The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-09-07
BISHOP ENGLAND's LETTER.

RISHOP ENGl4ANDS LEI l. En-
The Globe iustifies Bishop England's interfe-
renee in politics, by saying that 1t is no more
than any minister of the gospel may do at such
time, and under such circumstances; that 1t Is
peculiarly appropriate to their Office; and that
tbe Wings, by opposing the reelection OF Mr.
Van Buren. "have forced reasonable and pious
men to come out and let the people know, as
Bishop England has done, that there IS no GROUND
for this factious clamor of the Wings agalnstt the
GOVERNMENT" We have before us paPer,puo-
lished by the son of the Secretary OF State' III
Mobile, in which this letter of Bishop England
is printed, and parts of it marked IN ltalc, TO
nrove that he is for the Administration. 1t Is
also inserted in the Sun, of this city, and also
mart marked in italics, to show that Bishop Eng
land believes it to be the duty of all good Catho-
lies to support the Administration. We publish
below an extract from the Pastoral letter, tie
which Bishop England refers 1t will be seen
that that letter is appeal Of the Convention OF
Catholic Bishops, assembled in Baltimore, to the
Catholics throughout the country, admonishing
them to discharge their duty under the mestso-
lemn iniunctions, The following is quotation:
SOfeeS'fee''oS-0se
keep GloQf from these c1inaeS--9ettect that yo1t
are accountable not only to society bat to God,
far the honest, Independent 97ad fearless eTercSe
of gols o,cl franchise; that it Is IL trust con-
fded to you, not for your private gain but tor
The o1Lblc good and that yielding to any
undue influence you act either through Jacor,
affection or the notifies of dishonest gain against
your Oao,l deliberate viesc Of schat 1oH promote
uott' cotultTy's good, you hGCe ototdted your
t,atSt, and you hGee betrayed yOIr conscience,
and yo1t are a renegade to your country"
Now, it will be seen that this circular calls
upon every Catholic to exercise his elective fran
chise under the highest obligations of religious
duty 1t is well understood that one of the MAJ
terial points at issue in the election is that the
Wings charge the present unexamPled condition
of the country to have been produced by the
mal-administration of those in power. If this
be true, it is the duty eff every good citizen to
exert his influence to remove them from office
If it be untrue; if the charge either be malicious
ly, falsely, orignorantly made; if the admins
tration has been faithful, and has had no agency
in producing the present state of things, as
charged by the Wings, then it becomes the duty
of Catholics, under the injunction even of this
Pastoral Letter, to exert their influence In be
half of the administration, because they arr
exhorted to exercise their elective franchis,
under the high obligations Of religious duty as
matter of conscience. Now, what does Bishop
England sayS He says:
81 also 6eIsege that oar Federal Government
has had as little influence IN producing the pre-
sent distress an oar States, had IN prodttc
ing thar qohich qt7icts Europe; and that it has
as little potcer to alleviate that distress as It
has constitutional right to interfere 10Th its
causes" .aes
The Pastoral Letter concludes with the fol-
lowing:
eeDo then, we entreat of you, avoid the con-
terminating influence ofpolitieal strife, keep ysur
selves aloof from the pestilential atmosphere in
which honor, virtue, patriotism and religion per-
ish, and be assured that our republic never can
be respected abroad, nor sustained at home, save
by an uncompromising adherence to honor, tc
virtue. TO patriotism and to religion. How otter
have we had to weep over the havoc of morals
and the wreck of religion, which political ex
citement has produced"
This was the language of the assembled wis
dom of the Church. 1t was sent forth in spiri
commanding the confidence and respect of al
good Protestants as well as Catholics: and, upo
reading it, it gave us pleasure to speak of tn
Catholics as the first to establish religious tolera
ton in this country. But when it is couple
with Bishop England's declaration of preference
for the Administration, it becomes exhonatiol
and a solemn religious injunction from one who
If he is not the first in the Church, cannot be
called even the second in spiritual influence
He is known throughout the United States a:
the great champion of Catholicism; and il mig hi
well be supposed that such letter, coming from
upon the consciences of all those who have been
accustomed to lssk up to him as the great ex-
FOUNDER of religious obligations.
We are told that our article of Thursday has
been the subject OF much conversation; that some
believe it will be used with great effect to preu.
dice the Wing cause; that attempts have beer
made to torture it into attack upon the Catho
lies and the Catholic religion. We are gratifet
to learn, on the other hand, that it is not so con
sidered by the intelligent Catholics of thi
city, and especially by the eminent Catholi
clergymen, who know that, although Protestant
so far from assailing the Catholics, our press ha
been ever open to defend them against unjust i'm
putation or assault that 50 far from giving counte
nance to the iea1ousles and prejuaices which are
known to exist, we have given the highest evi
dence, which any one can give, OF our respect
for, and confidence in, their literary institutions
that we entertain no fears that 500 900 Catholics
can overpower sixteen millions of Protestants;
and that more than once, we have taken occasion
to speak of the influence which their condition,
as a minority in thiscountry, has had upon their
political sentiments. The Catholics OF ireland
and in the United States, are lovers Of liberty for
the sake of liberty. They are the weaker and
persecuted sect; and that, although under other
circumstances, they would be monarchists, in
the United States they are advocates of free
dom and Of Republican institutions, because
those who cannot Cypress, are opposed to oppres-
sion. Is