Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-04-14
For the Herald Of the Tluics.
REPUTATION OF A FOUL AND BASE CAL
UMNv.

Il Scarcely had the polls which were kept open
during three successive days (2ist, 22d n 23dO
\ of last March, for the purpose Of asceripJning
II the sense Of The people of this state, with re-
| gard tn the two proposed Constitutions, been
| closed, when AN attack was nude on my char
| actcr aud on the church To which belong
II is reported, AZ ! am crcditably informed,
4 that, tho polling being ended, convened u
meeting Of :he Catholics IN the Catholic Church
n and insisted on their dealing no more with
those store and shop keepers who voted against
| the Free Suffrage, or, as il is commonly called,
the Peoples Constitution. What an uniound-
| ed charge! IL it l To assemble Il meeting of
| the Catholics on worldly business within The
! walls of II temple dedicated to tho living God
Foul aud groundess accusation The idea SO
lIrevolting To- common sense, of Introducing any
thing dixie what am charged with not con-
| formable 10 the sanciity OF the place, rs the
| house of God, has never entered my mind
! No, il is mn uncand'd, an ungonerous, and an
! unjust attack that has not tho least shadow OF
| proof or evidence for its support | emphaii-
caly deny it, ! assert aud maintain that no
| such thing has taken place, either IN the Catho-
| lie Church or any place else where have been
| present since came TO Newport. have, more
over, the strongest possible evidence, To prove
that am that humble individual who not only
/ prevented meeting Of the Catholics, when pro-
| posed b., one or two individuals, to take place
relative To The subject in question, but gave IL
| as my opinion, when asked for it, that every
| man should be left To himself and allowed TO
| deal wherever he pleased; in short, that the
matter was beneath ny notice, and that never
interirrcd in such things. Inow challenge any
man To contradict this.
H Such is a true account ofmy conduct during
a time that tried mems souls, aud which one
| or two persons Chose 10 whom | allude reside
II in Provldcncc,) endeavored to render uufayora-
bile aud prejudicial To Catholics, by their ca
| luminous aud nflnmmatory defamation. Pope
and Popery, Priest aud Pricstcraf were the
| order of the day-the raw head and bloody
bones " by whI,h the people were to be driven
mad and scnselcss--one religious denOmina-
iion pittcd against the other-haircd aud dis
cord sown among chfistians-he worst passions
excilcd--ihc peace Of the community disturbed
| l-socal order rOyerturncd-every thing sacred
aud divine torn from its foundations, and anar.
| chy and bloody dcspotism established on their
ruins. The storm has al length ceased 10 gage
and the tempest to howl, and the cloud which
| seemed 10 threaten instant destruction, to an
unoflcnding people, is gradually vanishing be-
| tore The gcn,al Tays Of justice and truth.
/ Bat il may bo objected, is 1t not a rule or
law in the Catholic Church not To allow her
members to deal with such persons MS differ
[ reply in the negative. know no such rule
or law to belong to the Catholic Church,
or TO form any part Of her faith doc
irine. But know that her great and iunda-
mental law is charity, which commands MS not
to return evil for evil, but to return love for
hatred, to do good 10 those who in ure us, TO
pray for those who perSccnte MS, to see a
brother in an eucmy, to enlighten the igno-
rant, to clotho tho naked, to feed the hungry,
To visit the sick and console the afflicted
Should any member Of the Catholic Church
become cause of scandal to his ne igbbor,
commit IA crime or violate "a law, the church of
which he is bad member should not be
charged with it, for she is not responsible for
his acts, neither should his crimes be imputed
tn her. Her doctrine is the same now in
the days Of the apostles-it is unchanged bo.
cause unchangeable; though her members are
not 80 DHnorons and opulcnt in this town as
those ofother coinmuDions, yet, in other States,
in almost all countries and nations her num-
bers, her glory, her power and splendor are
commensurate with her antiquity. She is
known, embraced and respected from the Indus
to the Pole from Japan to Peru, in all countries
in which the great luniinary Of the day sheds lis
light. She has braved the storms, the revolu-
tions, and prosecutions of more than eig hteen
centuries, and will continue TO do so till time
is no more The greatest enpcrors and kings,
orators and statesmen of ancient and modern
times belonged 20 her communion. She has
swayed and still sways the sceptre over king
doms and republics. And now after her long
reign Of eighteen centuries, she appears more
bright and glorious, and bids defiance to all the
powers Of darkness Her doctrine has never
been proved dangerous 10 any form of govern
msnt that has ever bsen invented or framed by
man, or inconsistent with the peace and pros
perity of any people.
Instead Of calunniating and misreprese rting
the doctrine and opinions o! any religious de-
nomination instead Of inspiring their hearers
and fellow creatures with hatred and anlmosi-
ty; instead of blending religion with politics,
all Judges aud magistrates, as well as ministers
,of religion, should recommend bcnevolcnce,
pence aud harmony. If any diiIcv with us in
religion aud politics; ifany endeavor TO ca
lumnate and injure, we are at liberty To hate
their principles and actions but not their per.
sons because Christ commands US to love all
men without excepting any.
Justice TO the public, my character as a clcr-
gyman and member of civil society, have
compelled me to write the foregoing az relu-
tation of a calumny that is in circulation against
me, and the Church to which belong.
J. OREILLY.
Newport, March 9th, 1Sl2