Ireland Old News
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The Times September 03, 1836 GROSS VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF PROTESTANT WORSHIP, AND
INFRINGEMENT ON THE LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT. TO THE PROTESTANTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. ILLEGAL INVASION OF THE RIGHT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL BY HIS MAJESTY'S JUSTICES OF THE PEACE AND CONSTABULARY FORCE IN IRELAND. "Brethren,–Our common-right and duty to be Protestants–to have the Protestant reformed religion preached amongst us–has been struck at by an officer bearing His Majesty's commission of the peace, and in the command of a constabulary force in the county of CAVAN!! "The result of this premature invasion of the sacred right of Protestantism will, however, I trust, under Providence, tend to set at rest the question of religions freedom in Ireland for ever. "The officer of whose illegal conduct I complain has acted in the name and with the power of His most gracious Majesty, who has solemnly promised and sworn, to the utmost of his power, to maintain the true profession of the Gospel and the Protestant reformed religion established by the law. "The offence to which I refer has been committed on Friday last in the parish of Ballyconnell, and province of Ulster, upon the person of the Rev. E. B. DELANY, late a Roman Catholic priest, but now exposing the errors of the church of Rome in Ireland. "Mr. DELANY is a very humble individual, almost entirely unknown to me; but I feel that, in common with every Protestant in the united Kingdom, I have a personal interest in the maintenance of his rights, and that I am, like every person whom I address, called upon in every lawful and peaceful way to lift my voice against a violation, in his person, of the first principles of religious freedom, and a direct invasion of the right and Scriptural duty to expose the errors of Romanism in Ireland. "I therefore subjoin every document in my possession relating to this transaction. No.1 will exhibit the plot of the conspiracy to put down Protestantism in Ireland. Nos. 2 and 3 will show the success of that plan in the actual suppression of Protestant preaching. Nos. 4, 5 and 6, are representations made by me to His Majesty's Government. Nos. 7 and 8 exhibit a recrimination upon myself, by the magistrate guilty of the offence, with my reply thereto; and as these documents will explain themselves, I shall conclude by merely referring to them; and I remain your brother in the profession of the Protestant reformed religion. "J. C. MARTIN, No. I. AFFIDAVIT Lodged with Mr. W. H. ENERY, Justice of Peace, Ballyconnell-House. "We, the inhabitants of Ballyconnell, having taken into mature consideration the circumstances of Mr. DELANY's proceedings in this town. He got his will abusing the tenets of the Catholic religion yesterday, and as he published that he would deliver a similar discourse this evening, we greatly dread that a breach of the peace may be committee, as this is the market day, and that the people are determined to oppose him. "We therefore call upon you, as one of His Majesty's justices of this county, and hope, for the tranquillity of this neighbourhood, that you will not allow such a meeting to take place. "August 26, 1836. In consequence of this affidavit, Mr. ENERY ordered a large constabulary force into Ballyconnell to preserve the peace, and also to protect Mr. DELANY. A stipendiary magistrate, Mr. DUFF, however, arrived, and employed this force to arrest Mr. DELANY, and forcibly prevent him from preaching, as will appear from Nos. 2 and 3. No.II. AFFIDAVIT of the Rev. E. B. DELANY. "County of Cavan, to wit, } "The Rev. E. B. DELANY maketh oath, and saith that he was arrested on the 26th instant, by order of Mr. David DUFF and Mr. J. BENISON, he being at the same time in the act of dining, and not having committed any breach of the public peace; and further saith, that he has been by said arrest compelled to desist discharging his duty in the capacity of a clergyman, and that said magistrates have made use of insulting language to him without any cause, except expressing a wish to go forth in his duty. "Given under my hand this 27th day of August, 1836, No. III. AFFIDAVIT of Mr. G. A. D.WINTER. "County of Cavan, to wit,} "George A. D. WINTER maketh oath and saith, that he has been with the Rev. E. B. DELANY generally during the course of the day, and that nothing had been advanced by him relative to a breach of the public peace; and further saith he was present when Constable DIXON urged the Rev. E. B. DELANY to give in bail, and that the bail should, he believed, be indefinite, which the said Rev. E. B. DELANY refused; then Chief Constable Duff said he would arrest the Primate or the Pope, under similar circumstances, as well as him. "Given under my hand this 27th day of August, 1836, Nos. 4, 5, and 6, are representations upon the subject made to His Majesty's Government in Ireland. Submitted by: County Cavan Newspaper Transcription Project |
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