Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-03-28
10 tie Editors IF tie Enquirer:

L-D, March ~, lSJo.
Gentlemen:-In the southern Churchman' OF
March l4th, in an article by Bishop Meade, on the
Old Churches, Ministers, &c, OF Virginia. occurs
this passage! ,o
introduction into and multiplication Of slaves in Nir-
GINA, have advanced her religious, political or agri-
cultural Interests. On the contrary, we are confident
that it has injured ALL"
Freely, sirS, do | accord TO the author, az 10 every
individual, the right to express has opinions upon this
or upon any other subject; hut never did Iexperienee
a deeper regret and modification than now fill my
heart, that this revered Bishop of the Episcopal
Church of Virginia, beloved and respected by 30
MANY thousands, not only in our State but in others,
should have thought proper to publish such a scnti.
ment, in such a connection and at such q time ms this.
Why! Because, though there may be other lndivi-
duals who entertain this view, ~ well MS bishop
Meade, il is not Southern sentiment; il is not Virginia
sentiment; and Bishop Meade is writing r history OF
the Virginia Church and Virginia people, to be en-
bodied in a book and circulated and hundeh down to
ppsterity as hiStory! And, because, in le.s t!an Il
month from tho time it was penned, it will he paraded
in every abolition newspaper and resOund from every
fanatical pulpit, that the venerable Bishop OF Nir-
yinia has recorded "a q historical truth an anathrina
against slavery! 1t will be- received and promulgated
as the sentiment of the EPISCOPAL CHURCH of Slr-
yinia, | mean no ~disrcspect 10 him; md it is with
pain that do anything which has even that appear.
ance, for | love and revere him as one "of whom III
his office of Il laborious, faithful, sclf-sacrifcing chris
tim Bishop. "thc world is not worthy But, at a
crisis like the present, when fanaticis;n is straininG
every nerve, eXhausting every resource, turning eve
ry truth into q lie and every lie into Il ssmblance of
truth, to accomplish its tendlsh ends; when this
Union hangs together but by a thread, which n fea.
theirs weight may snap; when we are compelled to
dwell upon the possibility that our own and tho Ewes
Of those dear TO US IRE staked upon the issue, I, for
one, feel that l owe il IN q solemn duty 10 my State,
to her sister States, and to the Church Of which ! am
an unworthy member, to enter q protest against this
doctrine, aud to say 10 the wnrld-to Northern iana-
ticism in particular-b be Eare how you ascribe Bishop
Meade's opinions to the Charch ard people of whom
he is writing.
If it is admissible tina, the reverend author shall in
corporate such a proposition in Il Church history, what
consideration is to exclude a discussion Of the suffice,
from our religious paper! Can they dare to publish to
the world such q dnctrinr. aud refuse their columns
to those who deny it! Would there be q shadow oi
consistency in 80 acting What will be the mcrt
step? II the Bishop of the Diocese finds his history
Of the Church a proper channel for the dissemination
of his views upon this subject, and the religious
newspapers take sides with him, mhere shall we hear
of it next Is it absurd Ia say the pulpit7 God for
bid such a state OF things in old Virginia.
Aud If there are any who are disposed to suspect
me of n lack of reverence for the venerable charac.
ter to whom l have thus alluded, | beg leave to say,
that with the views which | entertain upon the sub
ject Of slavery, i'll common, a. | believe, with nearly
all my Southern brethren, | cannot admit the doc
trine that would seal my lips, because the gauntlet
il thrown down by sacred hands. l recognize no
principle which would forbid my controvertlng the
position, that slavery has injured the political and
agricultural interests Of Nirginia," because l tnc
that position taken by the head OF the Church, in &
history Of the church. l believe, that Virginia be-
lieves, that the position is utterly unteuabl.; and also
believing that its PRONUNCIATION at tAls time by smell
authority, and through such a channel, m0y contrl
butte not Il little to fan til. flame that consumes IN,
and mine, l again, with the protuundest respect ful
the author, most earnestly protest agaius, it! Ant
beg his pardon, if | err. Yours, c..
Examiner please copy.