Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-10-21


mind and the heart. Tito convert mus g
sulman. instead of proving to him that Ma
homet was an imposter, should commence
by placing before his eyes 4 picture,in which'
the Koran and the Crescent were tranpled,
under foot, his heart, embittered, would
cloud his understanding, and prevent all ac-o
cess to my attempts. Apply these reaccrs
tons 10 the TRUE religion, and see-if you have
not failed entirely in sdeplorable design 4
Persecution, my dear Barlow, does noel
consist only in exiting, incarcerating, and
,assassinatins men; Julian invented more
cunning, and not less cruel vexations. they
have been refined among US at the end Of
the eighteenth century, in harassing and Ia
cerat;ng the catholics without cessation, by
repeated invectives, 10y multitude of those
little means, whose application was, contsnu--s
al torture imPous verses, songs, epigrams,
caricatures, every ching was made use OF.
You are very different from such men but
why resemble them in any thing? Your en-
craving is an offence against the freedom of
religion; sort of persecution which your
heart di,avows reflection will bring on re.
gret. Believe me, my friend, that these
injured CATHOLICS will not make use of re-:
prisals; true piety opens her bosom to er.
ring brethren, without opening 1t to error
to enlighten them, she places the torch OF
truth in the hand of charity. Having but
moment to exist in this world, we should
love our fellow men, be benevolent towards
all, whatever may be their religion, their
color, or their country. Jesus Christ has
given us both precept and example i'll their
turn; he displayed alternately hrmness and
goodness towards the pharisees; his para
bic Of the Samaritan is a perpetual judg-
ment against prosecutors.
If you should say further, that France
offers examples worthy of condemnation,
and that previous 10 censuring an Amer
can, ny zeal shoulo! be exercised to convert
my coun,rymen; far from weakening the
objection, | would fortity it. would say
that, in a country where so many truths
have returned 10 their wells, we sec printed
aud circulated freely the obscene poetry OF
a member Of the national institute, and the
rnapsodies Of romance writer's, who serve.
up afresh implelies SO MANY times reiuted,
| would say too, that, without respect to
the frs, body of the state, which ought to
give an example Of decencv, immortality is
authorized, By peopling the garden of the
palace with licentious statues, to such de-
gree that virtuous mothers dare not conduct
their children thither
You see that l am far from avoiding OBJ
iecyions; bur by my disapprobation Of an
offence, in which I have no share, and "a
gains; which my colleague, Laniuinais, pro-.
tested vainly in full senate, though with the
general assent Of the senator's, have re-
served to myself the right of telling you,
that to recriininate is not to answer ; and
that what might be alledged as an example
to follow, cannot be but as an abuse TO re-
form. Gorani observes that the licentious-
ness of painting and sculpture had exercised
DISASTROUS influence over Italy that the
masterpieces Of the arts had drawn away
sound minds from useful and necessary stu.
dies, had depraved their manners, enelvat-
ed their courage, and fomented the most
hateful vices.* When public shame is ex-
tinct, do not expect to preserve the private
virtues and when religion is publicly IN
suited, it is wound to morality, anational
calamity.
Many times have repented having en-
ploved SO many efforts to defend the arts OF
those who cultivate them against vandal-
ism; no. that those arts, which are called
fine, and which are not always sood, are
bad in their very nature but, almost al
wavs, they are aatterers and corrupters,
which. by an Uncomfortable fatality, pre-
cede, bring on, escort, and follow deprava-
ton. Even in this time, the illus.rleus
Garsont complained of it, to whom France
owes monument, and whom she has al
most forgotten: he was grieved to see scam.