North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1841-03-24
l5e

kIug, and consequently tbat the HOUSE o
stuart must reign; or that those, whc
should yield obedience 10 the present reign
jsT dynasty, woulj eli be burnt 10 eserias.
ting sfs, We could multiply such cases tc
infaisy, were we cot afraid Of trespassing
upon the tine and patience Of our readers.
AZ might he expected, the infamous
pastoral letter oTihe bishop Of Montreal,
VAS received BY The people, as II deserved.
Assoon az The Priests began 10 read this
nneallrd for document from the pulpit, the
people would Immediately Withdraw from
the church, and leave the priests 10 pre-
claim 10 The naked walls, The seryile and
despicable doctrines contained 10 the bish-
op's proclamation, which will ever stand ~
monument OF the baseness of the chnrnc-
ter Of the man, who so wickedly perverted
his ecclesiastical authority over his flock,
ns 10 seek to induce them 10 crouch and
subni, TO the despotic and absolute power
or Great Britain. We have thought pro-
per 10 preserve this specimen oil clerical
servili,y, so that pos,eTisy may know that
the first Bishop oi Montreal soon after his
inssalnent, polluted his divine mission by
bringing forward the Scriptures 10 aid in
supporting British tyranny. 1t may not
he improper 10 say, that there never exis.
Ted more naughty, proud, selfish and ~
Tannieal character Than this Bishop Of Mon
ural. 0verbearing aud unjust TO those
whom fortune placed beneath him, but
pusiilanmous and crouchiRg in the pres
ence OF his superiors. AS Bishop Plessis-
whose political conduct will ever be detes-
ted by The Canadians, had made use Of his
clerical influence 10 favor British despot-
lam, and for which he was literally rewar-
ded lew years after by seat in the Leg
isia,ive Council, so Bishop Lal,igue, in
1887, adopted The same policy, although
his reward had preceded the consumation or
lis deeds Of dark and damEing infamy in
threatening bis eounirymen with tier-I
ria! damnaiion II they dared To resist
the -tyrannical measures OF Lord John
Russel. Such men, however much they
may be respected for their private virtues
win always be ranked amongst the vile and
plant tools OF tlesrois, and therefore, not
worthy Of the respect Of those, who believe
truth and liberty to have emanated from
The God OF nature, and win ever be consid-
...l -. H. anar,;as oF (<od arJ tho t,.o,Ia
Yet we believe, that il Bishop Lar,igue
had lived long enough 10 see Canada free,
he would have submitted, with apparent
pleasure, to the new form OF governmen,
which that coeniry Would have chosen.
and doubtless, would have preached hard
for It's mainta nance. The true secret Of
this apparent contradictory conduct in
Bishops and Priests, is the preservation Of
their vas. temporal interests together with
the retention oftheir mighty spiritual in.
loenee over their flock. Money and pow
e are the ebief objects Of pries,y worship
in modern times. Perhaps this declaration
may offend some truly pious souls, but we
must speak hcnrsiy and boldly our views
o( what sad experience and incontroverti-
bic facts have taught us TO believe.
On the last page, in the appendix, No 40,
marked (es) our readers will find this ia
mons pastoral letter Of Bishop Lartigue,
which will be handed down 10 the reno
test generation, as an evidence ofimbecility,
seIfshness and ambition joined with that
mean and despieable serviliy. which is so
common in the Catholic and EpiscopnlI
Clergy, in Lower Canada.
The priests belonging to the Roman
creed in the Province, had tried for many
wears past to pervert their influence over
their flock, and turn il 10 the advantage
of British bondage. But whatever might
have been the respect entertained for their
spiritual Pastors as long as these sided in
politics with the majority of the people IS
in 1877, their influence proved 20 be nul
and void when they arrayed themselves
sgains, The peoples wishes. We have
already said that The great cause OF the