The true Democrat., 1855-09-11
Letter of General Miles.
Jackson, Mississippi. Southern Mercury:

| 0 We LIduW y tue ioOutftefH -HeTcuy: DEAR SR-On my arrival here last night from New Orleans l was shown your paper of the 9th inst i'll which there is a communica- ton over the signature of An Enquirer after Truth" addressed to me-
 From a careful perusal of the article l am at a loss to know whether his purpose is to en- qulre after truth or to propagate error. If the writer intends in the shglest degree to question "rny candor,' lenouuce his insinu- ations as false. If he means only to express his uneducated opinion that 1 am either unin- formed or in error in regard to the rule and teaching of my church, he is most grossly mis- taken.
 What intended to say and what I think did say in my speech, in substance was as fol- lows: It is vile islander to say that the bible is a closed book to the Catholic laity. We have our own translation approved by the church, which we read whenever we choose (and noa0 say, without any written or verbal permission,) } the book is not only not forbidden to us; but we are recommended to read it by the bishops and priests. The only limitation put upon us is that we are forbidden to heed any p,1uate in- terpetration upon it contrary to the teachings of our church. And in this particular have never been able to see any practicaI difference | d Babtist, after reading his bible shorld come to the conclusion that sprinLltag is valid mo le of baLtism, his church would turn him out. If a Presbyterian should, after reading. deny the doctrine of predestinotion, he too, would be turned out. If an Episcopalan, after closely studying his bible, should, like Dr. Ives, come to a conclusion on doctrna points at variance with his church, "eXpOsition of the xXxIX arti- cles," we know full well what would be his | fate.
 | Now, in all this, there is no want of "candor, and so far as the light of Catholics to read the bible is concerned, repeat it in the most en- phatic manner
 The 4th regulation of the Council of Trent is correctly quoted by your correspondents But does that deny the bible to Catholics? Not at all It only denies them the unlimited use of such translations into modern tongues as were then in existence. And was not this re- gulaton right at the time? Does not every man who is at all read hnoU that whatever the wrangling parties of that day, may have thought of these translations, there is not one of them now in general use. There have been Myee English translations, each differing from the other; and the last one, that of King James, ap- breaches much more closely the Catholic trans lation than either of the others The limitation as quoted, only restricts the use of incorrect VerSsoas and leaves the Latin Vulgate edition perfectly free to all. And af- forwards when translatons believed to be cor rect were made, they also were circulated and read by Catholics in every country in the world And noa0-and now for near two centuaries past the bible is to be found in every Catholic book store, and IS, and has been by Catholics bought and read with the most perfect freedom, subject only to the condition above mentioned. With the boldness of uninformed prejudice your correspondent says, :" I challenge him to show Bull, Order, or Decree of any Pope or Council authorizing the reading of the scrip lures without a written permit as provided for in the above ordinance"
 | It would be difficult for clustering pretention to go further, or shallow conceted predantry to make greater mistake! Now look to the facts of history:
 The actual discipline of the church leaves it., (the bible) entirely free provided the version be approved, and notes taken from Catholic sources-See Arch Bishop Kenrick's "vindi- cation of the church, p. 59.-See also addi- ton to the 4th Rule of Index Deer Cong. 13 Juni 1757"
 The Catholic bishops everywhere, after satis- flying themselves that the translation is correct, recommended the reading of the bible by the laity. l cite from two editions of the bible in different countries now before me, viz: Ireland and the United States.
 "This new and portable edition of the Douay bible published by Messrs Simms & Mcintyre having been diligently and carefully collated with the most approved versions in the English language previously to its publication, hereby sanction its circulation among the faithful, feel ing convinced that if read with becoming reve- renee, humility and pious dispositions its pe- 'nsal will be attended with great spiritual ad- vantages
 Given at Belfast, this Eth July, 1853.
 CORNELIUS DENViR, D.D.
 R. C., Bishop of Down and Conner.
 And also the following:
 The present edition of the Douay Version of the Old and New Testament published by Edward Dunnegan, New York, having been revised by our direction, we have great pleasure Tn recommending it to the faithful to be read With that reverence and respect which are due to the word of God, and with that humility ol heart and docility which the church enio;ns mn.