The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-24
TO BISHOP ENGLAND

| Since my last was penned, have read in the
| Catholic Miscellany your admission that you
are of the editors, and responsible for what
has been published in that paper in relation to
! me. We now understand each other on that
point. You object to the terms g want Of cam
DOR" g want of fairness" and ''csuistical," as
| applied to your structures on what have writ
ten. I might well submit the question of deco
rum and proPriety of language, but consider
the matter in issue so momentous, that I cannot
be turned aside by any terms, however discour-
teous, yoa may use. tender you my thanks for
the part you have taken, and for the manner in
which you have assailed me but for this, i, for
one, would have continued to slumber in false
security. Having entered on the controversy, 1
propose to give you no apology to arrest it.
1t is il vain for you to say that you have more
important matters on hand. As yet your con,ro-
vcrsies have been with clergymen, and 1t has
been conducted in religious papers. BY using
your influence ts control the Catholics, and es-
pecially the emigrant Irish Catholics, in the
late Presidential election, you have raised the
question of how far your purposes are compati-
bic with the safety of the republic; and having
attempted to arraign me before the Irish Catho-
lies as opposed 10 them, now arraign you be-
fore the american people, the emissary of
foreign despots, deputed and paid by them TO
propagate doctrines fatal to the public liberty of
this country.
But while make this charge against you,
which make upon no slight authority, would
your creed /, therefore, submit to you the fol-
lowing questions:
Do you believe that the Pope's instructions,
as the head of your church, are binding on you
as an officer of that church,
Are YOU naturalized citizen of the United
States?
DO you believe that the Pope can absolve from
sin, and that he ca release a citizen from allie
glance to the State?
You cannot fail to perceive the bearing which
these questions have in the matter directly at
issue between us. If your answer be in the ne
gative, then it will be incumbent on you to show
how and when the &C unchanging church" has
in the affirmative, it requires but
title argument for me to prove that the farther
progress of Catholicism in this country is dan
,erous to liberty.
know, sir, that this is the vulnerable point
n the case. Men are disposed tos compro-
Mise the future who will not compromise the
present. There are those who will not make a
question with priest about the things of the
next world, who will defy his power and resist
his influence whenever he attempts to deprive
them OF personal liberty in this. There are
members of your own church who yield you
blind submission in matters of religious faith,
who deny your right to interfere in their poli-
teal opinions, and who will be among the first
to renounce your influence and the authority OF
your church whenever they can believe thas
-FOUR purpose is civil revolution by means OF
he power of the church.
renew the charge against you ana your as
ociates. l believe that your deliberate purpose
s to to subvert our free institutions, and that
you are the agent, and paid by despotIe govern
nen,s Of Europe for that purpose. 1t viii not
10 for YOU to stand mute-to be silent is to plead
1lilty.
pinions avow. i am myself astonisheG at the
eeling you have aroused am but enc Of
nany