"very thing, for which he had always contended; that "he would not concede to the government any right "to object to any priest's appointment to the prelacy, on any other ground, than want of civil loyalty; and "that too, with this restriction, that government should "be bound to express the reasons of their objection, "and give the accused priest an opportunity of defend"ing himself." Then doctor Milner asked me, "what "I thought upon this subject?" I answered, that, "I "had altogether the same opinion as doctor Douglass on this head: that it was our duty to satisfy govern"ment of our civil loyalty; but to yield to government "nothing in spiritual concerns."

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. 8. On the same 31st day of January, doctor Milner, and about thirteen other noblemen and gentlemen, dined, by a friendly invitation, with sir John Lawson, baronet. After dinner, when the fifth resolution, which was intended to be proposed to the catholics at a public meeting, on the following day, was read, lord Clifford made some observations on the terms, in which that resolution was expressed. He also asked doctor Milner, "whether he himself would sign this resolution with his "own hand?"-The doctor exclaimed, with a loud voice, "This will give offence to the Irish; we ought "to wait for their opinion; but that he, as he was the

agent of the Irish bishops, could not sign it; that he "had once been burned in effigy." The noble lord then asked doctor Milner, "whether he (lord Clifford) "might sign it?" Doctor Milner answered, "you may:" and this answer was heard both by lord Clifford, and by every other person present. This same question, "is it lawful to sign the fifth resolution?" was put to doctor Milner by Mr. Weld, at the same time; and the same answer,- -that "it was lawful," -was given to that gentleman by doctor Milner. Having received this answer from the bishop of Castabala, lord Clifford

judged, that, with a safe conscience, he not only might sign the fifth resolution, but might support and recommend it at the catholic meeting to be held on the following day.

9. Doctor Collingridge, as soon as he had received a copy of the formula framed on the 29th of January, which had been sent to him, set out; and travelling by night, reached London; and early in the morning of the 1st of February, hastened to the house of doctor Douglass. He declared, as doctor Douglass had declared, that," he would accept of no formula, which "would subject the vicars-apostolic, in spiritual matters, "to the civil government; or which would, in any man"ner, be repugnant to the faith, discipline or rights of "the catholic church."

10. This arrival of doctor Collingridge was not in the least expected, and altogether unforeseen.

While, thus by accident, doctor Douglass, doctor Collingridge, I and Mr. Hodgson, the vicar-general of doctor Douglass, were assembled, and discoursing on these matters, Mr. Edward Jerningham came to the house of doctor Douglass, for the express purpose of showing him the fifth resolution. The occasion of it being explained, and the resolution itself having been maturely examined and understood, it was adjudged, that "it might be signed without danger, as it gave no

pledge to accept any thing specific; and particularly, "as the catholics, when they signed it, would only “declare their willingness to concur in such measures, "as would give mutual satisfaction and security. For "that, if any arrangements should ever be proposed, " which should not satisfy us, the guardians of the sacred "deposit of the faith and discipline of the catholic "church, or which should be adverse to its security, "it would be wholly and absolutely free to us, altogether,

"and under the very wording of the resolution, to "reject them."

But, notwithstanding all this, as we wished that all the four vicars-apostolic should act by mutual agreement, it was determined not to sign this resolution till doctor Gibson's arrival in London. While I mention this, I also think that I ought not to omit mentioning, that doctor Douglass expressly declared to me his coadjutor, that," he wished me in this business, not to "do any thing in his place or name.”

11. It is to be observed, that doctor Milner was not present with us at this meeting: nor is this wonderful: for we had met together by accident, not preconcert. Mr. Edward Jerningham's arrival, bearing with him the fifth resolution, and his presenting it to us for perusal, were unexpected: nor was there then time to convene doctor Milner, before the hour fixed for the meeting of the catholics. While therefore he cannot complain of our judging without him that the fifth resolution might be signed, this also occurs, that he himself on the day before had, without advising with us, by two answers, announced that it might be signed with a safe conscience, yet of this, none of us hath ever complained.

12. On the 1st of February, therefore, doctor Collingridge and I proceeded together from the house of doctor Douglass to the great room in St. Alban's tavern, to which the catholics were convened.-Taverns of this description in London, are large houses, full of magnificent rooms, in which the inhabitants of London, are frequently assembled for public business, there not being, in private houses, rooms sufficiently spacious for such meetings. Hence, a person would not speak fairly of this meeting, who, giving no explanation of the term, would announce to persons of foreign countries, unacquainted with our manners, that a meeting of bishops,

noblemen and other catholics, was held at a tavern. On that day there were not fewer than about two hundred catholics-clergy, nobility and gentry,-assembled in the tavern. Doctor Milner too was there, among the others. When I entered the room with doctor Collingridge, I said to doctor Milner, that we should not sign the resolution on that day, because we wished to wait for the arrival of doctor Gibson, to the end that all the vicars-apostolic might act in concert. I then invited doctor Milner to meet doctor Collingridge and myself on the day after, upon this business, in the house of doctor Douglass; but I never told him, that on that day, I had done any thing or ought to do any thing, on the part of doctor Douglass; for this, doctor Douglass had expressly forbidden me.

13. After lord Stourton, who presided at the meeting, had moved, and lord Clifford had seconded the resolutions, and after each had addressed the meeting at length, lord Stourton, with the full assent of all persons present, declared, that, "suffering as they had done for

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so many years, a privation of all their civil rights, and of "much of their temporal property, on account of their "profession of the catholic faith, still, they would not "surrender a single particle of that holy religion, in the

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hope of any temporal advantages whatsoever, which "the British government could give to the catholics; " and that they valued their religion much higher than all "their temporal possessions, or the highest honours of "the kingdom."

14. Although doctor Collingridge and I derived the greatest comfort of mind from these words, yet, I thought it my duty, before the fifth resolution was put to the vote, to say a few words, that all persons might know the reason why the vicars-apostolic and I wished to do nothing before the arrival of doctor Gibson; I therefore observed, that, "questions affecting the spiritual

"concerns of all the four districts, and which conse"quently ought to be referred to the judgment of all "the four vicars-apostolic, might arise on the fifth "resolution. I therefore proposed for consideration, "whether it were not expedient, that the vicars-apos"tolic should abstain from signing till the arrival of "doctor Gibson?" I added, that, "the concert of all "the four vicars-apostolic, if they were of one opinion, "would add strength to the resolution, and greatly as"sist to the obtaining of that, which all had in view." Lord Stourton answered, "that these resolutions con“tained no specific pledge, but only expressed a general "disposition on the part of the catholics to negotiate "with government for their emancipation, on such a footing, that mutual satisfaction and security might "be obtained:" His lordship then declared solemnly, that, "If any specific conditions, which pertained to "matters of religion, should at any time be proposed, "they should be submitted to the judgment of the vicars"apostolic." This declaration was made and received with universal applause, and was most grateful to doctor Collingridge and to me, as we felt how necessary it was to favour this disposition so publicly and so solemnly made," submitting all things pertaining to "religion to the judgment of the vicars-apostolic." And this every one would feel, who should consider, that then, for the first time, such a declaration was made, after the deplorable divisions, which formerly existed between the bishops and some catholics, and which now appeared to be extinguished and buried for evermore. Still, however, doctor Collingridge and I desired that matters should wait the arrival of doctor Gibson, that all the four vicars-apostolic might act together and in concert. 15. This indeed was agreeable to the meeting; and it was proposed that a letter should be written to doctor Gibson, by which, "he should be respectfully invited