may be fairly attached.

The author of this Apology has no spite or ill-will towards Roman
Catholics, though opposed to their religion, and a willing subscriber to
the opinion of Romanism in Ireland, expressed by the _Post, because
convinced of its truth._ The past and present condition of that country
is a deep disgrace to its priests, the bulk of whom, Protestant as well
as Romanist, can justly be charged with 'regarding only the exercise of
power, while neglecting utterly the duty of improvement.'

The intriguing and essentially political character of Romanism, it would
be idle to deny. No one at all acquainted with its cunningly contrived
'system' will hesitate to characterise it as 'wickedly political,'
productive of nothing but mischief--a system through whose accursed
instrumentality millions are cheated of their sanity as well as
substance, and trained like the dog to lick the hand that smites them.
So perfect is their degradation that literally they 'take no thought for
to-morrow,' it being their practice to wait 'till starvation stares them
in the face,' [5:1] and _then_ make an effort against it.
Notwithstanding the purely Christian education of which they are taught
to boast, nothing can exceed the superstitious recklessness displayed in
their daily conduct.

The _Globe_ of Thursday, October 30th, 1845, contains an article on the
damage sustained by the potato crops here and in Ireland, full of matter
calculated to enlighten our first rate reformers, who seem profoundly
ignorant that superstition is the bane of intellect, and most formidable
of all the obstacles which stand between the people and their rights:
one paragraph is so peculiarly significant of the miserable condition to
which Romanism and Protestantism have reduced a peasantry, said to be
'the finest in the world,' that we here subjoin it--

'The best means to arrest the progress of the pestilence in the
people's food have occupied the attention of scientific men. The
commission appointed by government, consisting of three of the most
celebrated practical chemists, has published a preliminary report,
in which several suggestions, rather than ascertained results, are
communicated, by which the sound portions of the root may, it is
hoped, be preserved from the epidemy, and possibly, the tainted be
rendered innoxious, and even partially nutritious. Followed
implicitly, their directions might mitigate