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from original documents, on this subject, which would fully justify these expressions, and shew that they were not the result of bigotry, but were wrung from an oppressed and persecuted people. No such feeling, however, exists towards the unprincipled legislature that left these defenceless victims bound and prostrate at the mercy of their fanatical foes. The "ferocious" laws against the Catholics of Ireland, so strikingly resemble those imposed by the Mahomedan Caliph Omar, on the Christians of Jerusalem, when he captured that city in 637, that, if the spirit of persecution were not always the same, it might be supposed that the Irish Parliament had the Moslem restrictions in view, when framing those laws.—See the History of the Turks for the following Articles, and the History of the Irish penal laws for more copious comments.

1st. "That the Christians (Hibernicè Catholics) shall build no new churches, and that Moslems (Hib. Protestants) shall be admitted into them at all times."

[See the Irish Statute Book for similar restrictions.—The writer has frequently conversed with old people who attended the celebration of Divine Service, amid the ruins of monasteries and in lonely vallies and subterraneous caverns; and during its performance, it was usual to place a watch on the next adjoining eminence, to give warning of the approach of the Priest and Mass-hunters.]

2nd. "They shall not prevent their children or friends from professing Islamism (Hib. Protestantism) or read the Koran (Hib. Bible) themselves."

[Even in the present year, 1827, a hot persecution is being carried on by high church landlords in many parts of Ireland, against the poor tenants, for not sending their children to Protestant schools.—As to reading in any shape, the Catholics were effectually deprived of that advantage, for all education was denied them.—See the several Acts against Popish schoolmasters.]