The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-05-21
A NEW AND EXTRAORDINARY
CONTROVERSY.
Bishop Hughes'S Pastoral Letter on the Phila
dplnhia Ri0tx and their Cauxes

DINuUp uuSuUN UVbtUI Uu TuIIu
delphia Riots and their Causes.
Yesterday morning the Courier and Enquirer con-
tanned one OF the most unique original, drol extra
ordinary, unaccountable, politco-religi GUS docu-
mens that we have ever seen published or put forth
to the world, by distinguished digniary of any
church, in any part OF Christendoni, III this or any
former age This remarkable produ elton takes the
shape of letter, addressed TO the Honorable
James Harper, Mayor of New York;" and is signed
"tJohu Hughes, Bishop of New York - We shall
make an effort to republish this letter, and give it
the full benefit of our large circulation, throughout
the old and new world, and amongst all sects-
Catholic as well as Protestant.
This letter commences with a bit OF autobiOgra-
ply, in which the Right Rev. Prelate gives some
rather interesting details respecting his early career,
although he speaks somewhat ungallan,ly of dis
tnguished literary lady of this city-Mrs. Chlds
After thus gancing at the history of his own life the
Bishop comes down to the recent religious and pc
litical movements which have characterized the
cities of New York and Philadelphia during the last
few years, in the origin of which this Preae has so
actively participated, and occupied such an impor-
tant position. Here the Bishop makes a sweeping
and severe reference to the greater portion of the
of all denominations but his own, singing out
however, for the full Walls Of his wrath and
sarcasm, and for the full measure of his great
logical acuteness, and inehable powers OF demon
stration, the names of James Gordon Bennett and
William L. Stone. How we happen to be coupled
with Colonel Stone is one of the enigmas of this
remarkable letter-this pastoral letter to the sim
of all ages secs and conditions of this age is
w can mas Ruf N mr.
cial manner is the letter devoted to the destruc-
ton, exterminaton and final overthrow of James
Gordon Bennett, who is described as ''the most
dangerous man that has ever yet appeared in the
world" and who receives at least ,hreefourths Of
the benefit Of the whole process of excommunica-
ton contained in this ample document.
The charges, inuendoes, and imputatons made
against career and character by Bishop Hughes
so unfounded and so entirely baseless, so
merous withal, that we shall take several days to
prepare fnl and crushing reply and to set Bishop
Hughes before this community and the American
people in position somewhat similar to that in
which you sometimes see an unfortunate turkey
cock, that has been stripped of his feathers, and
exposed in all his nakcdness to the tender mercies
OF North American winter. We donot wish to say
anything harsh or disrespectful of Bishop Hughes
d
private individual. On the contrary we have uni
formly spoken Of him as a man of talent-of most
amlable characterize piety-of integrity-of until
ring zeal for his church and creed. But we have not
failed to denounce him, as have the clerical gem
tlemen of all denominations, Protestant as well as
Catholic, who forget their sacred Office and descend
into the filthy arena of this worlds politics; or who
despising the blessed example of Him whose SER
tbau IN ha ,nAo ~.
slons of men and array opposing sects in bitter hos
tility. And in the reply which shall make to
this elaborate letter. shall enter into full, and
dspassionate review OF the Bishops conduct in the
character of religio-politicaI agitator, and we
doubt not before we have done with him. the Right
Reverend prelate will resolve to take good care
hereafter how he gets into Carroll Hall on poll
teal occasion, and how he again attempts to organ
ize his flock into political faction for any purpose
under heaven.
There is charge, however. in this letter.,
which is extraordinary, SO inexpicabIe SO afro
cious, that we must notice it to-day. The charge
is that we once attacked Mrs Daniel O'Connell,
the venerable and pous wife of Daniel himself, and
that this was the cause of the brutal treatment which
we received from the celebrated O'Connell when
we visited the Corn Exchange in Dublin. This is,
pletey astounded u.s. We never dreamt of such
an accusation, as may surely be well believed,
when we never wrote syllable or uttered a word
or even thought Of Mrs. O'Connell in the whole
course of our life. The entire falsity--the utter
impossbility of our having written printed line
against Mrs. OConnell is at once apparent, when it
IS known that during the last twenty years that
have been connected with the press in this coun
l-Ir
and conductor Of the Ne,c York Herald, up to the
affair IN the Corn Exchange, in every
ference to O'Connell, / ex pressed admira.
ton of the man, and column after column
have / written defending him, and even at.
tempting to apologize for his attacks on the
Southern institutions of this country Attack Mrs
O'Connell more daring and deliberate false
hood than this never proceeded from the Father of
Lies cast II back on Bishop Hughes, with all the
burning indignation which can be imagined in one
so grossly assalled-one, who never even by impll-
cation attacked any female, in any mode or shape
whatever Thus much on that point
But the principal portion OF the pastoral letter re-
ters to the public movements and public conduct of
Bishop Hughes in this city. We are thus afforded,
by the Right Rev. Prelate himself, an opportunity
OF showing to the American people and the world,
that of the truth of every statement made by us in
relation to his public conduct, we have the amples
and most convincing proof, and can produce it
We will not handy logic with the Bishop-we will
not follow him through all the windings and
wrggllngs, and twistlngs of his prox state
ment-we will not split hairs, and bubble.
and quarrel about words with him--we will not
enter into any discussion of his formal propo-
sitions," or "postulates," or "polnts,' supported
only by his naked assertions Ualike the Bishop,
we shall deal in facts. We shall produce simple
direct, undeniable evidence, and show-albeit that
has been toleraby well established aready-that
his conduct from the moment he made his appear
ance as political agtator in Carroll Hall on that
memorable 10Th of October, IS4l, has been, no,
indeed the soe but one OF the cheest of the causes
which have produced the organization of the Amer