Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-02
[From the United States Catholic Miscellany
LETTER /.

To TIE Catholics of The United States Of .4merca.
My FRIENDs-I am a native of Ireland, but a
citizen of America, and Of course have resided
during several years in this Union | am Ro-
man Catholic, and one of the principal induce
ments which operated on my mind in preferring
this TO any other part of the world was, not
merely the excellence Of is political institu-
tons, but, as battered myself, The absence Of
bigotry was led TO believe that although
men differed from each other IN religion, yet
when there was no profit or preference to be
obtained by acrimony, | should not meet with
any, / was also led TO think the American
mind was candidly and sincerely occupied in
searching after truth, and that as it was given
to investigation, it would speedily arrive at its
discovery. must confess that have been dis
abused OF some of my error found that there
was in the general constitutions oil most OF the
states, principle which restrained men from
being tyrants over the consclenCes OF their
neighbors, but that neither law nor conStltu-
ton had effected what | how find cannot be
produced by mere political regulation, that COR
dial and affectionate feeling which is the result
of true charity for each other amongst men who
differ in religious belief found what was
altogether unprep pared for, that in many OF our
statesa Roman Catholic, though legally and po-
litically upon level with his fellow.citizens,
was however too often looked upon, by reason
Of his religion, as In some degree morally de-
graded found that it was by no means consi-
dered want of liberality on the part of Prote5-
tants to vilify the Catholic religion, and 10 use
the harshest and most offensive terms when de-
signaling its practices; but that if a Catholic
used any phrase however modified, which even
insinuated any thing derogatOry TO the Protest
ant religion, he was marked out as shocking
bigot, and his offence was objectionable. The
newspapers, perceived, were generally stuffed
with extracts and articles which were offensive
to the Catholics, but the editors were very care
full not 10 bring hornets nest about their ears
by inserting paragraph offensive to anyrPro-
,estant society l had frequent opportunities
OF conversing with polite and we'll informed
Protestant gentlemen, and they, though know
ing my religion, used the most offensive phra-
seology when speaking of our church or our in
situations, being, am convinced, totally uncon-
scious that the language which they used was
originally constructed to offend us They spoke
to me of the RomiSh church, and Of PopiSh
priests, and Ronish bishops, and alteration OF
images, as undisguisingly as if they were not
using the most Insulting language | knew
thew meant nothing unkind, | had abundant evil
dence of Their good will; yet though felt tina,
il would be indelicate In me to wound them BY
requesting they would change their phrases,
deemed il more than matter OF curiosity to dis
cover why this language was used, and why the
. Catholic was undervalued
1t struck me, as this had been an English CO.
lony, and as many of the gentlemen whom
met had either been educated in England, Of
under English teachers, that they had learned
also some of the English fabrications. tool
an early opportunity Of asking friend of thi
description, to inform me in sincerity whethe