The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-01
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.
The Catholic Church.

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The Catholic Church.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN-THE CATHOLIC HIERARCHY,
AND THE REV DIR. PISE.
Quite discussion has recently taken place of
The Washington jour the subject of interesting
historical statement made by the Rev DR. Piss r. G. c.
in lecture recently delivered by him in the Smithsonian
Institution The lecture Of pourtray.i Of the
private and public life of Charles Carroll of Carroon
the Catholic sgnsr of the Declaration Independence
and the lecturer mentioned it remarkable fact that
DR. Frar kiln tho rst propose the Popss nuuco
the establishment of Roman Catholic hierarchy in the
United States, and had even indicated the clergyman
Raw John Carrolwhom hs wished to have named AS an
apostolic vicar. The statement was communicated, as
worthy of public notice, to the Washington Evening
Star, in the following paragraph:
The Rev c. G. Pse, of New York in his lecture some
weeks ago at the Smithsonian Institution related inter-
stng historical fact, which may be generally known
The learned gentleman stated, that Benjamin franklin
vas the FIRST who proposed TO the Popes nuncio at
Paris TO erect Catholic hierarchy in the United States
and that he strongly mmended the appointment of
the Rev John Carroll of Maryland, ths drst bishop
rranklins wish was afterwards compiled with and
Mr.. Carroll appointed Bishop of Baltimore. T.
The truth of the allegation made by DR. Piso ques
toned and combatsd by another ponden under the
initials G. G H. who stated that the sac was not only
without foundation but The very contrary of the truta
DR. Pse's veracy correctness Of information being
by the following letter -
MR EproR-In reply to c. 1 rho denies that the
Of Baltimore erected al ths suggestion OF DR..
Franklin as stated in my lecture before the snithso
man Institution beg leave to ,a that Charles Carroll
Car rsiltop, lny authority.
his uic!al capacity ennanating from the
of the United States but in private conversation with
the apostolic nunco At Paris Il must be borne 10 mind
that the American people had recently thrown off their
political allegiance TO the power Of Great Britain
the Catholics still under the ecclesiastical urls
dicton Of the vicar apostoc OF London and DR. Frank
lin nInaed 10 the nuncio the expediency Of relieving
the American Catholics from all dependency in spiritual
matters that preatc and OF appointing bishop Of
their and when the question arose whore the
to be estabis he'd and by whom flied DR. Franklin
designated the city of Baltimore aud named h, fri-
and fellow commissioner to Cana'a, tho Rev Joha Ca
roll and moreover, it through his inuenae with
the nuncio that the Pope induced to address The
note cited by G T. Il, TO the Congress OF the United
States.
Those who present at my lecture remember that
of Mr. Carroll end that related thousand anecdotes
which ba5 lea ned from his lips at his lre
side, but which history does not record among these
the " fact" in question, which beng tradidonary
cannot be verified by written testimony, but which
ther history the note of the sovereign pontG Con
gress in any manner contradict
/ G. II must remember that the Rev John Carroll had
been sent by Congress on mission to Canada with DR.
Franklin II is natural suppose that Franklin
to reward MIR Carroll for his services republic.
As clergyman, tee portals of political pteferment were
closed against him In the church he might eev- ted
10 a position which he eminen,ly merited this ac
count Franklin named him to the nunco most worthy
10 be decorated with the mre and for whom a see in
the city of Baltimore, shouli be created.
In stating this fact " had intention to in5inuate
that DR. Frt nhln instructed by the American go
yernment to negotiate with the Pope in this m tier
much less d a seek to impure TO that phos sopher AM
Catholic tendencies wished merely to show the espec
and friendship which he entertained for Mr. Carroll and
bis anxiety to rendsr the American Catholics independent
OF the ecclesiastical jurisdiction OF English Bishop
by the erection of in the United STATES If G c
Fl heard my lecture he will do the instiae as
knowledge that did appear before the Smithsonian
u'on as sectaran but portray the character Of the
fact introduced was merely incidental; it had been
mentioned more than by that able patriot
himself in bis old age and repeated very frequently by
the late Archbishop Marechal the ntimate friend OF
Charles Carroll
In conclusion will add that the circumstance Of the
Pope addressing note to Congress the subject of
erecting in the United es aud leaving it discre
tioDary with them - to choose bishop, either from
among tho subjects of the United States of North Amer
or from the subjects of foreign nation the 1t
friendly with the United Statestbs very
say, shows that Dr. Franklin at the bottom of the
arrangement He designated the Jonn Carroll IA
subject OF the United Statesa native of Maryland ami
tie result proved that there necessity
"a foreign nation" fer the first bishop the American
church when there was such man in the United Sta
John Carroll The cousin of the oply Catholic sgper OF
/, The declaration and the friend of Washington
CHARLES CONSTANTINE PISE u .,
BrooklJ n March "a 1873
To this II replied by caoddly admitting that he
had been in error and that the original statement of the
Doctor coulo b. disputet Here is his letter which
concludes tnir interesting his 'crica discussion:-
Mr. EDToR-Dr Pise having productd his authority
or his assertion stand convicted aud convinced
the authority being such that could dispute
out str pg rebutting testimony, compelled to
! claim y believe belieyel'
The poctV- says that he did appear before the
Smithsonian nsti tutlon stciariau. really Nr
tdtir sucL thought never entered my head for dd
not X o~ then nor do know OF what d. nomination
lccior Piss member; therefore discl.im any charge
Of octariunism and ! do the Doc the ilstice
(spd myself too) to say that not present at the
! lecture.
I'm examination OF private memorandum kept BY DR..
Fapklin hrd an extract corroboritive of the state
| uent that Bshop Carroll wa appointed on hi, recon.
ntndation, although it Is dated nearly year
to the letter from the Pope's nuncio to hin.
The following is the extract referred to-
'tJuly LIST, 17S4) The lopes pupcio called and &C
qusin ed me that the fops had my nrnendation
appointed Mr. John Carroll superior Of the Catholic
clergy in America with many OF the powers of a bishop,
that probably he would be bishop an prrtibss
before the enc of the year,
hoping this may prove satisfactory concerned re-
main your friend and obedient servant G c. II.
New England Methodist Conference,
IPSWICH, April 20, 1853 The Conference Anti- Slavery
society held its anniversary at the We hodst church last
| evening There was a large audience presens Prayer
offered by r. w Alien of the Providence Con
After brief pertinent sleech By tie President Rev
| + Collier he introduced the INST speaker
Rev } u BRpGE-Ihe only apology he had 20 oler
Tor Rpleaf ing often GU thee anniversary occasions
/ was, that he formed 'esoutiou twenty years
since that he would never refuse TO speak for Christ and
| humanity when called upon to do So aud that il his
b,ehen did not wish to hear him speak they ist no
/ a.t him lie claimed TO the constant and uneom.
| pro ispe friend ot the slave e Union man, too,
lie TO- hi countryside whole couniry-n,t right
or wrong, but however bounded He commented on the
| tesomiops passed by last annual Conference re
ception of voluntary Shareholders into the churcb and
| excluding all such there!iom after limited period
The time would come when the chuch must either carry
out those resolutions recede from the position II had
taken. II would never do the latter. 1t had sworn
eternal bate to savery and its utter determination ha