Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-10-02
From the Danville Republican Democratic.
Bishop McGiIlss Letter.

We find In our Richmond exchanges a letter
from this reverend divine head of the Catholic
Church in this State. Asa specimen Of TRANSPARENT
sophistry and cool, calm, and deliberate priestly
assurance 1t Is worthy place among the bulls cf
the Popes in earlier ages, when kings were de-
posed, or mads 70 bare their backs to the scourge
Of arrogant monks Bishop McGill may be very
good and very pious man. He has perfect
right TO publish this or any other farrago tf secta-
rian nonsense and impudence that he chooses to
publish But We protest sgainst all such doctrines
and can assure this preate that such articles as this
Of his are calculated 10 do more injury to the
/" Church Of God, as be designates the Catholic
Church, than all the Know-N Nothingsm in Ameri-
ca, or England either. The people Of Virginia are
in favor ofperfect freedom Of religious opinion.
But they are Protestant In their convictions They
believe IN the right Of private interpretation Of the
Word OF God, and the description Of Protestantism
by Catholic Bishops-not as an error Of opinion,
but as a positive sia-is wen adapted to excite
strong prejudices against that Church Bishop
hcGill unless be desires injury TO his own Church,
had better keep bis sectaran exclusiveness TO him
SELF R8A tQlF8 ~
But to the Bishops letter. II seems that he
was charged with making political harangue on
Thanksgiving day In Richmond. He denies this
charge, and proceeds to state what he did say. He
says that he took the position In that sermon that.
CNNHnxf0
people, by visible and temporal punehments. ior
their transgressons-tha II might be that the epi
demc 10 Norfolk was such chastisement; and
that while he was not at liberty 10 declare
the designs Of Providence vet were he AZ
liberty todo 90, be would designate Know Nothing
ism as the sin which had provoked the AlmIphty's
Christening and avenging rod, because Of its oppo-
stion TO Catholicism. We think more ridiculous
and mpious assertion than this was never penncd
ridiculous, because God has permitted, uncbasten-
ed by his providence, the prevalence OF an these
sins incident 70 cities IN Norfolk. from its founda
ton, and because at the last election Norfolk went
against Know-Nothingsm, andelccted forits Mayor
the lamented Woods, an uncompromishg oppon-
ent Of Know-N -Nothngism-- because from
the days Of Luther to the present time the pages
Of history are studded with tho light Of instances
in which God evidently protected and aided BY bis
special interpositon, the progress ofProestatism,
and the opposition 20 the Harlot Of the Seven
Hls.n M
Witness the dispersion Of the Spanish armada.
sent 70 conquer and CatholicIse England wit.
ness the prosperity Of Protestant North America!
Witness tho weakness misery, and degradation Of
Catholic Mexico and Catholic South Americal
Witness Commonwealth OF CROMWELL Wit
ness the flight, downfall and disgrace Of James
the Second Of EngIandk Witness the brilliant
reign Of William and Mary Witness, IN fact, the
general and palpable tendency Of human events
for the last three hundred years, an Of which In.
dicate the rapid downfall Of Poperyl Witness
the present situation Of the present Pope pen.
soner upon France and Austria---steadicd and
sustained upon his Pont6cial throne bytheir com.
bined bayonets, and perfect cypher In the affairs
Of Europe To say that God, who has pnlpabDy
moulded human events for the last three centuries
to the overthrow OF Catholicism d now all al once
In fury becanse political organization is seeking
BY improper and inadequate meaus 10 do his own
divine work as an impiety 50 absurd that indRna-
ton at It's basphefny Is almost lost IN laughter at
its righteousness. That divinity does, under pe-
culiar circumstances, chastisc nations, as wen as
for their sins, is we suppose, an unde-
niable fact. But that each blessing "a 10 be re-
garded a. an indicaton Of Divine approval. or.
every calamity punishmens, Is an idea more akin
70 superstition than 70 true and rational religion.
The rain falleth upon the Just and unjust alike,
saith the Scripture and II IL only for unusual sin.
fulness and at intervals that 0mnipotance in
terposes his special visitatiohs
In another part Of his letter Bishop Mc3ill des-
ignates Professionalism a. sin. The Bishop docs
not say, but we presume thqt he thinks, unless the
people OF the United States turn Catholics ard
''hee from the wrath to come" that some still
more awful visitation impehds over th. perverse
and obstinate generation. The Bishop should not
40 wartoriy excite the fears Of the people. He
should recoIlect that calm counsel Is necessary to
good government, and that Millerism has had its
day III the people never commit any other ain
than that Of being Protestant We are certainly viii
ling to risk caamities in their midst As the fel-