The New York herald., 1845-02-02
To THE EDITOR OF THR HERALD :

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
What hopeful defenders poor Bishop Onderdonk
has found whether at the bar or the press? Viii
lis, fer example, begins by assailins not merely the
veraci,v. but the virtue OF the female witnes
course directly calculated (f i has not in fact hao
the efiecD to exaspsrate public feeling, that is to
"prejudlce the jury" against his client In truth,
he seems to have been actuated, consciously OF
not by desire less of exculpaing the Bishop than
of displaying his own travelled acquaintance with
the female heart. What he asserts of this for the
rest, think to be true, at least when applied to
European women and would probably have been
read without opposition or offence, il set forth
with proper discretion. not with the characters
tic ahectation of the Mirror, which in sraining to
be emphatic falls into the awkward or the absurd
Nor (whle it would end the irrelevant contro-
versy between the said Mirror and its contem.
porares'') would this exception OF American
Trn necessarily dlsparsge their purity. The mo-
fal character of the familiarities in question de.
peDds much, if not entirely, upon educatioD social
h bits, &c IN the particular country or commn
ATTY. In ours, the democratic equality Of political
intercourse must color considerably the social
That, in tact, very large Cf not the "largest'')
liberties" are allowed the clergy in our female
corporation, appears from the testimony. on this
order is also manifested from the long record Of
the developments Of lie in New York, which the
columns Of the Herald could furnish. Indeed there
is ss Of Of. gryl" in ns general voga
round, BY the "gentemen" indscriminatey a
remnant probably, OF the good old Dutch custom
of busding. Now, in man or woman brough
up amid such affectionate Influences, the philoso
pher difficulty in reconciline the act or the
permission Of kissing" with the chastity OF a
Joseph or Diana. make no assertion, however,
as to the matter of fact, having my knowledge in
the delicate premises chiefly from hearsay: My
purpose, moreover, is only TO observe that with to
pics at least so plausible at hand, 1t is only maya
zine writing advocate who would seek his argu-
ments in Milton and Moliere.
Few will be hard upon Willis for ignorance Of
the Canon Law. But what is to be thought ct the
Bishops ''counsel," who has overlooke d (asI shall
show) an authoritative and fundamental point in
the defence! According to the most accredited
treatises of the code alluded to- on the doctrine Of
proofs, (DIeris, Mascardi, Aretin, Nc,) to kiss a
married woman was held pre-umptlve evidence Of
adultery. But clergyman (and a fortiori, Bisb-
op) p,de snmitur f,csre bono selo Q~ia praeswme
tw diuino addittns facoe ct causa bsnedicer-
di ,dm :! Here Is complete and eanonlcsl de-
fence. Yet, not an ausion to it in The wordy m-
pertine ncts Of one OF those who have Undertaken
ihe cause of the Bishop whether for pay or for pa
tronage. You alone, with that instinct peculiar
10 you, seem to have had an intimation Of THE
orthodox and equitable principe-derived, very
probably, from your pons Catholic education.
leave you 10 translate, if you deem II necessary,
for the use OF the Mirror, and claim hereby, the
acknowle jsements of Willis and the Bishops
friends, for this invaluable (hough fear eleventh
houi) suggestion. Yours, &c. L. @ ].