decks itself
in the garb of liberty. Whenever a native becomes obnoxious to the
Government, he is instantly seized and imprisoned, though perhaps guilty
of no crime which can be punished by law; foreigners have by law
particular privileges, but these privileges are every day violated, and
redress is seldom or never obtained; which proves that the law is a dead
letter.

I know perfectly well that it is no infraction of the _law_ to print or
sell the Holy Scriptures, either with or without comment, in Spain. What
then? Is there not such a thing as _A Royal Ordinance_ to the effect
that the Scriptures be seized wherever they are found? True it is that
ordinance is an unlawful one: but what matters that, provided it be put
into execution by the authorities civil and military? Too many
Englishmen who visit Spain imagine that they carry their own highly
favoured country at their back, a country in which the law rules supreme;
but let them once be brought into collision with the Government, and they
will soon learn how little it avails them to have right on their side
whilst brute force is always at the call of their adversaries.

I have informed Mr. Jerningham that for some time past I have
relinquished distributing the Scriptures in Spain--which is the truth. I
therefore claim the privileges of a British subject and the protection of
my Government. I shall return to England as soon as I can obtain some
redress for this affair. It is then my intention to attempt to obtain an
interview with some of the members of the House of Lords. I have
important disclosures to make respecting the system of persecution which
still exists in this country with respect to Protestants, who are not
only debarred the exercise of their religion but to whom the common
privilege of burial is denied: so much for the tolerance of Popery. Yet
there are journals of talent and learning in England who, observing that
British Protestants, alarmed at the progress which the Papal doctrine is
making in the British islands, are concerting measures for their own
defence, accuse them of raising once more the _senseless bray against
Popery_; as if every unprejudiced person was not aware that Popery is an
unrelenting fiend which never spares when it has the power to crush--and
that power I am afraid it will soon possess in Britain, unless the poor
down-trodden Protestants stand back to back and combat the monster to the
death. This is no vain alarm, I