American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-06-21
Lafayette'sOpinIOn of tho Papists,

The American papers have published
the fact that Gen, Lafayette, when on a
visit to this country, said ''that If ever the
Liberties of this country We're destroyed it
would be by Roman Catholics"
The newspapers in the employ of the
Papists deny that ever Layfayette used
such Language. We are rejoiced that
they have done so because we have the
prooffrom living witness, and We always
like to shut Jesuit's mouth with the evil
dence. They scarcely ever tell the truth
themselves and they imagine that honest
men are as much given over 10 the faith
er of lies as they are. But to the evil
dence. The Right Rev. Bishop Spauld
ing, of the Catholic Church, challenged
Prof Samuel B. Morse, inventor of the
Magnetic Telegraph, to produce a single
American witness to the utterance OF such
a sentiment By Lafayette Prof Morse
wrote to the Rev. p, j. Vanpelt, yenera-
BILE and excellent minister Of the German
Reformed Church, who is in his eightieth
year, and is still man of vigorous body
and mind. He had several interviews
with Lafayette in 1894. The following is
an account OF the last conversation he had
with the gallant Lafayette:
| ,lo ot Lii
views, my recollection is vivid and dis
lnct
"On my next interview and conversa-
ton with Lafayette" says the venerable
DR.. Vanpelt, "aftcr his visit and return
from Boston,. he said to me, my dear
friend, l must tell you something that oc-
Cured when was in Boston. received a
polite invitation from the Chief Catholic
Priest or Bishop Of the Roman Catholic
Church in Boston, 10 attend his church on
the Sabbath. l wrote him an apology, say
ing, as | never expected to be in Boston
again, and as during the Revolution when
in Boston, worshipped sitting by the side
Of his ExcelIency General Washington,
and as see that the church and the pews
are the same, except as they are decorated
with paint, | wish to occupy the same
seat in lhat church on the Sabbath. He
took it in great dudgeon that | did not at
tend his church. But could not help
that. followed my inclination Now,
my friend, must tell you, that l was bro't
up in France Roman Catholic, and believ-
ed that the Roman Catholic Church was
the only true and Mother Church, till !
came 10 this country where saw his Ex-
cheney General Washington and the officers
Of the American army of different religion,
worshiping in different churches. My
eyes were opened. / see men can be o
different religion, and worship in different
churches, and yet be good Christians;
then saying, it is my opinion that, if eve,
Me liberties of this cOun!ry-Me United
Stotes Of America-are destroyed. ii ml
be By tie saJtility Of tie Roman Catholi,
Jesuit Priests, for they are tie most crofly
dangerous enemies TO civa and religious
liberty. 7Hey hare instigated most of Mc
,CarS in Europe He further said, Il wish
my country, France, had such rational lib
erty as You have in this country Tc
which replied, as my opinion that neither
France nor any other country could hav,
national liberty withoutthe free circulation
= and knowledge Of the BiJie.. To mAicJ
: he gare ready and cordial assent.
With sincere respect and esteem,
Your obedent servant,
P.J VANpELr.
Prof Samuel P. B, Morse, Ploughkeepsie
N. Y.
Upon which Prof. Morse, in his repl,
to Bishop Spalding, comments as follows:
You have now, sir, what you so loudl,
called for, to.wit: the concurrent testimon'
= of one American to the uttering Of the sen
timents Of the motto by Lafayette, an,
U nearly jpSissimis yerJis. The character O
y the witness, sir, is unmpeached and I'm
impeachable, Through your ovcr.zealou
haste to destroy the influence Of the warn
ing of this motto upon the American mind
: you have been unwittingly tho instrumon
of establishing It's paternity in Lafayette be
; yond dispute. You have drawn out evi
dencc too Of its intrinSicraM; for the YER
measure by which you have attempted t
throw discredit upon the genuiness of thi
motto, furnish glaring example of the in
herent corruption and dangerous charac
ter Of your corporation; and they have al
so demonstrated most emphatically th
: necessity for such a warning, and the fore
sight and deep sagacty of the Republic
wise and constant, and benevolent friend
The result of this controversy bears
lesson both to the American people and t.
you. The American people it will teacI
to ponder with less incredulity and with
deeper concern the pregnant warning of tn
, Fathers Of the Republic. =.
To you, sir, il administers marked re
! ! buke. That foreign priest, trained b.
! the necessities of his birth in the dar
. scholasticism of his ancestors, should, a
the bidding Of his ghosIly master, bea
with him to this land Of Bible light an
. Christian civilization the debasing max
inns, the disgusting superstilions and dia
boical doctrines of his education; that h
should think to practise undiscovered il
this land of intellectual and moral light, tn
arts of deception with which example an,
habit have made him familiar at home, ex
cites less our wonder than our pity and dis
gust; but that an American, that one who
with his first moral breath, inhaled the pu
rifcd air Of Bible Christianity; that on
whose infancy was nurtured amid th
sound heads and honest hearts Of Ken
tuckv conmunitv should volnntorilv shrin