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Leader (1850-1860), 30th November 1850, Edition Town of 1, Page 843, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      there need be no feax of Romanism . ; but he begged to inform them that more than two-thirds of the ¦ writers of the press in the kingdom were at that moment Roman Catholics—persons who were educated either at Maynooth , Clongoires , Stoneyhurst , or some other place . " The original resolution was all but unanimously carried , with an additional clause in condemnation of Puseyite practices in the Church . A great anti-Tractarian , as well as anti-Popish , demonstration is to take place in the Freemasons' Tavern

      on Thursday next . One of the main objects of the meeting—indeed , we may say , the main object—is to " invoke her Majesty's aid to suppress the various Romish innovations recently introduced , in some quarters , into the services of the Church of England . " The root of the evil , as we have always said , lies there . The Bishops of London , Exeter , Oxford—the Puseys , the Bennetts , the Dodsworths , are the real authors of the recent daring aggressions of the Pope . —Morning Advertiser .

      Mr . jPhilip H . Howard has addressed a letter to the Morning Chronicle in reference to the assertion of the Earl of Harewood , at the York meeting , that the use of the Bible was prohibited by the Itoraan Catholic Church . As a contradiction to this statement , Mr . Howard quotes a letter of Pope Pius the Sixth to the Archbishop of Florence , dated 1778 , in which the use of the Bible is distinctly enjoined . He further states that Pope Pius VII ., in his Rescript , dated April 18 , 1820 , addressed his instructions to the Vicars Apostolic in England to the same effect . On the other hand , a traveller in Italy says that , when in Rome , he could only find one Bible in all the booksellers' shops in Rome , and it was in four volumes quarto , and the price £ 4 .

      In spite of the unfavourable state of the weather on Sunday , it was evident from the crowds of eager persons who sought admission to St . George's Chapel that the interest felt in everything connected with the recent aggression of the Pope of Rome has in no degree diminished since the first promulgation of the Papal bull . The curious , however , were doomed to disappointment . Cardinal Wiseman had that morning left town ; and Dr . Doyle , after a stormy passage , had only reached London from Belgium but a short time previous to the service

      commencing , and though the reverend gentleman had intended to preach , he was too much fatigued to undertake the duty . His place was occupied by the Reverend Mr . Cotter , who preached from the gospel of the day , and avoided controversial topics , except to exhort his hearers not to allow their Christian charity to be impaired by the insults that had been heaped upon the Church by the emissaries of the devil , by the servants of that anti-Christ whose coming had been foretold , and who were actuated by a desire to advance their own selfish worldly interests , and not by any wish to glorify God . The Leeds Intelligencer states that the Hon . John Stapleton , brother of Lord Beaumont , has left the Church of Rome . The installation of Cardinal Wiseman will , it is rumoured , take place in a few days , and the ceremony will be gone through in private , with closed doors , for the purpose of avoiding the annoyance anticipated on the part of those whom curiosity might lead to witness it . The Wesleyan Connexional authorities are sensible of their responsibility . The President , Dr . Beecham , has called a meeting of the Connexional " Committee of Privileges , " including both its town and country members , to consider what steps are proper to be taken in reference to the present crisis . — Watchman .

      A Buckinghamshire editor , Mr . Hamilton , of the Bucks Advertiser , has been very roughly handled and seriously hurt at a meeting at Waddesdon , in attempting to move a counter memorial to the Queen . He was dragged off" the platform , thrown upon a woman with an infant in her arms , and narrowly escaped being disabled for life . At Cheltenham a serious disturbance took place on Thursday night week . During the day an effigy of the Pope had been exhibited in the window of a draper in High-street . The figure being dressed in gaudy pontificals , drew large crowds to view it , and the notion got abroad that it was to be paraded round the town after a meeting which was to be held in the evening , and afterwards publicly burnt . The resulc was that at night a crowd collected in front of the shop , and demanded possession of the effigy . Late in the day an order was issued by the magistrates forbidding any anti-Popery procession through the streets , and accordingly the draper , whose name is Hardwick , refused to give up the effigy , The mob , however , now began to threaten , and some of Mr . Hardwick ' s windows were smashed , on which he gave up the Bgure to the police , who handed it , minus its fine clothing , over to the mob . It was then conveyed in triumph through the streets , and finally arriving at the ltoman Catholic chapel , near St . George ' s-

      square , the figure was placed opposite the principal door of the building , and some wooden fencing being torn down a pile of fuel was soon brought together and the figure burnt , amid the cheers of the mob , who afterwards broke the windows of the Roman Catholic chapel , and the windows of certain private houses in the town also shared a like fate . A good deal of apprehension was occasioned at one time in consequence of the excited state of the mob , and order was not restored until after midnight .

      m consequence of a representation me Guards that the addresses of the Reverend Ignatius Collingridge , the Roman Catholic priest officiating at the chapel in St . Peter-street , in this city , were calculated to have a prejudicial influence on the loyal character of our troops , orders were last week received that their attendance at the chapel should be discontinued . — JIamp'h ire Chronicle .

