JB_172_236.xml

Title: [1821. Aug. 5. Rid Yourselves]

Description: 1821. Aug. 5.

Rid Yourselves

Lett 2. Interests concerned

and transitory life, the Catholic Religion

ought, above all things, to be preserved: preserved, in whatsoever degree of purity and perfection it possesses

or is susceptible of.

But, that, to the maintenance of this religion in any assignable

degree of perfection, not a maravedi is necessary to be provided by forced contributions, or by fixt masses

of property kept on foot for the purpose, is matter of experience. It is so

in all countries in which the Catholic Religion, while it has not only its professors

but also its functionaries, is not the established religion of the state. It is so accordingly, in England, in Scotland, in Ireland, in Denmark, in Sweden, in various parts of Germany to a great extent, in the Kingdom of Prussia

and in the Russian Empire: not to speak of the Anglo-American United States.

In Spain, as in other countries in which

the Catholic Religion stands established,- the whole body of the Clergy, taken in the aggregate, stands distinguishable into two very marked

divisions. The class called that of the regular clergy, and the class called that of the secular clergy. That of the regular clergy has this for its distinctive character: namely, that by none of

its Members as such, is religious

service rendered, in any shape, to any living

individual or assemblage of individuals in particular, to the exclusion of any

others. Accordingly, these have not, properly speaking, a place upon the list of functionaries.

To this part of the list belong - not only such of the clergy as

belong to this or that Monastick order, but the possessors

of all benefices to which no cure of

souls stands attached.

In regard to the secular clergy, no other assumption can I suppose on

this occasion, be preceeded upon, than that of the necessity of the demand for the

services of a number correspondent to that of the offical situations at present in existence. In the Catholic Church, the offices

possessed by them stand distinguishable into Sacerdotal and

Episcopal. The necessity of the office itself being in

each case admitted, and office and officers together thus perserved from the

retrenching knife, remain for a subject of proposable retrenchment the amounts of the

respective bands, tithes and

masses of emoluments in every other shape as to this

matter, the case of Ireland

would

JB_172_199.xml

Title: [1821 Feb. 21 Rid Yourselves]

Description: 1821 Feb. 21

Rid Yourselves

'.1. Prelim y

II Clergy

In regard to the secular Clergy, no other assumption can on this

occasion be proceeded upon, than that of the necessity of the demand for the services

of a member correspondent to that of th official situation at present in existence.

In the Catholic Church the offices possessed by them stand distinguishable into

Sacedotal and Episcopal. The necessity of the office itself being in each case

admitted, and the officers themselves thus preserved from the defalcating knife,

remain for a subject of proposable defalcation the amounts of the negative kinds, to

this, and masses of emolument in every other shape: and as to this matter, the case

of Ireland may afford an instructive example. Under all the hardships imposed by the

inhumanity and persecuting spirit of the English government has the Catholic

population since the Revolution for example diminished?- no: it has increased: it has

doubled. +

To the case of both these sections of the Clergy the same demand

/observation/ applies as to the case of the Royal family and their dependents, as to

the regard does to prevent possession and established expectancy. But as applied to

the whole of the Clergy retrenchment deserves facility from a particular circumstance

which has no place in that other case. This, as every body sees, is celibacy: a circumstance whereby that portion of the demand

for maintenance which regards wife and children stands defalcated.

Monastery[?] from this same mind greater than that for the Monastical

class

Suppose retrenchment applied to this class, if in any number of actual possessors,

expectants in established expectancy, remained uncompensated, inadequately

compensated, whatsoever that number, proportionable quantity of suffering - of

sensible evil - of the only real evil - would be produced. On the other hand, so long

as all were adequately compensated, the whole mass of property existing in such hands

might be applied to the exigencies of the whole nation, and yet no sensible evil - no

evil code - be produced.

JB_172_237.xml

Title: [1821. Aug. 5 Rid Yourselves]

Description: 1821. Aug. 5

Rid Yourselves

Lett 2. Interests concerned

would, of itself, suffice to afford not merely an instructive, but a

most perfectly conclusive, example. Under al the hardships imposed by the spirit

unfeeling and unchangeably despotic and oppressive spirit of the English Government,

has the Catholic population since the Revolution for example diminished? no: it

has + encreased: it has more than doubled trebled: it has

received greater encrease than the dominating sect has.

To the case of both of these sections of the clergy, the same

observation applies, which applies to the case of the Royal

family and their dependents, as to the regard due

to the present possession and established expectancy. But, as applied to the case of the clergy, retrenchment derives facility from a particular

circumstance, which has no place in that other case. This, as every body sees, is celibacy: a circumstance, whereby that portion of the demand

for maintenance which regards wife and children stands

defalcated.

Suppose retrenchment applied to this

class,- if, in any number, actual possessors, or expectants in established

expectancy, remained uncompensated or inadequately compensated, whatever were that

number, a proportionable quantity of suffering - of sensible

evil - of the only real evil - would be produced.

On the other hand, so long as all were adequately compensated, the whole mass of the property at any given time

existing in such hands, might be applied to the exigencies of the whole nation, and

yet no sensible evil - no real

evil - be produced.

Whatever labour is bestowed on /has been destined to/ the production

of the wealth employed in defraying the personal expense of any member of the clerical order, over and above what is voluntarily bestowed

upon him for professional service, is employed in a manner /has been destined to a

purpose/ not merely useless, but much worse than useless. It has moreover been

accepted by him, in contempt and defiance of the precepts of Him by whom it was said

(Luke X. 24) - " how hard is it for them that trust in riches to

enter into the Kingdom of God!" In deeds - evidence

so much more conclusive than it is in the power of words to be - in deeds, it is a

declaration of unbelief in the divine authority of that precept. In riches - (that is to say, in the corruptive and delusion, which, in proportion as

they are thus bestowed and employed, they diffuse) - in riches and riches alone, is the trust of all

those, who, on pretence of support given to the religion of

Jesus contribute to

the employment

Note

In the Table exhibiting an Abstract of the Population in Ireland

lately printed for the use of the House of Commons, See Ed. Review for the years

1820. No. p