The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-09-07

be distinctly understood, that the exception which
we have taken to Bishop England's letter, is IN
M shirt of uAkindness to the Catholic clergy,
or the Catholic Church. We do so that they
NAV verify that we have always been the adye-
cate of liberation, and that our devotion to civil
and religious liberty is not pretence. we are
of those who have sufficient confidence III our
own opinions, and sufficient respect for the pup
lie intelligence. to rise above the weak appre-
tension, that we are to be injured, or that the
great cause in which we are enlisted, is to be
preiudiced, by speaking the truth of Bishop Eng
| lands letter. We censure him; we do not CEN
sure his Church; and he will be Fortunate IN
deed, if he escapes the censure OF those VINO are
in authority above him, for the abuse OF the m
auence which his official station gives him.
Having said thus muck, we will say more,
that although we have no apprehension that
500 900 Catholics can revolutionize or control
population of sixteen millions of Protestants,
we are sensible that if, from any cause, any
religious sect shall combine and throw their
weight, in body, in behalf of any political can
didate, it is an argument why others, differing
with them in opinion, should be opposed to the
candidate whom they may thus combine to sup
port. And if it should turn out that, under
| the influence of Bishop England's letter, or
any other cause whatsoever, the Catholics, as
\ body. should unite in behalf of Mr.. Van Blu
rem, it will become the duty OF every Protest
ant to unite, not only to resist Mr. Van Buren,
hut to resist Catholicism. And it fortunately SO
happens that the Catholics live in communities,
and if it should turn out, upon examination Oh
tbe vote after the Presidential election: that
Catholic neighborhoods and Catholic counties
!. have given their votes for MIR. Van buren,, 1t WIZ
become the duty of every Protestant throughout
the country to exert their influence to resist
.be increase of body capable of combining and
producing such important political results
Should it so turn out, Bishop England will fId
that he has inflicted blow upon Catholicism
more fatal to its progress than any persecution
of ours, if we were disposed, as we are not, to
prosecute his Church. He will find that he has
DESTROYED the kind and liberal feeling which has
induced many Protestants to place their children
in Catholic schools. And one object with us in
calling public attention to it, and in speaking OF
his letter as we have done, to fix the attention
of the Catholic clergy throughout the country
upon this as the inevitable consequence OF MIR.
Van Buren, receiving large Catholic vote.
We are aware that, with large body of the
Catholic clergy, the propagation of their reli-
gion, and what they believe to be the true
faith, is of much more vital importance, than
whether Mr.. Van Buren, or General Harrison IS
President And we do not hesitate to avow that
we expect that just regard for their higher
obligations, as servants of Master whose king
dom is not of this world, will prompt them to
. exert their influence ts counteract Bishop Eng
lands misguided political zeal. The only way
that they can ceunteract it, Is to disabuse tn
! laity, over whom his letter might have an in
auence in relation to the political question, AM
its bearing upon them a society. We there
fore believe that Bishop England's letter will
have political effect precisely the opposite Of
that intended. The clergy cannot but see, that
if they rally for Mr.. Van Buren, politically, it
will rally the Protestants against them-against
their schools and their cl urch. We do not be-
Ilieve that Bishop England is prepared for this.
One word for ourselves: As to Bishop England,
we have no desire to injure him, or to impair his
religious influence. What we have said, ha:
, been called forth by himself. 1t is known thai
I'VE conceive it to be our duty to resist the inhu
ence of men in office, whether spiritual or tenn
: poral Tins is the principle upon which w
: have always acted; and if any Protestant minis
ter, exercising similar influence in the Protcstan
: Church, had thrust himself upon the politica
it arena, we should have been ready to call hir
IL to account, and censure his conduct, as we hav
n been in this case. We have denounced the in
e reference of ofce-holders in elections at al
4 times. 1t was for this that we separated frer
ID Gen Jackson This is the crying abuse Of tn
e present Administration, and it is because Bisho
n England upholds that abuse, that we ccnsur
!, him. He greatly mistakes, if he supposes tina
any veneratien for his character, ministe
of the Gospel, viii protect him, when he fol
gets that respect which he should entertain fo
t his holy calling, and descends from his elevate
4 position to become the advocate Of our corrur
2 rulers. If he forgets the duty which no owes t
himself and his official station, we will not fsr
get the obligations which we owe to ourselves
to our children, and to our country.
We have understood that the Pastoral Letter
to which he refers, an extract from which i
given below, was prepared by Bishop England
1t at least received his sanction. Viewed il
connection with this fact, his late letter is doubl
y censurable; and we intend to recur to this sub
! ject, and will, in addition thereto, treat Of MIR
: Van Buren's Letter to the Pope, and the effort
that are making in our city to enlist the Catho
. lies for the Administration; especially the emf
: grant Catholics. The following is an
: EXTRACT FROM PASTORAL LETTER
ftAnd here, beloved brethren, whilst we dis
e claim all right to interfere with your iudgmen
: in the political affairs of our common country
! and far from entertaining the wish to contro
you in the constitutional exercise of your free
/; dom-we cannot, in justice to ourselves, refrain
) from addressing to you few observations, equal
; ly demanded by the love that we bear to oul
=. s,,Iitiral irast;t,,t:...s a.