The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-23

fans as rne PRESIDENT, and MIR Clay as the Sc
cretary OF State of the United States, charging
them 'Swith having iuterfered in the concerns of
the Church, in way in which he neither could
or ought" Indeed, he has gone so far as to OBJ
tain and publish the opinions of TIVE 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 FjtaiSdic-
ton" may become oppressive to ysu 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 Inqui sition has contested the au-
thirty of judges, neblss, 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
neatly pious, for pure religion, even in the Ca
tholic faith, hath invited persecution and pro-
voked condemnation. l repeat, that l speak
net of the Catholic faith. speak of the abuses
that have been praetised i'll the name of the Ca
tbolic religion, and in connection with the fact
that there is nothing in the Constitution OF the
General Government, which can prevent the
establishment of the Catholic religion by en-
grating it upoa the constitution of any indil
vidual State, and that it is in the power Of
designing men, wherever they control the le-
gislatIon of single state, to establish the Inqui-
sltion as part of its civil polity. You, the Ca
tholics of the United States, are deeply inter
ested as we, the Professionals, in preventing this;
box, 80 4 he Of Risbe
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 preudices, which exists in the minds Of
Protestants are unfounded. 1t will not do for
him, in his character of Inquisitor General, TO
prescribe all investigation, aud to dsnsunce 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 ameng US. He is suspected of harbouring
deep designs against our peace and yourlibertiss.
1t will not do for him, stranger, whom we have
made welcome, to denouncc us,when we propose
to enquire into the truth OF these suspicious That
he is suspected, he admits. Instead Of argu-
ments to prove his innocence, he gives us inso'
lent denunciation, and thereby confirms eur APP
prehensisns of his guilt; and it is striking fea-
ture of this controversy, that,as it was in Spain,
so it is here; to resist the authority of the In
quisitor General Immediately brings up the idea
of the "calr' and the E'gibbet," The power, by
which he now acts, is denunciatioH. As yet he
cannot go beyond this, but he has an organised
corps throughout the United States, more effici-
ent In proportion to its number thar 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 as a
warning, admonIshIng 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 EU-
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
the necessity Of constant vigilance | 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.
It acts with deliberate purpose. Its approaches
are slow but constant. Backed by the pswer 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 wsuld 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 despetism.
This. once established, the Roman Catholic re-
lieion will be established with it, and all the
horrors of the Inquisition must follow in its train
Bishop England is already the Legate of his
Holiness, the Pope, clothed with full power to
build nm national church in Hayti. In his
letter in reply to Mr.. Forsyth, he asserts the
power of the Pope to esIegislate" on the subject
of slavery and the slave trade, and insists upon
the obligation ofsuch fslegislation" 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 cxer-
else civil jurisdiction in relation TO private
property in the United States.
Who does not see in these things The elements
GA power, which may hereafter desolate our
land with the flames of civil war, for the pur-
pose Of overturning our free institutions. And
it is for sounding the alarm in the sight of these
dangers-it is for proposing to discuss the truth
ofTthese propositions, that have been denounc-
ed and prescribed by committee constituted
of Professionals, politically opposed to Bishop