The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-21

will and the book he has complied, or written, ha
attained the portentous size of about three hundred
and fifty pages. He is profuse with extracts-though
as the marks which usually identify quotations are
careessy used, recklesaly misused it is by no
means easy to distinguish his own observation s
from those of others. But whatever NAV be
said of his authorities his own disouisitions
can certainly lay claim to little commentator.
Apart from their palpable absurdity, they
show him to be actuated by spirit so uncan
did and so truculent that the bigotry he de-
nounces finds in him its worthiest exponent. He
enters into the controversial arena in which pure
blades have crossed, and lofty watchwords have
re-echoed, armed with such means of offence
as the kennels furnish, and believing Bil!ingsgate
for war cry. 1t is because of the "extreme in
creduity of the American people, about the r ca
nature OF the Catholic Church. that he assumes to
enighten them by an examination of the works of
Its theologians for he says scholars "from culpabe
blindness have never undertaken thorough expo
stion of their principles" We had thought other
wise for in our limited range we had seen or heard
OF many scores of books on the identical
subject, and were under the impression
that it had been well nigh exhausted-but
let that pass, for not shall attempt to combat
his preposterous statements in detail. We cannot
dwell upon the precepts gathered from the long
line of authors between Thomas Aquinas and DR..
Achilli, or investigate the outrages perpetraed in
the erring years separating WIc,ffe from the bow
Mortara Nor is it necessary to do, for this book
is one of those whose value may be tested by its
conclusions just as well as by analysis of the ar
guments by which they were arrived at. If the
| experience OF every man concerning the Catholic
Church and its members in America, does not fur
nish him with an answer to what is here asserted
he is not likely to be moved by diaectic sauabbes
about points of belief
| We will present briefly some of the views
| entertained by this writer concerning few
MILLIONS of his fellow citizens, and which he
terms truths. Converts he especially abhors; and
after having collected series of filthy stories which
he offers as fair samples of the lives led in all such
establishments in Europe and South America, he
says "can you then any difference between
them and those of the present day, founded in our
land, and under the same authority?' The Inoui-
stion, whose principles and practices have been so
often and so justly reprobated by the world we are
told still vigorously fourishes, and although it has
been compelled, rather inconveniently to burn its
victims, ''prvately in its own furnaces it prac-
tees 'every variety of ingenious cruelty to torture
| Is alleged, exists in midst.
The Jesuts are then introduced to us as men who
are the 'embodiment of cunning, immortality and
Hypocrisy and having ''neither heart soul nor con-
SCIENCE they are sent to country do any deed
they ordered, no matter how bloody" for thew
are all "sworn to disregard our laws sacrifice our
lives, property and honor," as soon as they shall
receive the expected orders. Then, as if the dan
gers thus described were not sufficiently formidable
| the whole body of the church looms I'D in the
background to complete the horrid picture. In
this wise it looks after its own children and here
tics. The "Church of Rome" commands that he
who hears discourse against any of its dogmas
must accuse the speaker" and must also denounce
to the lnqusition any one who may have "listened
to Protestant" We know from this yeracious
writer what follows of course. The unfortunate
victim is purified of his error privately and
IN the "own furnaces of that society-for the
moment Church member is "suspected of
entertaining freedom of opinion he disappears
or is found to have died by some mysterious
violence The violence done upon outsiders.
II less mysterious is equally certain, though
some may say these the barbarous
practices OF the Church of Rome in past ages
1t IS now precisely the same, except that poisoning
is resorted to in the place of the fire and facgots
for the disposal of heretics" This bad indeed
and lift be true that can "be good Catholic
without being Jesuit it is no wonder the author
expects to see "by and by one distinguished Pro-
testant dropping off and then another and antici-
pates "massacre" exceeding "that of st. Barthoo-
new" 1t ought to be matter of much greater
surprise to a man who holds such opinions of the
power and policy of the Catholics as are avowed in
n the "Pope and President" that the Sc awful
things have not happened long ago. But as we do
not oeleve many Protestants around will be soon
martyred, we are more interested about the way
in which the Jesuits murder history 1t seem they
"teach in the confessional and in their schools !"
that the Plymouth Rock Pilgrims fed to America
on account of crimes committed against the Gov
eminent of Papal England" Now, since the
Jesuits have always been accused of having at
tempted to blow up the very same "papal" govern
ment in Parliament assembled we rather suspect
they have always known James the First as a Pro-
testan King, and that this historical error proceeds
from the same ignorance, which, on a subsequen
page, informs that American Protestants at Rome
cannot "be seen with a Bible or allowed to have
one in their possession while their poor bodies are
denied the rite of burial" Perhaps the Jesuits
lend them their own private furnaces for ceremo-
NAL, which Is equivalent to the usual mode of
sepulture. This would be a splendid subject for
what newspapers sometimes call s'withering re
buke to the existing hierarchy in Rome, if, unfor-
tunately, every moderately well informed person
did not know that an English chapel has for many
years been kept up in that city, and that the Pro-
testant burial ground, located within the walls
was enclosed and improved at the expense of the
papal treasury.
Such extracts could be multiplied if they were
wanted, to show not only gross and ignorant mis-
statements, but the malignant spirit which actuates
the writer in his denunciations of the Catholic
Church. and the worshippers who throng around
Its thousand affairs. He will not probably be long
content with proposing "visitng committees of
the "most reliable Protestant citizens'' "Legisla-
tlon," by such men, upon such a subject would as
suredy re-light the fires which Calvin kindled
around schismatic, and Elizabeth kept glowing
for many recusant. Their recollection of the
power which bound Huss to the stake, would bring
to mind the laws with which Presbyterianism fet
tered Episcopacy, and with which the Church of
England manaced Papist and Dissenter. Prece-
dents could be found in the land whose history re-
lates how Catholics were prosecuted in MARYLAND.
and Roger Williams banished from Rhode Island.
But if this is a foolish book it might perhaps be
asked why we dwell upon it, or treason with m
profitable talk ?" 1t is against its spirit simply
that we make our protest. 1t is because its author
is Overlooking with fanaticsm against his neigh
bors faith, rather than with zeal for his own-be-
cause, instead of honestly searching after TRUTH he
encourages savage crusade against what he has
determined to call error-that it is so Objectionable
Ii 1t feeble in execution, it is violent in purpose
and whether the old sectarian hate comes hurting
into open day on wavering and bat-like pinions or
Winged with red lightning and mpetuous rage,
all should join and hunt it back into darkness The
right OF open discussion, etrust may never be lost
or narrowed to us. On all matters political or re-
gious, tits our boast that all men may freely think
and as freely speak. 1t is noble privilege and it
is to be regretted that in the Pope and President
it has been so manfestly abused by one who pro-
fesses to be influenced by 'patriotic and christian
motives.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 1852