Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-05-23
RE1g BA11g[lADo9 DOURlAaa
pRcz. MORSE AND BISHOP sPALD1Na.

l;bartiex of the United States are DESTROYED, it
will by Romish Priets,'' it was denied by Bsh-
ON SpALDING, of Louisville, who gives, as he
alleges, a letter from LAFAYETTE. in which the
following passage occurs -
.sBut must be permitted TO assure you that
the fears which in your patriotic zeal you seem
10 cntcrtain--tkat If the liberty Of the Uni!ed
STATES is ecer destroyed il Kill be BY Ronish
pries{s-are certainly without any shadow OF
foundation whatever
Professor Morse charges the Bishop with en-
dorsing forgery in the above, alleging that
the letter is got up expressly for the occasion.
His personal intercourse with Laf.vette--the
letter he had himself received from him--and
every sentiment he had heard him express con
vipced Prof Morse that the letter thus quoted
was forgery, and he made diligcn- efforts to
procure the volume alleged to contain it. He
wrote to the most eminent bibliopolists in Paris
for copy; they made search and wrote, with
one accord, that .sno such work is to be found
in Parish Further Investigation conYinccs
him that the fraud had extended not only to
tI,e forgery of Il letter of Lafayette, but TO the
forgery OF false title to a book, taise author,
false place of publication, false date, Ja.ss
size, false number of pages, and in conncc-
ton with these, purely fictitious account of
the imaginary author, and all the other .fabu-
Iops circumstances of its ideal existence
The Bishop calls on the Professor TO produce
the testimony Of neliving ito the declar-
alton of Laiay ette TO which he replies as follows
You have made call which l am under no
obligation to answer further than have alrea
II b,-+n fby
of the motto were, OF my own personal knowi-
edre Lafayctte's. / have nevertheless taken
acme pains for the sake Of historic truth, to
trace it in its quoted shape. That ri0fio was
uttered by Lafay cite. as shall presently prove,
more than Hirty gears ago; 1t has been quoted,
without question, for mere than twenty years,
and its author has been in his grave for more
than twenty years. period OF twenty years,
sir is ordinarily sufficient to scatter beyond
the most diligent search liring lriiness,s of
sqying uttered even in the presence OF Il large
audiance so that its authenticity IS not so
much dependent such a firing lritneSs as on
sifs being con(oYmabie 10 all kaoc Of the char
dcfcT and sentiments Of the person of whom
the saving is affirmed. BY this rule, sir, Gone
of YOUR own proposing,) it could equally well
be proved to be Lalayette's. y living witness
to the uttering of that sentiment by lafayette
is, ind Iced, fatal to you, but the absence oil
such living witness is not fatal to me.
the hope 10 find 4 living witness in the person
of military officer to whom, learned, iwen-
| " years ago, that Lafayette had used the words
OF the motto | casually learned that venori-
ble and excellent minister OF the Dutch he
formed Church, the Rev. DR.. z. |. Eanpclt,
still living and in vigorous health of body and
mind, altho in his eightieth year, could proba-
biz. tell me something OF interest on the sub
ject of my inquiry. | accordingly addressed
him a note on my return home on the Zlth uit,
asking him if lie had any recollection of CON
versations he had with General Lafayette,
when he visited this country in 1924, and II
so, requested him 10 furnish me with his rec
objections. In his letter to me in reply. dated
New ork April 80, 1855, after detailing the
conversation. at two special interviews with La
favctte, one on the day OF his arrival or Staten
Island, before he went to Boston, and the 9th
er after his return from Boston; he gives
| graphically many interesting incidents of rev.
| olutionary history. as related 10y Lafayette.
omit them as irrelevant in this place, but give
an extract from the close OF DR.. Nanpelts let
| ter, as TO the point, sir, between you and me.
In speaking of the interviews, he says:
! OF the conversations at both interviews, my
| recollection is vivid and distinct. ''On my
| next interview and conversation with Lafay
/ ette," SAYS the venerable DR.. Faupelt, s'after
! his visit and return from Boston, he said tome,
| my dear friend, | tell YOU something that oc-
Cured when was in Boston. | received po-
! lite invitation from the chief Catholic Prest or
| Bishop OF the Roman Catholic Church in Bos-
/ ton to attend his church on the Sabbath. l
wrote him an apology, saying, as | never eX-
pcct to be in Boston again, and as during the
! Revolution when in Boston, | wosShipped sit
! ting by the side of His Excellency General
Washington, and as | see that the church and
| the pews are the same, except as they are dec
| grated with paint, wish to occupy the same
| seat in that church on the Sabbath lie took
it in great dudgcon, that l did not attend his
| church. But / could not help that. follow
my inclination. Now, my friend, must tell
YOU, that was brought up in France Roman
! Catholic, and believed that the Roman Catholic
! Church was the only true and Mother Church,
till / came to this country, where ] see His
Exceliency General Washington, and the Off
GERS of the American army OF different relI-
gion, worshippng in different churches Ny
eyes were opened. | see men can be of diff
| erent religion. and worship in different chur-
chcs and yet be good Christians Then say
ing, 1T is my opinion that, if erer The liberties
of this cOuniry-the United States Of .4fnerico-
are destroyed, IL 1ciH be by the Subiiiify Of The
Roman Catholic Jesuit Priests, for they are the
most crafty, dangerous enemies 10 cirii and re-
Hgious liberty. They haze instigqtsd most Of
! he uars IN Europe.' He further said, Il wish
my country, France, had such government and
rational liberty as you have in this country
To which replied, as my opinion, that neith-
er France nor any other country could have
rational liberty without abe free circulation
and knowledge OF the Bi6ie. To ,chieh he gauc
ready ard cordial assent.
| With sincere respect and esteem.
Your obedient servant.
P.J. VANPELT.
Prof. Sam'l F. B. Morse, Pokeepsie, New
York.
You have now, sir, what You so loudly cal
led for wit. the concurrent teSfimony of