priests, in
order to the vindication of their own proceedings in the case, would
have promoted the investigation, and have, in case of a decision in
their favour, acted generously towards the relatives of the alleged
legatee.

Various cases in which priestly pretension and intolerance were
rumoured, kept alive the feeling created by the trials referred to; so
that during the whole year manifestations of popular resentment towards
the Roman Catholic Church, and especially its ecclesiastics, were put
forth in almost every part of Great Britain. When the 5th of November
arrived, the day upon which the detection of Guy Faux's attempt to blow
up the parliament usually receives a popular celebration, there was
an outburst of patriotic hostility to the Church of Rome, which the
magistrates in London and the great cities of the provinces in vain
endeavoured to prevent or moderate. Cardinal Wiseman and the Pope were
carried about the streets in effigy, and the figures by which they were
ludicrously caricatured, were burnt amidst the acclamations of vast
crowds, not always confined to the lower orders.

Various events in Ireland, of violence offered to clergymen and
scripture readers, and assassinations of gentlemen whose protestant zeal
was prominent, aided the circumstances which in England kept the public
exasperation against popery at so high a pitch.

Incidents of persecution abroad, not materially differing from common
occurrences, and such as happen without particular notice by the English
people at other periods, were related and commented upon by the English
press in terms of the bitterest reproach to the Roman Catholic religion,
and its abettors. On the whole, no subject occupied the minds of the
inhabitants of the United Kingdom so constantly throughout the year
1851, as that of the aggressive acts and spirit of the papal court and
its ultramontane supporters.

The public mind was also much agitated by the question of "Protection
of Industry." A powerful party, consisting chiefly of the landlords,
clergy, shipping interest, farmers, and certain sections of persons who
had profited by "protection duties," were determined, if possible, to
revoke the decision of the legislature in favour of a free trade in
corn, and to reverse the policy of Sir Robert Peel, of relaxing and
finally removing all differential duties and taxes, imposed otherwise
than for revenue, upon foreign commodities. The leaders of this
reactionary