The principles of Cisalpinism represented a reaction against the attitude hitherto traditional among Roman Catholics, which seems to have begun about the time of the death of James Francis Edward Stuart, the "Old Pretender", in January 1766.
About this time, however, by what Joseph Berington called "one of those singular revolutions for which no cause can be assigned",[1] they gave up their former political aspirations, and accepted the reigning House of Hanover.
Part of this reaction was a suspicion of the wisdom of their ecclesiastical rulers, who, they became convinced, had adopted in the past a needlessly strict attitude, opposed to English national aspirations and which (they contended) had been dictated by the Court of Rome.
The two chief leaders were Lord Petre and Sir John Throckmorton, both members of old recusant families, who had suffered much in times past under the Penal Laws.
The greater number (though by no means all) of the Catholic aristocracy, who in those days were the practical supporters of religion, sympathized with them and, in a modified degree, some of the clergy, especially in London.
[2] Towards the end of the year 1788, Lord Stanhope, an Anglican, desiring to help the committee, and believing that their supposed Ultramontane principles, and in particular their accredited belief in the deposing power of the pope, were the chief obstacles in their way, drew out a "Protestation" disclaiming these in unmeasured language.
As the act in its final state failed to embody the principles of the Protestation, a new society was formed to perpetuate these, under the title of The Cisalpine Club.
In several ways they succeeded in guarding Catholic interests, and by their influence a school was established at Oscott, directed by a governing body of laymen though the headmaster was a priest, appointed by the bishop.
However, the person they would oust laid claim, as the sole member left of the soon to be defunct organization, to the club's assets, which consisted of whatever wine still remained in the cellar.