cannot sufficiently be commended, particularly at a time
when only the insect defaulters of the Treasury, your Hunts and your
Chinnerys, when only those "gilded bugs" can escape the microscopic
eye of ministers. But when you come forward, session after session,
as your paltry pittance is wrung from you with wrangling and
reluctance, to boast of your liberality, well might the Catholic
exclaim, in the words of Prior:--

"To John I owe some obligation,
But John unluckily thinks fit
To publish it to all the nation,
So John and I are more than quit."

Some persons have compared the Catholics to the beggar in Gil Bias:
who made them beggars? Who are enriched with the spoils of their
ancestors? And cannot you relieve the beggar when your fathers have
made him such? If you are disposed to relieve him at all, cannot you
do it without flinging your farthings in his face? As a contrast,
however, to this beggarly benevolence, let us look at the Protestant
Charter Schools; to them you have lately granted 41,000_l_.: thus are
they supported, and how are they recruited? Montesquieu observes on
the English constitution, that the model may be found in Tacitus,
where the historian describes the policy of the Germans, and adds,
"This beautiful system was taken from the woods;" so in speaking of
the charter schools, it may be observed, that this beautiful system
was taken from the gipsies. These schools are recruited in the same
manner as the Janissaries at the time of their enrolment under
Amurath, and the gipsies of the present day with stolen children,
with children decoyed and kidnapped from their Catholic connections
by their rich and powerful Protestant neighbours: this is notorious,
and one instance may suffice to show in what manner:--The sister of a
Mr. Carthy (a Catholic gentleman of very considerable property) died,
leaving two girls, who were immediately marked out as proselytes, and
conveyed to the charter school of Coolgreny; their uncle, on being
apprised of the fact, which took place during his absence, applied
for the restitution of his nieces, offering to settle an independence
on these his relations; his request was refused, and not till after
five years' struggle, and the interference of very high authority,
could this Catholic gentleman obtain back his nearest of kindred from
a charity charter school. In this manner are proselytes obtained, and
mingled with the offspring of such Protestants as may avail
th