Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1810-03-19

| t|fIht -'aCs
| SIR,
THE sacred order, to which you belong,
and the holy cause, which you have espous.
ed, would shield you from notice if your
bassness were not Of more than ordinary
magnitude. We revere the institutions of
diUiRe religion /; and we sincerely venerate
the sanctity of the clergy. The Pulpit, a
dorned with the " Messenger Of Truth"
must stand exalted, while the world shall
stand" There the understanding is enlight-
ened; the asperily of natural temper sooth-
ed I; and the rancorous and turbulent pas
sions incident to man effectually sssuaged.
The monitions ofthe bious preacher are the
grand correctives of the religious and NOR
al opinions and practice of individuals and
society. They point out, and explain the
way, that leads to everlasting life--they
serve TO assimlate the creature TO his crea-
tor, man TO his God. But how is the effect
Of preaching counteracted and how is our
religion brought into disrepute, when its
rrofessed Pastors and supporters, descend
ing from their high and holy station, march
forth, & enlist in the ranks of electioneerinS
scriblers--and, (which is of all things most
lnfamous) employ their pens in raducing IN
dluidaal charGctr--It is melancholy consid-
Grafton TO the lovers Of true religion and pi-
ETY., that those, whom they have been &C
customed to regard as their spiritual leaders
and guides, evince BY their conduct total
destitutIon Of religious principle. 1t is un-
fortunate for yourself, sir, that the character,
| which you attempt to Willy, is established
on basis Fl m aud lasting as the " eternal
hills" The reputation OF Cobb is erected
upon foundation which calumny and par
ty-sprIt has not power to batter down
When the Alps shall be demolished by the
exertion OF the IMoke-When the Tiber shall
be dried up by the thirst of the Insignificant
| .fy--then, and not till then, will Cobb's
| character be injured by person, who has
| dIsgraced himself by giving up the cause Of
| virtue and religion, Tor the sake of political
| notice and emolumen:-To refute satisfac-
| torily the charge adduced by you, sir, against
| General Cobb nothing more is necessary,
than to confront 1t with the whole tenor of
has lite and conduct. Can you seriously be-
iieye that he, whose best days, and in fact
/ whose whole lie has been devoted to the es
tablIShment and permanent security of reli-
| glous and political liberty, should entertain
| sentiments bordering on intolerance. But,
| sir, we have more ample refutation arising
from the very face of your letter. You prove
too much, and consequently defeat your own
| intention The facts, as stated by Yourself sir.
are simply these =" that General Cobb was
present with you at the Clergypan's Of Cas-
| tine, that he was expressing his fears lest the
cause ofreligion in his country should come
| TO ruin - How far those fears were excited
| by your department and ,onsersatlon,I leave
| for you to decide. 1t further appears from
Il fine at ,f
| between you and the General, upon political
and religious queshonS-that YOU exercised
toward him all that bitter malignity, that
| party malice, that incoherent and rhapsodicaI
| defamation, for which you are noted among
yoHr equals-and that he, conscious to him.
self OF having fought, and exposed his prop.
erty and lite for the religious and civil rights
| Of his country, (while you were either un.
born,or incapable ofrendering any service to
| your fellow-citizens,) felt the indignation OF
man and patriot He might have express
| sed himself hastily but IL was the effect OF
| lour abuse. Were you capable OF reflection
and unpreIudiced thinking, would appeal
| .ovcuF ewn righteousness and you should
acqult him OF The charge, by yourself, bro'i
against hitA-but, sir, Z men do not gather
| grapes ofthorns or figs Of thistles."
/ OoOo hau possessed spirit OF lntOie-
rance, when wsusd Al have shewn itself
In the days Of visor and activity or would
il have remained dormant :" until his head
was silyered DER BY the finger of time
and he had lOs ali relish for every thing bu,
MS cnuntry's veltare. For, until he shall
expire his last breath, "his ruling passions. ,
! tviz. love Of country shall remain in hi:
breast Having thus briefly nouced the con
ients Of your letter, would in conclusion
observe, SIT, that l do not answer you BE-
Cause yiliuk that General Cobb's character
needs am other support, thanits own .n,rin
SIC excellence The sFlendor, which il has
accumulated through tue course III seventy
| 4Vars Essential service, cannot be ecf,nsec
oy a bodJ even opaque AS yourself But
would set before you, n ali It's defos nit,
the glazing lmPtopnetg Ut 4 G.erg ,py,az ! af
pearlng, IN pgbiIc NJ hiCle OF scur,5ltt,r H.,