FOREIGN.

DURING the last month, the affairs of Portugal have almost exclusively engaged the attention of Europe. The Anti-Constitutionalists, whose intrigues and treasons had occasioned their exile, fled into Spain, the natural receptacle for all that is bigotted and slavish. Clothed and armed by the Spanish Government, and acting, to say the least, under its connivance, they have invaded Portugal -the Spanish Authorities encouraging them, and the priesthood raising subscriptions to defray the expences of the attempt. It was a sagacious measure on the part of those priests; for they regard knowledge and liberty as their sworn foes, and doubtless hoped, that by expelling them from Portugal, they would be able to retain the whole Peninsula in darkness and bondage. We trust they will be mistaken.

minds of most persons, being entirely of a pacific tendency. France co-operates with England in endeavouring to preserve peace. It will give us great pleasure to report to our readers on some subsequent occasion that their united efforts have succeeded.

We are sorry to observe that among the measures about to be proposed by the French ministry are some restrictions on the liberty of the press. One of those restrictions shows, plainly enough, the spirit of the projectors. Persons are to be prohibited from printing any thing that tends to expose to ridicule the Roman Catholic religion or its Clergy! Truly, the Romish lady is a most sensitive personage: she can be the harlot, unblushingly, and before all men; but, call her so, and she is all agitation and alarm, protests her innocence, and vows vengeance on her calumniators! Nevertheless, the day of exposure and punishment is coming.

DOMESTIC.

Dec. 12. His Majesty sent a message to Parliament, communicating information of the hostile movements in Portugal. The discussion which followed, was only marked by its unanimity and animation: the speeches of Messrs. Canning and Brougham, in the House of Commons, were fine specimens of brilliant eloquence: all agreed that the

The Portuguese Government wisely solicited the aid of England, their old and faithful ally. It was impossible that such an appeal should be made in vain. No sooner were the English Ministry satisfied of the necessity of the measure than they acceded to the request; and at this moment, thousands of British troops are on their way to Portugal. They have gone—not to make war, but to preserve peace-to defend, not to attack -to prevent anarchy and blood-armed interference of England was shed from desolating the land—and if justly called for, and an Address to his they must strike, only that they may Majesty, with assurances of co-operation Heaven grant them success, and and support, was immediately voted. preserve Europe from the horrors of war!

save.

We are not without hopes that the decisive measures adopted by England will be at once efficient and instructive. Spain and her petticoat-manufacturing sovereign will be convinced of feebleness and folly, and Europe will again be reminded that the British lion is gentle when kindly and respectfully treated, but terrible in his wrath.

Parliament is adjourned till Feb. 8.

Ireland, we fear, is in an alarming state. The leading men among the Roman Catholics are exerting themselves to the utmost to inflame the minds of the populace, by intemperate, not to say seditious harangues. Meanwhile, the work of reformation is proceeding: many individuals, it is said, have recently abjured Popery and embraced Protestantism.

Much importance was attached to the part that France might take in this struggle. The speeches of Charles X. and M. Damas, his minister for foreign affairs, (at the meetings of the Chambers, Dec. 12 and 19) have quieted the be sanctified !

Much distress still prevails in the country, especially in the manufacturing districts. Trade is slowly, very slowly reviving. May the judgments of God

tion.

IRISH CHRONICLE,

JANUARY, 1827.

It appears from the letters of our agents of the past month, that the Reformation from Popery has at length commenced, and begins to appear in Ireland. These are the effects of the uncompromising spirit by which the Scriptures have been taught in the schools and have been explained in the cabins. For nearly 300 years the vast revenues of the Church in that country have been possessed by professed Protestants :-for more than 200 years a very considerable body of Presbyterians has existed in Ulster, largely endowed by the state. Nearly for as long a period several Baptist congregations have been found in some of the larger towns and cities. Many proofs might be given of the inanity of all these Protestant congregations, and their total inefficiency, as to spreading the doctrines of the ReformaThe spirit of the ten spies, who had returned from exploring the land of Canaan, has almost universally prevailed; while there has been scarcely a Joshua or a Caleb to protest against their unbelieving neglect of the command of the God of Heaven. The commission of the Saviour seems to have been understood by Protestant Ministers in Ireland, as meaning “every creature,” except their good neighbours, the Roman Catholics! Instead of contributing towards their conversion from Popery, they contributed towards the erection of Popish chapels, and seemed to say, as a Protestant Archbishop has lately declared-" In those points, which are of the utmost importance, we (i. e. the Established Church and the Roman Catholics) perfectly coincide.--There exists between you and them a perfect concord in all the great doctrines of Christianity!" It has been a great blessing that Societies in England, formed for the religious instruction of Ireland, have gone with the Bible only, the Religion of Protestants "as the weapons of their warfare." Laying aside secular and personal considerations, they have not used" carnal weapons," but those which have been always "mighty through God." Let the true-hearted Protestants in Ireland zealously co-operate with their brethren in England, and follow up the plans of Scriptural education in the schools, and of employing enlightened men to read the Scriptures in the Irish language in the cabins, and we shall see, in the course of a few years, popery in Ireland, as to its predominating influence, not only weakened but destroyed. Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming.” 2 Thess. ii. 8.

From the Rev. Josiah Wilson to the to, and, when the least pretext can be Secretaries.

Boyle, Nov. 14th, 1826.

obtained, strenuously to oppose or maltreat the readers of the bible, whether teachers of it or not. But it will be gratifying to you to learn, as it is pethat this violence is inducing some of culiarly pleasing to me to inform you, those who have read the scriptures to their spiritual advantage, to evince, in a more full and satisfactory way than they have hitherto done, their attachment to the revealed word of God.

DEAR BRETHREN, In the journals which I now forward, you will see a confirmation of some of the observations I made in my last letter. I refer particularly to the hos tile disposition evinced by the anti-bible readers in this country. The Priests have found that any thing in the way of I may add to the preceding observaargument to oppose the circulation of tions, that those who appear determined the word of God will not answer their to read the scriptures for themselves, purpose; and therefore all, with whom discover also an earnest desire to hear they have influence, are earnestly ex- the preaching of the gospel; of this, E horted not to listen to, nor touch the had striking evidence on Monday last, damnable book! Many in consequence at Mohill, and on Sunday last at Balare prevailed on, not even to be civil linacarrow, in both which places I ge

Charge of Dr. Laurance, Archbishop of Cashel, p.7, 12.