      Untitled Article

      MR . HUME ON THE NEW AGITATION . The following letter from Mr . Hume to the editor of the Hull Advertiser will show what opinion the veteran Reformer entertains of the present hue and cry against Popery : — " Burnley Hall , Great Yarmouth , Nov . 18 . " My dear Sir , —I cannot lay down the Hull Advertiser , of the 15 th instant , without offering some remarks on two matters therein specially noticed . * ' I approve of the manner in which you treat the Papal episcopal appointments , and show the danger to religious liberty by the proposed interference which many , perhaps all , of the addresses to the Crown would recommend .

      " It is well for the clergy of the Church of England to pretend to be alarmed at the proceedings of the Catholics , in their nominal and voluntary distinctions ; but , if the attempt of the Anti-State Church Societies be well considered , there will be more danger to the Established Church from them than from the Pope ' s bull . " The purpose so dexterously laid hold of by Lord John Russell of throwing ( as I stated some days ago to a friend ) a tub to a whale , to stop the course of Parliamentary and Financial Reform for a time , will , I fear , be answered , and the relief I had hoped to be afforded to the country by timely reform be postponed . The Chartists decided the purpose of Lord John at a critical period , and the Pope will now do the same ! How weak mankind are !

      " It has been stated , and I fear with truth , that Lord John Russell and his lady have been of the party who have followed Mr . Bennett , of Pimlico , in all his Puseyite and Romish principles and practices , ; even to the very verge , as Lord John says , of Popery ; and , therefore , it wears a suspicious appearance in him now to turn round , amongst the first , to blame the internal traitors to the Established Church , he having , by his example and proceeding , given encouragement to that section of the Puseyites , and been one of their leaders .

      " I can understand why the clergy of the Church , who have neglected those duties ( as so clearly shown by Sir Benjamin Hall in the case of Wales ) , may be desirous of raising an outcry of « The Church in danger from the Pope , ' to divert public attention from the real danger from the neglect and incompetency of the clergy within the Church ! " Your view of the subject will be adopted as soon as the thinking part of the public can get their eyes opened to the real merits of the alleged innovation . I say alleged , because Mr . C . C . Greville has shown that the Pope is warranted in all he has done by the proceedings of Sir R . Peel ' s Government , which were not at the time objected to by any person except by Sir Robert Inglis and his limited class . —I remain , yours sincerely , "" * ' E . F . Collins , Esq ., Hull . " " Joseph Hume .

      Untitled Article

      A CATHOLIC CONDEMNATION OF THE BULL . " TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES . " Tjpleatham , Gisbro * , Yorkshire , Nov . 24 . « Sir , —I have to request that you will insert in the Times the letter which has been addressed to m « by a distinguished Roman Catholic Peer — Lord Beaumont , a correct copy of which I now enclose . «« It unfortunately did not reach me till after the late county meeting at York , but having his permission to make any use of his letter , I consider it for too valuable an exposition of opinion not to be laid before the public . " I am , Sir , your most obedient servant , " Zetland . "

      ( Copy . ) " Dublin , Nov . 20 , 1800 . » My dear Lord Zetland , —I perceive that the newspapers have announced the intention of the High Sheriff to call a public meeting to consider the propriety of addressing the Crown , on the subject of the late insult offered to this country by the Court of Rome ; and 1 learn from the same sources of information that the step on the part of the Hi « h Sheriff has been taken in consequence of a requisition signed by nearly all the resident peers in Yorkshire . It is a matter not only of no surprise , but of no regret to me , that such a proceeding should be adopted by the country , for the acts in

      question nrc of quite as much political and social importance as of religious and sectarian character . The Pope , by his ill-advised measures , has placed the Roman Catholics in this country in a position where they must either break with Rome , or violate their allegiance to the constitution of these realms : they must either consider the Papal bull aa null and void , or assert tlie ^ right oj a foreign prince to create by his sovereign authority liiiiKlisa titles and to erect English bishoprics To send a bishop to Bcvcrley for the spiritual direction of the Roman Oatholic clergy in Yorkshire , and to creatoa see of Bcvcrley , aro two very different things—the one is allowed by the tolerant la \ vs of the country ; tho other requires tcrn-

      Untitled Article

      A ROMAN CATHOLIC RIOT AT BIRKENHEAD Of all the towns in England there is no one in which sectarian haired is more rife than in Liverpool , and in Birkenhead , on the opposite shore of the Mersey , it is much of the same character . This arises from two causes—the large number of Irish Orangemen and lloman Catholics , and the no-Popery harangues of the Reverend Hugh M'Neile . In the midst of such combustibles nothing else than an explosion could be expected , while so many firebrands were flying about .

