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836 DOUGLASS' MONTHLY. June, 186 [[line across page]] [[3 columns]] [[column 1]] Limerick or Galway, except on certain conditions. Not to vote at elections. In 1709, Papists were prevented from holding an annuity for life. If any son of a Papist chose to turn Protestant and enrol the certificate of his conversion in the Court of Chancery, that court is empowered to compel his father to state the value of his property upon oath, and to make out of that property a competent allowance to the son, at their own discretion, not only for his present maintenance, but for his future portion after the death of his father. An increase of jointure to be enjoyed by Papist wives upon their conversion. Papists keeping schools to be prosecuted as convicts. Popish priests who are converted, to receive thirty pounds per annum. Rewards are given by the same act for the discovery of Popish clergy——fifty pounds for discovering a Popish bishop, twenty pounds for a common Popish clergyman, ten pounds for a Popish usher! Two justices of the peace can compel any Papists above 18 years of age to disclose every particular which has come to his knowledge respecting Popish priests, celebration of mass, or Papist schools. Imprisonment for a year if he refuses to answer. Nobody can hold property in trust for a Catholic. Juries in all trials growing out of these statutes to be Protestants. No Papist to take more than two apprentices, except in the linen trade. All the Catholic clergy to give in their names and places of abode at the quarter sessions, and to keep no curates. Catholics not to serve on grand juries. In any trial upon statutes for strengthening the Protestant interest, a Papist juror may be peremptorily challenged. In the next reign, Popish horses were attached and allowed to be seized for the militia. Papists cannot be either high or petty constables. No Papists to vote at elections. Papists in towns to provide Protestant watchmen, and not to vote at vestries. In the reign of George second, Papists were prohibited from being barristers. Barristers and solicitors marrying Papists, considered to be Papists, and subjected to all penalties as such. Persons robbed by privateers, during a war with a Popish Prince, to be indemnified by grand jury presentments, and the money to be levied on the Catholics only. No Papist to marry a Protestant; any priest celebrating such marriage to be hanged. A full account of the laws here referred to may be found in a book entitled, "History of the penal Laws against Irish Catholics," by Henry Parnell, member of Parliament.——They are about as harsh and oppressive, as some of the laws against the colored people in border and Western States. These barbarous and inhuman laws were all swept away by the act of Catholic Emancipation, and the present barbarous laws against the free colored people, must share the same fate. There are signs of this good time coming all around us. Slavery has overleapt itself.——Having taken the sword it is destined to perish by the sword, and the long dispised negro is to bear an honorable part in the salvation of himself and the country by the same blow. It has taken two years to convince the Washington Government, of the wisdom of calling the blackman to participate in the gigantic effort now making to save the country. Even now they have not fully learned it——bu [[/column 1]] [[column 2]] learn it they will, and learn it they must before this tremendous war shall be ended.——Massachusetts, glorious old Massachusetts, has called the black man to the honor of bearing arms, and a thousand are already enrolled. Now what will be the effect. Suppose colored men are allowed to fight the battles of the Republic. Suppose they do fight and win victories as I am sure they will, what will be the effect upon themselves? Will not the country rejoice in such victories? and will it not extend to the colored man the praise due to his bravery? Will not the colored man himself soon begin to take a more hopeful view of his own destiny? The fact is, my friends, we are opening a new account with the American people and with the whole human family. Hitherto we have been viewed and have viewed ourselves, as an impotent and spiritless race, having only a mission of folly and degradation before us. To-night we stand at the portals of a new world, a new life and a new destiny. We have passed through the furnace and have not been consumed. During more than two centuries and a half, we have survived contact with the white race. We have risen from the small number of twenty, to the large number of five millions, living and increasing, where other tribes are decreasing and dying. We have illustrated the fact, that the two most opposite races of men known to Ethnological science, can live in the same latitudes, longitudes, and altitudes, and that so far as natural causes are concerned there is reason to [[???]], and