The improved antidote, supposed to be more active in expelling poison, than a late invention, by the Rev. Sir Harcourt Lees, Bart. in which the Catholics are vindicated from his abuse, and their claims for unrestricted emancipation, considered

THE IMPROVED ANTIDOTE, SUPPOSED TO BE MORE Active in Expelling Poison, THAN A LATE INVENTION , BY THE Rev. Sir Harcourt Lees, Bart. IN WHICH THE CATHOLICS ARE VINDICATED FROM HIS ABUSE , AND THEIR CLAIMS FOR Unrestricted Emancipation, CONSIDERED.
Addressed to the Public.
πασῃ φυλαχῃ την ψυχην τηρητεον, μη δια τησ των λορων ἡδονησ παραδεξ αμενοι τι λαθωμεν των χειρονων ωσπεβ ὁι τα δηλητηρια μετα του μελιτοσ προσ ιεμενοι
BASIL.
DUBLIN : PRINTED, AND SOLD BY THE BOOKSELLERS, 1820.


Should a great and commercial People experience an unlooked for reverse of fortune; should a rapid decay of Trade, a long protracted and ruinous War, an expenditure of the Public Money, at once lavish and unnecessary, should even all these causes conspire with an oppressive national debt, in reducing them from opulence and prosperity to the lowest ebb of distress, the consequences must be melancholy and alarming: On one hand, the People, impatient of this calamitous change, will murmur against Government, and proceed to disorderly and tumultuous Insurrections. On the other, Administration, foreseeing danger to its own permanence and safety, will perhaps, adopt coercive measures, not altogether consistent with the liberty of its subjects:—Under these circumstances, every well intentioned mind will be deeply affected with concern, for the welfare of his country; various means will be recommended of healing its disorders, or, at least, of mitigating their virulence; and no one can be reprehensible in proposing a Remedy, or an alteration, even, though the success be doubtful:—Influenced by such considerations, we also appeal to the indulgence of a generous Public, and should the application we offer prove beneficial, the utmost wish of our heart will be gratified, should it, on the contrary, be neglected or derided, the consciousness of an upright intention, must in some measure console us.
An Antidote has been already prescribed by a Revd. Baronet, we presume with the same view; the application of which, however, in our opinion, would tend to cherish the malignancy of the disease, rather than to eradicate its cause:—Wherefore, alarmed for the constitution of the patient, should it be adopted, and at the same time, though we acknowledge and applaud the Revd. Author’s anxiety in this case, suspecting that he would prefer a partial to a complete Restoration, we humbly beg leave to state our reasons for differing in sentiment with a man of his consummate knowledge and experience, together with our objections to his Antidote.