PART VI

ADDRESSES

ADDRESS BEFORE CONGRESS

DELIVERED IN THE HALL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, IN THE CITY OF WASHINGTON, ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 1826.

I cannot send out the following pages without stating the manner in which their publication has been caused. This will, I trust, excuse the many imperfections which must be discovered by those who peruse them.

Duty called me for a few days to the city of Washington, and some of my friends were kind enough to procure from several members of Congress the expression of their wish that I should preach for them. Having the permission of the Archbishop of Baltimore to do duty in his diocess, and having been permitted by the chaplain of the House of Representatives to occupy his place, I consented.

Being well aware that some of the topics treated in the following pages, were not generally well understood in the United States, from the want of opportunity, and that amongst some of the best informed, and the best disposed citizens, I had frequently found serious mistakes as to the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church in their regard; I believed I would be abiding in the promotion of good feeling and harmony by using the opportunity thus given to me, in fairly explaining those mistakes. I therefore took them up in the order in which they appear.

After the discourse, my friends informed me that I had given satisfaction, and on the next day I received the following note from a number of members of Congress, with no one of whom, I believe, I had the honour of an acquaintance. Mr. Condict informed me that it was the result of accidental conversation amongst some of the gentlemen who have signed it, and I must take this opportunity of making to him my acknowledgments for his kind communications.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 1826.

To the Right Reverend Bishop England.

Sir:-We were gratified in hearing the discourse delivered by you yesterday, in the Representatives' Chamber, and our gratification would be much increased by perusing it.

If not inconsistent with your views, we would respectfully solicit

its publication, in such manner as may be most agreeable to yourself. Very respectfully,

Your obedient servants,

Ebenezer Tucker, N. J., Joshua Sands, J. Sloane, Joseph Vance, C. A. Wickliffe, Ky., Ecoch Lincoln, Adam Alexander, Tenn., William McLean, Samuel Swan, N. J., D. Trimble, Lewis Condict, N. J., Aaron Hobart, Mass., Thomas Whipple, N. H., James Wilson, Penn., B. Bassett, A. Stewart, George Wolf, G. Mitchell, H. R., Md., William Burleigh, Phineas Markley, Noyes Barber.

To this very kind application, I sent the following answer :

To the Hon. Messrs. Condict, Hobart, and so forth.

Jan. 9th, 1826.

Gentlemen:-I have just received your very flattering request, that I should publish the sermon which I delivered yesterday in the Hall of Representatives.

I should very gladly comply immediately therewith if it were in my power. But I have not written, nor have I taken a note of my discourse.

I understand that some gentleman who was present took notes. I shall endeavour to discover if such was the fact, and with the aid of his manuscript, I should easily be certain of being substantially correct. Otherwise I should only be able to give such an outline of my argument as would bear a similarity to what I delivered.

My duties call me hence immediately. But I shall do what lies in my power to meet your wishes.

I have the honour to remain, gentlemen, with respect and esteem,
Your obedient, humble servant,

JOHN, Bishop of Charleston.

BALTIMORE, Jan. 16th, 1826.

As I was obliged to leave Washington, I requested of a friend to procure for my inspection and correction, the copy made out from the notes of the gentleman who I was led to believe took them, but on Thursday I was informed that no notes had been taken. And as my delay in this city was to be very short, and my desire to comply with the request sincere, I lost no time in putting my recollections of what I had preached in writing. I believe the following pages will be found substantially correct; and this simple narrative will, I trust, plead my excuse for much defect of style, and want of decoration, as I was not able to wait to revise what I have thus sent to press, more to gratify my friends than to exhibit myself.

JOHN, Bishop of Charleston.