The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-20

| Pone Leo XII died on the 10th February 1929.
| On the 4th of March Andrew jackson became
President, and Martin Van Buren, was named Sc
cretarv OF State, after the termination of this
blending of Churh and State, placed at his door
/ kY Gen. Green. On the End OF April Pope rus
IVIII was elected.
| ON the 9th of May, the American Consul had
an audience at which the Pope expressed his most
favorable sentiments towards the United States
''becaasc the Catholic people there enjoy the
same protection as the other citizens Of differ
ent creed and have no disabilities according to
Ilaw."-The charge made by the two priests Har-
old and RYAN was, that Rome was interfering
with the politics Of the United States because the
superior Of the Dominican Order, to which they
| belonged changed their station from Philadelphia
to Cincinnati; and upon their application to the
Secretary of State, the President interiered, and
Rome assured him that 1t had nothing to do with
politics. but with clerical duty. On tn account,
the new Pope used the declaration which the Con-
sui thus describes, at an audience which took
place before Mr.. Van Buren, had sent any dis
patches to him: ellis holiness desired me particu
larly and repeatedly to assure the Government OF
the United States that he will never interfere in
politics. ssHe requested also that should ex-
press his wish, that the citizens Of the U. S. A.
protesting the Catholic religion, may in future
meet with the same protection they have found
| to this time"
essThe manner in which was received BY his
Holiness and the Cardinal Secretary of State,
and the sentiments expressed by them both will,
| am sure, afford great satisfaction to his Excel
lency the President, and to yourself: and should
feel highly honored if you would make me
the interpreter of the sentiments that you might
! think proper to reciprocate with those expressed
| by his Holiness
| s'That it is untrue that Mr. Van Buren,, as Sc
cretary of State, interferred between the priests,
it is untrue that he sought thus 10 make political
! itol, - ba
occasion to enlist the good feelings of the Catho
lies of the Country.
''The Hon. Henry Clay was then Secretary Of
State, and John Quincy Adams was President.
"The fourth of General Green's allegations is
| then utterly void of truth.
| EEWe now proceed to discover the ground of
charging MIR. Van Buren, with fiattering the Pope
to procure through him the Catholic vote.
''We have shown the process by which, when
MIR. Adams was President, and Mr.. Clay Sec
Rotary of State, Rome was called by the Gov
eminent of the U. S. to account for changing the
appointment OF two Dominican friars We have
seen that the new Pope uses such kind express
! sions, gives explanations and assurances and
makes such a request, that the American Consul
sees the impossibilty of not reciprocating this
courtesy on the part # the United States, and he
writes this opinion to Mr.. Van Buren,, who APP
pears for the first time in this transaction, on the
both of July, 1929, upwards Of twelve months
ly complimentary letter, reciprocating the cour-
teous sentiments expressed by his Holiness. Up
on this letter we shall have other remarks to
make, but this is the head and front Of Mr. Van
Buren's offence. Mr.. Van Buren, in this letter
did only what he could not aeoid doing as pub
lie officer, and thus Gcnsral Green's third propo-
siti0n is untrue.
The whole series of documents alluded to
were procured, not without some difficulty, from
I he of he Of fhp s Cka+
and were published in the Miscellany in the
months of January and February, 1886 Other
documents would then also have been published
which could now be very usefully employed to
show more of General Green's untrue statements
respecting the Pope and the Catholics; but a
delicacy, we think, false delicacy, of some
GO eminent clergymen," now passed from this
lie, OF the same sentiments that General Green
attributes to some who yet remain, prevented
their being spread before the public eye; they
car, however, yet, if necessary, be printed.
GO We proceed now to the Generals fifth I'M
truth. He insinuates that Bishop England is
an agent working according to the wishes of
Rome for MIR. Van Buren,, and, in consequence,
of this union of Church and State.
GAS soon as Bishop England learned that
such a correspondence had taken place, he being
in Philadelphia, addressed note to Mr. Harold,
then preparing to leave this country, in which
he stated" He also believes that the ex-Presi-
dent has interfered in the of the Church
in a way in which he neither could nor ought"
(Sept. 18th, 1929 On the 26th of September,
the Bishop addressed letter to President Jack
son, complaining of the interference of the go
veInment with the Church in two cases. one of
which was that which the General has paraded
against Mr.. Van Buren,, and concerning which
the Bishop wrote"
{" The second case is more recent; it occurred
l last year. Two priests in PHILADELPHIA were
considered to have caused trouble in the Church
r of that city. The See of Rome, not its civil
government, was called upon TO take cognizance
of their conduct. The Pope desired that all
E parties concerned in the disputes should with
draw from the Church of that city, so that peace
might be thereby restored. In conformity with
this direction, the Bishop of Philadelphia with
: drew to Rome; the two priests applied for pro-
lection to the department of State, and the Pre-
sident directed letter to be written from that
department, in which the cause of these two
d priests is countenanced by the government in
T such manner as appears to interfere with the
freedom of agency of the spiritual head OF the
Roman Catholic Church, and to cause several
citizens to dread that the repetition of suc oh con-
It duct weuld be the commencement of an union
of Church and State, as we'll as an unconstitu-
tional meddling with the affairs Of our ecclesas-
teal body, productive Of serious mischief to our
selves, and affording just cause of jealousy to
our fellow citizens of other religious denomina-
tons.
&c have therefore huInbly to request, that
your Excellency will cause enquiry 10 be made
in the Office of the Secretary of State for such
, documents might there exist, relating to those
any similar cases, and also that copies thereof
should be furnished to me for publication, SO
that the citizens at large should be satisfied that
no private or unconstitutional interference in
t their religious concerns shall be permitted by
the President of the United States'n
&C Next day, at an interview, President jack
son expressed his full coincidence with the views
Of Bishop England, and gave the direction for
furnishing the documents; bnt the Bishop found
t it necessary to call on Mr. Daniel Brent three
or four times. before they could all be found.
Three documents were furnished by the Bishop
to this office for publication, and were published
on SepteEber 4th, 1889. The Bishop also stated
/ the case to the Hon. John Nc P. Berrien, then
Attorney General of the U. S., to the Hon. r.
z Tane,, then Attorneu Gaaar.I &C RIs-.=.Ia.,a