I must now say a few words to the English, in general, and make a few remarks on the unjust manner, in which the Catholic religion, has in general been hitherto, treated and abused. That you may the better understand this, I will make use of the following supposition. Let us suppose, for a moment, that we were in a court of justice, that a person was going to be tried, that some of you were witnesses against him, that the rest of you, were to form the jury, and that I was to be the judge. Now, if we were to examine, _only_ the witnesses who were _against_ the accused, and _not_ allow a _single_ individual to speak for him, if we were not, to allow the poor man to speak a word in his _own_ defence, and were the jury, and the judge, then to pronounce him guilty, do you think, we should treat that man _fairly_? _However innocent_ he might be, he was sure to be brought in _guilty_. And why? Because the witnesses were against him, the jury was against him, and the judge was against him; and not a single word was allowed to be spoken in his defence. Now, ye honest men of England, would you not think that man was treated very _unfairly_? Would you not feel for such a man? And would you not pity his case? I am sure you would, and all with one voice exclaim, "Let the poor man have _fair play_, and let _us_ 'do to _him_, as _we_ would be done by.'" Now, my friends, let us apply this example, to the Catholic religion. Have you not read books, that gave you the most horrible account of the Catholic religion, have you not heard people, tell the most infamous things against this religion, and have you not, _even_ in places of _worship_, heard this religion, most _cruelly_ called, and abused? But did you ever ask yourselves, whether all that you then read or heard, was _really_ true? Did you consider, that abuse, is no argument, declamation, no evidence, accusation, no verdict? Did you examine the witnesses on the _other_ side? Did you read any _Catholic_ book, or consult any well-instructed _Catholic_ layman, or minister on these subjects? Did you not condemn the poor Catholics, _unheard_, and without giving them a _fair_ trial? But mind, I am not blaming _you_, nor the _public in general_, for this ignorance of our religion, nor am I surprised at it. No, considering what has been the state of things, I cannot conceive how it could have been otherwise. For these misrepresentations, and false statements against our religion, have been often made by very _respectable_ persons, and often repeated to the people, either from _the pulpit, where_ nothing but the _truth_, should be spoken, or in tracts, and books, which either _are_, or _profess to be_ written by _learned_ and _sincere_ members of society. Thus hearing these statements, and accusations, from _these_ sources, the people very natural enough conclude, that all that is said against the poor _benighted_ Papists, _must be true_. But my friends, I beg of you that _in future_, you will