On Tuesday, the tenth of February, a Meeting of the Committee of the CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION, was held at the Freemason's Tavern. Lord Arundel in the chair; preparatory to the Meeting of the Open Committee which had been appointed to take place on the following day.

At the Meeting of the Open Committee of the British Catholic Association, held at the Freemason's Tavern, on Wednesday, the 11th day of February, 1824, pursuant to adjournment. Present, the DUKE of NORFOLK, in the Chair.

Lord

Arundel, Sir G. Jerningham, Bart. Rev. Dr. Collins, Rev. James Watkins, Charles Butler, Joseph Booker, James Kiernan, John Kelly, John Rosson, M. J. F. Sidney, James Wheble, Wm. Witham, Jun. Sir Henry Webb, Bart. Rev. John Rolfe, Charles Bodenham, John Coltsmann, John Darell, John Gandolfi, G. B. Kelly, T. Keasley, J. L. Keasley, G. Keating, Martin Lima, J. Pickford, Henry Robinson, Sen. J. Tempest, Charles Turville, &c. &c. Edward Blount, Secretary.

THE Secretary informed the Meeting, that he had received

a Letter from HENRY HOWARD, Esq. apologizing for his absence, occasioned by severe indisposition; and another from Lord CLIFFORD, approving of the views of the Association, in the Use of the Public Press, and in the Distribution of Publications in Favour of our Cause.

The proceedings of the Committee Meeting of the 10th inst. were brought under the consideration of this Meeting, and the following resolution, Resolved,

"That the Secretary be empow"ered to use his discretion in "the distribution of such Tracts "and Books as are in his pos"session belonging to the Ca"tholic body,"

thereupon by Lord ARUNDEL and Dr. COLLINS as follows: Resolved,

That the British Catholic Asso

ciation deem it inexpedient to petition for measures of partial relief; that they feel that their Cause is founded on Justice and Right, and therefore, though grateful to Parliament for any concession however imperfect, they consider it unfit that they should make themselves parties to any proposition for their benefit, short of admission to a full and free participation in all the Privileges of their Fellow Countrymen, to which, as free-born Men and Loyal Subjects, they are equally entitled.

And such amended Resolution being seconded by Mr. WHEBLE, was carried unanimously.

The following Resolution of the same Meeting being also read:

"not yet come forward with "their Donations or Annual "subscriptions, and to request

66

particularly, that they will "return answers to the appli"cation."

The same was, on the motion of Mr. BUTLER, seconded by Mr. WITHAM, approved and confirmed.

Moved by Mr. KELLY, seconded by Mr. BODENHAM, and

Resolved Unanimously,

That in order to remove all future complaints of irregularity in sending notices of intended Meetings, the insertion of the potices of such Meetings in the Catholic Monthly Publications shall be deemed sufficient notice thereof. Resolved,

That this Resolution be communicated by the Secretary to the Members of this Association.

Resolved,

That the next Committee Meeting of the Association be held at the Freemason's Tavern, at two o'clock, on Thursday, the 11th of March.

Moved by Lord ARUNDEL, seconded by Mr. RossoN, and

Resolved Unanimously,

That the Minutes of the Proceedings of this Meeting be sent by the Secretary to the Editors of each of the Catholic Monthly Publications for insertion therein.

After the general business of the Committee was concluded, Charles Butler, Esq. rose, and in the strongest terms of commendation praised that inestimable work, The End of Controversy, by the Right Rev. Doctor Milner. The learned gentleman also

stated, that he made a point of possessing two copies, one of which he kept for his own frequent perusal, and the other he was in the habit of lending to his friends. The Rev. Dr. Collins also eulogised this publication; he gave a rapid sketch of many of the titles of the numerous controversial volumes which he had read, and stated that in a long course of reading he had never yet met with any thing equal to the End of Controversy, He also proposed that the Committee should vote a sum of money towards publishing a cheap edition of so estimable a book. This motion was, however, after some conversation, withdrawn.

Extract from Dr. Poynter's Instructions for the ensuing Lent. “Informed, by intelligence from Rome, that our Holy Father, Pope Leo XII. is in a very infirm state, we exhort you all, Dearly Beloved Brethren, to offer up your fervent prayers to the God of all consolation, for the preservation of the precious life of His Holiness, and his restoration to perfect health. For the same intention, we charge our Clergy to say in each Mass, the Collect, Deus omnium fidelium Pastor, &c. with its Secret and Postcommunion, adding the word infirmum after the name Leonem, until we have the consolation to announce his Holiness's recovery."

FIRST Report of the PRESTON SOCIETY for the defence of Catholic Principles through the Medium of the press. Read Sunday January 18, 1824, in the Catholic School. The subject of the Meeting having been introduced by the President (Mr. Brindle,) the Secretary read the following Report

The objects, which a Religious Institution has in view, in reporting its proceedings, are to afford satisfaction to the friends of such an Institution, and to induce those, who may have hitherto stood aloof, to unite in promot

ing its benevolent designs. The Committee of the Preston Catholic Defence Society trust, that both these ends will be attained this evening. They have the satisfaction to state, that, although their Institution has only been in operation nine months, they have dispersed by its means, upwards of 2,000 copies of Religious Tracts, besides other small papers, upon Catholic Affairs, calculated to edify and instruct the Catholic Public. They have further satisfaction in observing, that their example has been followed in the Metropolis and most of the populous towns in the United Kingdom, where any body of Catholics are to be found.

In shewing the intentions of the Society they beg to observe, that at no time, since the Reformation, has the attacks of the enemies of our Religion been more frequent or more insidious; and at the same time, perhaps, during the same period, prejudice in the general mass of the people, was never less. To endeavour to counteract the former, and to clear away what remains of the latter, is the object of the Society; to attain which, it is their intention to aid and facilitate temperate replies to any attack, that may be made upon the Catholic Faith, and to publish such small cheap tracts, &c. as may be calculated to instruct the ignorant Catholic in the principles and practice of his religion, and to remove prejudice from the minds of our adversaries—our object being not to attack or irritate, but to repel attack, and, if possible, to conciliate.

The company were then addressed in behalf of the Society by Mr. Brindle and Mr. Whittle, and some correspondences of the Society were read by the Secretary.

A vote of thanks was then unanimously passed to E. Blount, Esq. Secretary of the Catholic Association, London, for his conduct in that office; and to Mr. W. E. Andrews, and Mr. A. Cuddon, for their strenuous exertions in the Catholic Cause.

W. G. HORRAX, Secretary.

affairs. Like every other minister his political conduct has been highly approved by some, and severely censured by others, but no one has ever attempted to attack his moral conduct; and many must recollect the marked attention which was paid to him, when he visited this country some years since.

On the 24th of January, at his lodgings at Paris, the Rev. Richard Hayes, of the order of St. Francis, well known for the conspicuous part which he took during several years in the Irish Catholic affairs.

Died on the 30th of January, at Limehouse, Mrs. Jane Stevenson, aged fifty years.

At Rome, of apoplexy, on the 4th of February, in the sixty sixth year of his age, Cardinal Louis Pandolfi, of the order of Priests. His Eminence was born in the Ecclesiastical States, and was only raised to the purple on the 10th of last March..

On the 12th of February, aged eighty-one years, Mr. William Parsons. On the 17th of February, the Rev. James Foster, at Thurnham, near Lancaster.

On the 18th of February, Miss Margaret Langdale, late of East Street, Red Lion Square.

Requiescant in Pace.