      The Protestants of Birkenhead proposed to hold a meeting on " Wednesday , for the purpose of voting an address to her Majesty against the recent Papal aggression . The notice convening the meeting was signed by the Honourable Sir E . Cust and eight others of the local magistracy . In the meantime Catholic opposition was organized , and it was intended to move an amendment on every resolution which might be proposed . The Catholic speakers , it was understood , would be the Reverend Mr . Browne ,

      the resident priest ; Mr . Aspinall , barrister ; and Mr . Bretherton , solicitor , of Liverpool . About halfpast twelve o'clock the magistracy and leading promoters of the meeting assembled in the Town-hall ( which is used ordinarily for the purposes of a policecourt ) , with a view of making the preliminary arrangements . That opposition was intended had been made known from the pulpit of the Birkenhead Catholic Chapel on Sunday evening , and soon after the time stated a formidable crowd collected outside

      of the hall . A very large proportion of these consisted of " navvies , " of which class some 800 or 900 are now employed in the construction of the docks at Birkenhead . A number of them were armed with sticks , and others had their pockets filled with stones . Disturbance had been feared , and the police of the township , assisted by a body of the county constabulary , were reserved in the building , and these were strengthened by a detachment of about thirty men from the Liverpool force , under the command of Mr . Superintendent Ride .

      journed the meeting sine die , but assuring those present that whenever it might be called , he should be found ready to occupy the chair . No less than twenty policemen have been more or less injured , some of them dangerously so , three of the mob are said to have been severely wounded . About six o ' clock in the evening a detachment of the 52 nd Regiment was sent over from Liverpool . Another company was in readiness at Liverpool during the night , to be despatched instantly should necessity arise . However , no further disturbance took place , and the town was even quieter than usual .

      With a view to check the threatened invasion of the Irish " navvies , " the promoters of the meeting had resolved that it should be strictly within the terms calling it—a gathering of the " ratepayers" Birkenhead ; but a miscellaneous crowd , each eager to get earliest entrance , already besieged the doors . The police were ordered to clear the gates , and for that purpose pushed themselves forward from opposite directions towards the places of entrance . This duty , of course , was not effected without opposition , and to meet the resistance the police thought it necessary to apply their staves . This they did with in the

      some vigour , and from the heads of two men crowd blood copiously flowed . A shout was set up and instantly almost the police were assailed with a frightful shower of stones . After this the police inside the building came out , and charged upon the crowd , which partially dispersed , but irritated in the highest degree . In a few minutes afterwards a large body of navvies , numbering , it is variously estimated , from 300 to 500 , were seen returning from the nprth end of the town , where the dock labourers chiefly reside . They were armed with bludgeons , spade handles , pokers , and every available species of

      offensive weapon . The windows of the Town-hall were speedily shattered to atoms , and the police , not without frightful individual injury , were , after some fighting , compelled to retreat within the hall . Some twenty of the body had been , more or less injured , chiefly about the head , four or five very seriously so , and two of these , officers from Liverpool , named Grimley and Slee , are not expected to recover . The Reverend Mr . Browne was within the Town-hall at the time of this disturbance . He was recognized through one of the shattered windows , and received a request from the crowd to cotne outside . " But how am I to

      get out ? " the priest asked , we believe . The difficulty was soon solved—the frame-work was demolished instanter , and he was drawn out of the aperture . The reverend gentleman mounted a coping stone in front , and exhorted the mob in the most energetic manner to keep the peace . " Now , " said he , " come here and lay down your weapons . " He was implicitly obeyed , and a bundle of some 200 or 300 sticks , &c , were quietly laid at his feet , The priest gave instructions that these should be carried on to the Catholic chapel , and two or three men were entrusted meantime tho

      ¦ with the burden . In the , however , police appear to have rallied and made a second charge upon the crowd . The sticks were once more seized , and another conflict ensued , but was eventually quieted through the lleverond Mr . Browne s exertions , who led the people off to his own house . He was followed by a crowd . They wore in tho most excited state , and wished to hold a meeting of their own contiguous to the chapel . Some speaking had commenced , but as the proceedings might only still further inflame the feelings already too active , the loading men of tho body put a stop to tho project , and the navvies and otliera assembled were exhorted

      quietly to return to their respective homes . When the disturbance broke out the utmost consternation was exhibited by the gentlemen assembled within the hall . The Honourable Sir E . Cust , who was to have presided , rose and addressed them , aa-

      Untitled Article

      Nov . 30 , 1850 . ] &f ) $ 3 Le& * jeV . 843

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 30, 1850, page 843, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1861/page/3/