port, and rendered themselves liable to capture, beyond all denial. It is said, that they carefully abstained. from every act capable of a hostile construction. These considerations, with others not less important, are not to be overlooked: and we consider the British ministry as having acted. wisely, in sending over to Lisbon Sir W.. Scott, the Admiralty Judge, that he may examine circumstances on the spot, and gather all the points of evidence, on facts, that are necessary to guide his opinion, and the conduct of this nation." While popular opinion runs decidedly against our Generals, and all corners of our Islands re-echo with exclamations of censure, we shall hope that Sir W. Scott's judgement and wisdom will enquire into the real merits of the case as it concerns them personally, and furnish materials on which a cool, decided, and impartial determination may be formed. We doubt not, but what the misery endured by the Portuguese was severe; yet the French most certainly ought not to have been suffered to carry off their plunder, obtained by vio, lating of persons, private property, sacred places,and state revenues, and by other nefarious means. As well might they have carried off their prisoners taken among the Portuguese troops, whom they had disarmed, and sent on board vessels in the Tagus. The horses they had collected were equally,stolen, goods: these should have been considered as not their property, but to be restored to the owners. We add, that very few persons in England |