Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-04-04
Letter from mr.. Cooper.
PoRrsaourH, va, April ., 1856.


PoRrssourH, Va, April 2, 1855.
Editor of the American Organ:
DEAR Sir As several questions have been d.
rectly put to me, by the Rev. Mr. Devlin. the Ro-
man Catholic priest Of this place. in his letter pub
lished in your paper Of the 2Sth of March last.
deem it but proper and right, in justice to myself,
to my wife, and to the cause of true religion that
should make plain statement of the facts of the
case. And that the matter may be thoroughly
understood, and the position which / occupy ap-
precated, will ask your indulgence while 20
back 70 the date of my marriage, in order that
may show to the public the difficulties, the trials
and the troubles, which have been placed in my
path since that time and all proceeding from a
Catholic priesthood.
married In Cincinnati lady of the Roman Ca
tholic faith. True, at that time was fully aware
of the outward forms and observances of that
church, but not until afterwards was | made ac-
quainted with the dark and danning means used
by their priests, to accomplish the destruction of
the unsuspecting woman In about two weeks af-
ter my marriage, was told by my wife Of certain
proceedings at the confessional, and of certain
questions which had been there asked her, which
common decency viii forbid that shall here re.
peat Suffice 1t to say, that every word breathed
of depravity and baseness, which had little sus-
pected could have come from one wearing the
priestly robe. After this, told her that would
not submit to such treatment-that / would not
consent that she should be again insuted by hear
ing such language as had been used by the priest
at the confessional, and she promised me that she
would no longer attend the Catholic church. With
this assurance was satisfied, and consented to let
the matter drop, hoping that the peace of my fam
lily relations would not be again disturbed.
But it seems that was hoping against hope, for
so tightly had they drawn around her the webs of
their blind faith, and so closely did they pursue
her with their sophstries that in very short
time afterwards she told me it would be impossible
for her-to remain longer in Cincinnati without con-
Meeting herself with the Catholic church. To save
her from such a course, and to rescue her, ifpos-
sible, from the evil influences with which they be-
set her path, determined to sacrifice my business
in Cincinnati, and to remove to this place. that
might with my family, live in peace and happi-
ness. But here we were followed by their design
ing priestcraft, for we had been in Portsmouth but
short time before perceived that my wife was
surrounded by many female acquantances who
were Roman Catholics and who were evidently
exerting themselves TO induce her again to connect
herself with their church.
And with so much force did they ply their arts,
that soon noticed change in her spirits; che
seemed oppressed with troubled thoughts, and
often when went home at night, after the labors
OF the day, she would appear sunk into deep mel
anchoy, and again commenced talking of the
Catholic religion, showing conclusively that these
persons had been operating upon her. Until at
last was rot able longer to bear it, and told her
plainly that if after what had occurred she pre-
ferred the Catholics to me- she might go with them
She then left and started for Cincinnati, but got
on the way no further than Huntingdon, Pennsyl.
vania, where she met kind preacher of the Metho-
dist church, by whose advice she was induced to
return home. After her return she seemed truly
to regret the course she had pursued, and begged
that | would think no more Of IL. And nor I
concluded that would surely be no longer troubled
with these Catholic fanatics as my wife had taken
firm stand in relation to the matter.
But, two or three days after this happy recon-
citation, was summoned TO the door by knock,
at which found two gentlemen; one Of them in
quired, If Mr. Cooper was at home" l answered
" Yes" He then asked " If he could see him." l
replied that i was the gentleman" and at the
same time invited them in the house. The one
who had made the inquiries at the door then in
troduced himself rs Mr.. Devlin the Catholic priest
and commenced conversation by saying to me
" that II was the town talk concerning my wife's
leaving me, and that he had come to inquire into
IT," told him cit was true that my wife had left
me, but that she had thought better Of it. and had
now returned, and that wished no further CONVEX
saton in relation TO the matter" He then went on
to state that he had heard that she was Catholic.
told him that she was not Catholic, and that
would not support a Catholic
He asked my reasons, and / then told him how
she had been insuted by this former priest, and
he replied that every one did not act in that way;
"for," said he, "thc Catholic denomination num-
bers five members to of any other, and IL that
was true, il could not stand" replied, lift num-
bered FIVE thousand TO one, would not support
one Of them. He then asked me "if Mrs. Cooper
was ing replied, eyes" He asked TO see her.
told him he could not see her. lie then asked
10 see her in my presence. j told him that he
should not see her under any circumstances He
then stated that he must see her, as he had tee-
graphic despatch from Cincinnati, from Mr.. Pur.
cell, or Bishop Purcell, / do not recollect which;
and he, mt the same time, handed Il TO me- stating
that, as she was a member Of Mr. PurceIs flock
in Cincinnati he considered her as a member of
his In Portsmouth and that he had come there TO
act as her protector.
One who has not been placed in the same situa-
ton cannot conceive husbands feelings when
thus tainted by priest in relation to the protect
ing Of his own wife and mine viii not attempt
to describe However attempted no violence
but merely ordered him out of my house. telling
him that lcas her hissddnd and her only protector
He said he had done nothing to deserve such
treatment ! then went to the door, opened it,
and told him 10 leave my house Immediately, and
seemingly with much reluctance he left After he
had gone, ! went in the other room where my
wife WINS sitting, and she inquired, "What was
the matterY | told her what had occurred, and
requested that she would write To this priest a
few lines, telling him that she wanted nothing more
to do with him. She Immediately wrote as re-
quested, and sent Il over TO his sisters house.
The next morning afser this occurrence, be came
again to my house-came In the porch, and there
stopped, and perhaps thinking better of his deter
mination, without entering, turned and went away.
Since that time | have scen nothing Of him, and
hope | never shall again.
In answer 10 the inquiries Of Mr.. Devn, as to
whether he was directly or indirectly, in any way
whatever concerned In bringing about the separa-
ton between my wife and myself | would say that,
she Acknowledges herself 10 have been ,nisled
Now who could have misled her unless It was eli.
Their himself or some Of bis flock In Portsmouth,
as there is only one Roman Catholic congregation
in the town.
These, sir are the facts OF the case, 10 the truth
Of which am willing to make oath. And here I
hope the matter will drop, as regret that II was,
in the first instance made public. desire peace,
and have only 10 ask that myself and family may
not be again disturbed eitherby the Romish priests
or their minions. In relation to the report circu-
lated that was a Know-Nothing, l would state
that ! am not member Of such society, nor
have ever been