It is quite possible the editors of newspapers have weighty reasons for their repugnance to agitate the much vexed question of religion, but it seems they cannot help doing so.  In a leading article of this day’s Post, [Endnote 4:1] we are told—­’The stain and reproach of Romanism in Ireland is, that it is a political system, and a wicked political system, for it regards only the exercise of power, and neglects utterly the duty of improvement.’  In journals supported by Romanists, and of course devoted to the interests of their church, the very same charge is made against English Protestantism.  To denounce each other’s ’holy apostolic religion’ may be incompatible with the taste of ’gentlemen of the press,’ but certainly they do it with a brisk and hearty vehemence that inclines one to think it a ‘labour of love.’  What men do con amore they usually do well, and no one can deny the wonderful talent for denunciation exhibited by journalists when writing down each other’s ‘true Christianity.’  The unsparing invective quoted above from the Post is a good specimen.  If just, Irish Romanism ought to be destroyed, and newspaper writers cannot be better employed than in helping on the work of its destruction, or the destruction of any other religion to which the same ‘stain and reproach’ 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—­