The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-21

| cIetary oil State oil the United States, charging
them 'swith having interfered in the concerns of
the Church, in way in which Ae neither could
or ought" Indeed, he has gene so far as to OBJ
tain and publish the opinions of two eminent
Catholic lawyers, to prove that their interior
ence with the ecclesiastical 'jurisdiction" of the
Pope in this country was unconstitutional. Do
you not see that the exercise of this 'jlaisdic-
| ton" may become oppressive to 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
soever? The Inquisition has contested the au-
thirty 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-
voked condemnation. | repeat, that l speak
not of the Catholic faith. | speak of the abuses
that have been Praetised in the name OF the Ca
tholic religion, and in connection with the fact
that there is nothing in the Constitution of the
| General Government, which can prevent the
|
grating it upon the constitution of any indil
Vidual State, and that it is in the power OF
designing men, wherever they control the le-
Cislatlon of single state, to establish the Inqui-
sltion as part of its civil polity. You, the Ca
tholics of the United States, are as deeply inter
ested as we, the Professionals in preventing this;
and to discuss how far the purpose of Bishop
England, in uniting Church and State, foreshad-
ows this event, is measure which you should be
the last to condemn. 1t will not do for himto say
that the prejudices, which exists in the minds of
Professionals are unfounded. 1t will not do for
him, in his character of Inquisitor General, to
prescribe all investigation, and to dsnounce 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 peace and your liberties.
1t will not do for him, stranger, whom we have
made welcome, to denouncc s,when we propose
to enquire into the truth ofthese suspicious. That
he is suspected, he admits. Instead of argu-
ments to prove his innocence, he gives US inso'
lent dentpciation, and thereby confirms our APP
prehensions of his guilt; and it is striking fea-
ture of this controversy, that,a it was IN Spain,
so it is here; to resist the authority of the In
quisitor General Immediately brings up the idea
of the 'Ecalt" and the ''gi6bst," The power, by
viii h he now acts, is denunciatioa. AS yet he
cannot go beyond this, but he has organised
corps throughout the United States, more effici-
ent In proportion to its number than any other
political body in the country, and that influence
has been brought to bear with all its energy, for
the purpose of crushing this press. 1t is intend
ed that | shall be victimized and held up
warning, admonlshInS all other editors of the
danger of daring at any time to question any
act of his, whatsoever. 1t is now no longer de-
MED that an association has been formed in Eta
rope under the especial auspices of the Emperor
of Austria, and under the guidance of Prince
Metternich, for the spread of the Catholic reli-
gion in this country; and it has been directly
charged that the objects 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-
cially on the history of the inquisition, and con-
slider the prosecutions of the Moors and of the
wealthy Jews of Spain, we are admonished of
tho necessity Of constant vigilance. l 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 organized political body
1t acts with deliberate purpose. 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 politi-
cal control in this country. With large sur
plus population, whose condition would be great
ly improved thereby, they can pour in upon us
| tide of emigration, which, taking possession Of
the northwestern States, will become appropri-
ate instruments in the hands of designing men
| for converting our government into despotism.
This, once established, the Roman Catholic re-
| ligion will be established with it, and all the
horrors of the Inquisiton must follow in its train.
Bishop England is already the Legate of his
Holiness, the Pope, clothed with full power to
build up national church in Hayti Ia his
letter in reply to Mr.. Forsyth, he asserts the
power of the Pope to ssIsgistate" on the subject
of slavery and the slave trade, and insists upon
fhe obligation Of such eqegislation" upon Catho-
lie communities. The Pope has already required
the Jesuits to dispose of their slaves, and has,
upon one occasion at least, attempted to exer-
else civil jurisdiction in relation to private
property in the United States.
Who does not see in these things the elements
ola power, which may hereafter desolate our
land with the flames of civil war, for the pur-
pose ofoverturning our free institutions. And
Il is for sounding the alarm in the sight of these
dangers-it is for proposing to discuss the truth
1 ofTthese propositions, that have been denounc-