absolute Governments of Europe a charge of conspiracy against the liberties of the United States.  I support the charge by facts, and by reasonings from those facts, which produce conviction on most of those who examine the matter....  But those that dissent simply say, ’I don’t think there is a conspiracy’; yet give no reasons for dissent.  The Catholic journals very artfully make no defense themselves, but adroitly make use of the Protestant defense kindly prepared for them....

“No Catholic journal has attempted any refutation of the charge.  It cannot be refuted, for it is true.  And be assured, my dear sir, it is no extravagant prediction when I say that the question of Popery and Protestantism, or Absolutism and Republicanism, which in these two opposite categories are convertible terms, is fast becoming and will shortly be the great absorbing question, not only of this country but of the whole civilized world.  I speak not at random; I speak from long and diligent observation in Europe, and from comparison of the state of affairs in this country with the state of public opinion in Europe.

“We are asleep, sir, when every freeman should be awake and look to his arms....  Surely, if the danger is groundless, there can be no harm in endeavoring to ascertain its groundlessness.  If you were told your house was on fire you would hardly think of calling the man a maniac for informing you of it, even if he should use a tone of voice and gestures somewhat earnest and impassioned.  The course of some of our journals on the subject of Popery has led to the belief that they are covertly under the control of the Jesuits.  And let me say, sir, that the modes of control in the resources of this insidious society, notorious for its political arts and intrigues, are more numerous, more powerful, and more various than an unsuspicious people are at all conscious of....

“Mr. Y. falls into the common error and deprecates what he calls a religious controversy, as if the subject of Popery was altogether religious.  History, it appears to me, must have been read to very little purpose by any one who can entertain such an error in regard to the cunningest political despotism that ever cursed mankind.  I must refer you to the preface of the second edition, which I send you, for my reasonings on that point.  If they are not conclusive, I should be glad to be shown wherein they are defective.  If they are conclusive, is it not time for every patriot to open his eyes to the truth of the fact that we are politically attacked under guise of a religious system, and is it not a serious question whether our political press should advocate the cause of foreign enemies to our government, or help to expose and repel them?”