enjoy, Liberty, equality and fraternity in a common country. [[line]] OBITUARY. [[short line]] DIED, at Torquay, on the 22d of April, JOHN SMITH, Esq., of 2 Clifton street, Glasgow, Scotland, in the fortieth year of his age. Thus another of earth's quiet benefactors, with whom we became acquainted when abroad, a man zealously affected toward every good word and work, whether it was for lifting up the fallen and relieving the destitute of his own land, or breaking the chains of the slaves and elevating the oppressed in the United States: A man whose philanthropy knew no color, and was restricted by no lines of sect or nationality, doing good as he had opportunity, blameless in life and conversation, in the midst of his years, is removed from among the living, beloved and mourned by all who knew him. Mr. Smith was for a long time treasurer of the Glasgow (new) association for the abolition of slavery, and in that capacity did much for the cause of the American slave, especially in furnishing the means of assisting the bond men on their way to Canada. Among the many good men connected with that association, whose high, moral and humane testimonies against slavery and oppression have, from time to time, reached us, Mr. Smith was in zeal and activity preeminent. He was the working man of the association, and always opening the way for others to work. As a noble and good man, a friend to our enslaved and persecuted race, we hold his memory precious. We share with the circle of his friends a keen sense of a common loss, and sincerely sympathize with his afflicted family in this hour of deep sorrow. Our dear, departed [[/column 2]] [[column 3]] friend has gone early, but only in point of time. In point of labours, usefulness and sacred influence among men, he has lived more than many older men. It must have been a matter of great consolation to him that he lived to see our most guilty country in the midst of terrible judgments for its cruelty to the negro, whose cause he made his own, slowly learning righteousness and liberty as the only means of its own salvation. [[line]] LETTER FROM THE OLD WORLD. [[short line]] NUMBER LXXXVII. [[short line]] LEEDS, May 1st, 1863. MY DEAR FRIEND:——I have just reached home, after three weeks absence. I meant to have written to you from the beautiful neighborhood of Stratford-on-Avon, but as I was rusticating to recruit my health, a strict prohibition was put on my writing anything but strictly necessary letters, and I may here say this is why no communication of mine will appear in your journal for this month. In a few hours the post will leave here for the United States. It is, therefore, impracticable for me to expatiate on the beauties of the winding Avon, the charm of watching the unfolding buds of this sweet season of spring, and of listening to the song of the sky-lark, the blackbird and the thrush. I have no time to tell of the interest attached to being in Shakspeare's birth-place on his birthday, of seeing the flags flying from the windows of the little town in commemoration of the nativity of our mmortal bard, and hearing the "Merchant of Venice" read in "Shaksperian rooms." All these matters I must now pass over. On my way to Stratford I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with that devoted and self-sacrificing friend of the slave, Mrs. Goodrick, at Edgbaston, and seeing her elegant drawing room bazaar in aid of the antislavery cause. Considering that circulars had gone forth, long ago, announcing that we should have no bazaar this year, I was quite astonished at the display of articles, both of use and beauty, that appeared. Our indefatigable friend, Mrs. Stoddart, of Dublin, kindly contributed largely; the Coventry, Bristol and Leicester friends assisted Mrs. Goodrick, and her friends in Birmingham added considerable contributions, and lastly, gave their valuable time, in addition to which Mrs. Goodrick lent her pretty drawing-room, to secure the success of the undertaking. I am rejoiced to find that gratifying results followed, and that a handsome sum of money has been realized by them to be devoted to the cause so dear to our hearts. The memorial note which I enclose, my dear friend, reached me yesterday morning, in Leicester, and gave me the first intimation that our truly excellent and much beloved friend, Mr. John Smith, of Glasgow, has been called away from this transitory scene to the eternal joys that await the faithful servant of God. I can wish nothing better for any loved friend than that when their summons comes, they may be as ready to meet it as was this much valued friend of ours, this devoted and untiring friend of the slave. Truly, "he rests from his labors and his works do follow him." I cannot at present realize the truth that we shall, in this life, see his bright smile and hear his kindly voice of welcome no more. I enclose the notes which I received from one of his sorrowing sisters with the [[/column 3]]
