The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-23

neither could or ought" Indeed, he has gone so
far as to obtain and publish the opinions of two
eminent Catholic lawyers, to prove that their in
reference with the ecclesiastical Sc jurisdiction
of the Pope in this country was Unconstitutional
De you not see that the exercise of this /" jtTis
iietion" may become oppressive 10 you as Catho-
lies, and that you and your clergy are deeply
interested in asserting and maintaining your
civil rights, free from any undue influence what
soevers The Inquisition has contested the au-.
thority of judges, mobiles, kings, emperors, and
even of the Pope himself. 1t has set at defiance
the power of the people, and its victims have
been protesting Catholics, even the most emf
nently pIous; for pure religion, even in the Ca
tholic faith, hath invited persecution and pro-
vsked condemnation l repeat, that l speak
not Of the Catholic faith. speak of the aliases
that have been practised in the name of the Ca
tholic religion, and in connection with the TACT
that there is nothing in the Constitution Ot the
General Government, which can prevent the
establishment of the Catholic religion by en-
grating it upon the constitution of any individu-
al State, and that it is in the power OF
designing men, wherever they control the le-
gislation of single state to establish the Inqui-
stion as part of its civil polity You, the Caho-
lies of the United States, as deeply interest
ed as We the Protestants, in preventing this; and
to discuss how far the purpose of Bishop Eng
land, in uniting Church and State, foreshadows
this event, is measure which you should be the
last to condemn. 1t will not do for him to say
that the prejudices, which exists in the minds Of
Professionals are uniounded 1t will not do for
him, in his character of Insuisitor General, to
prescribe all investigation, and to denounce all
who may question the integrity of his purpose
We, the Protestant people of the United States,
have opened our doors, and permitted him to
come among us. He is suspected Of harbouring
deep designs against our peace and your liberties
It will not do for kim, stranger, whom We have
made welcome, to aensunceus, when we propose
to enquire into the truth of these suspicious That
he is suspected, he admits. Instead OF arSu-
| mcnts to prove his innocence, he gives US inso-
/ lent denunciatien, and thereby confirms our APP
prehensions of his guilt; and it is striking fea-
ture of this controversy, that it was in Spain,
so it is here; TO resist the authority of the In
quisitor General Immediately brings up the idea
of the &c cell" and the &c gib6et" The power, by
which he now acts, is denunoiaton. As vet he
cannot go beyond this, but he has an organised
corps throughout the United States, more eff
Gent in proportion to its number than any other
political body in the country, and that innuenc
has been brought to bear with all its energy, for
the purpose of crushing thispress. 1t is intend
| ed that shall be victimized and held up a
warning, admonishing all other editors Of the
danger 6f daring at any time to question any
act of his, whatsoever. It's now no longer de-
MED that an association has been formed in Eu-
rope under the especial auspices OF the Emperor
of Austria, and under the guidance OF Prince
MetterHich, for the spread of the Catholic reli-
glen in'this country; and it has been directly
charged that the object OF this association is the
overthrow of our free institutions When we
see the combinations which have been formed in
Europe, and the bearing which they have upon
public liberty-when we look back upon the
history of the Roman Church, and more espe
csally on the history of the nquisitioa, and con-
slider the prosecutions Of the Moors andof the
wealthy Jews of Spain, we are adanonished of
the necessity of constant vigilance I confess
that new views have been presented to my mind.
The danger is startling, and the People~of the
South especially have great cause for alarm.
The Inquisition is organised political body.
It acts with deliberatepurpose. Its approaches
are slow'but constant. Backed by the power of
the Holy Alliance, it is not surprising that they
should entertain purpose of obtaining a politi-
cal control in this country. With large sur
plus population, whose coalition would be.great-
+ ly improved thereby, they pour in upon us
tide Of emigration, which, taking possession OF
the northwestern States, will become sppropri-
ate instruments in the hands of designing men
for converting our government into aespotism
This, once established, tise Roman Catholic re-
ligioa will be established with it, and all the
horrsrs ofthe Inquisition saust follow IN rs train
Bishop England is alreahy the Legate of has
Holiness, the Pope, clothed with full power tie
build up national church in Hayti. Inshis
letter in reply to Mr.. Forsyth, he asserts the
powered the Popeto "legiSIGte" on the slib3eet of
slavery andthe slave trade, and insists upon the
obligation of.such I" Legislation 4" upon Catholic
communities The Pope has already repaired
the Jesuits to dispose Of their slaves, and has,
upon occasion at least, attempted TO exercise
civil jurisdiction in relation to private pro-
perty in the United States
Who does not see in these things the eierHents
of power, which may hereafter dcsolat. our
land with thu flames of civil war, for the Pur-
pose of overturning free Institutions And
1t is for sounding the alarm in the sight of these
dangers-it is for proposing to discuss the truth
of these propositions, that ! have been de-
nounced and prescribed by committee consti-
tuted of Protestants, politically opposed to Bishop
ENGLAND IL is tr1le that the narnes Of many of