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long as it is not adopted by the unitarian party. But he soon alters this opinion; for in his next paper, after refusing to publish my civil note, he assures his readers, that a "thorough review" of this low, weak, false, contemptible publication, will be soon given to the public. I should be sorry to have the time of the great orthodox divines occupied in refuting silly stories. Both this Editor, and he of "The Spirit of the Pilgrims," complain of my personalities. I would merely ask them to read over the pages of their own publications, the writings of Parsons Cook, and, above all, the Notes to the Letters of "Canonicus."

In the "Recorder" of the next week, the Editor assumes a very different tone. He cools down most wonderfully. He publishes a clear, definite, deliberate statement, which I wish the public to notice and remember. These are the words: "Suppose it can be satisfactorily proved that Mr. Whitman's Letters are made up of misstatements, misrepresentations, and distortions of the truth, will our unitarian friends then say that we have spoken of the Letters or their Author with too much severity or contempt? If this cannot be proved, we engage to plead guilty, and relinquish the orthodox men and measures assailed by Mr. Whitman." Here then I take my stand. I wish the Christian public to act the part of an impartial jury. They will remember the proposition to be proved. It is not, whether there may be some inaccuracies and mistakes in my multitude of statements; for I have always allowed this to be possible and even probable, and expressed much anxiety to have such imperfections mentioned. The plain unvarnished truth is enough in all conscience. No; the orthodox are to PROVE, that my "LETTERS ARE MADE UP of misstatements, misrepresentations, and distortions of the truth." I wish to assure this Editor, that I shall engage in no Indian warfare. I have given my name to the public, and am ready to give the names and certificates of my witnesses, when necessary for my defence. I shall expect the author of the "thorough review" to do the same; for anonymous declarations will not satisfy our jury.

In the present edition of the Letters, I have expunged several sentences, corrected some inaccuracies, and cut out one whole statement to make room for one of a different character. All this I wish the Reviewer to remember. I have received from various parts of the country many new and important facts. These I have reserved for an answer to the Reviewer; for it may be necessary to notice his statements, and I know of no better way than to prepare a third, enlarged, and corrected edition. I feel confident that I have enough facts on hand to make every position I have stated incontrovertibly sure. I would still solicit all persons who may know of orthodox proceedings, subversive of religious liberty, to favor me with a well attested account of the same.

Waltham, January, 1831.

B. WHITMAN.

LETTER I.

REVEREND SIR,

In your Letter on Religious Liberty, you accuse Dr. Channing of publishing certain charges against orthodox Christians. You quote several passages from his writings to substantiate your accusation. You then bring together the substance of his charges in the following sentences. "You have charged the orthodox with a settled, steadfast, unrelenting purpose to suppress all free inquiry respecting matters of religion, to cover with reproach those who may differ from themselves, to drown the free expression of opinion by denunciations of heresy, and to strike terror into the multitude by joint and perpetual menace. In addition to all this, you represent them as saying; - Since argument is insufficient to produce uniformity of opinion, recourse must be had to more powerful instruments of conviction, to Ecclesiastical Courts." Having given this summary, you utter the following positive and solemn declarations. "I do know that the accusations which you stand pledged to support are not true. I aver that they are not, before heaven and earth."

Now, my dear Sir, permit me also to express my honest convictions on this question. For I presume you will admit, that I have an equal right with yourself, to publish Letters on Religious Liberty; and an equal right, with any orthodox Christian, to utter solemn asseverations. I therefore aver, before heaven and earth, that I firmly believe the above charges to be substantially correct, when applied to the leaders of the orthodox denomination in our country, against whom they were specially directed. And to give you and the public the honest reasons for this belief, is the design and object of the present publication.

I address you as the head of the orthodox party, because you seem to me to have assumed that character in your Letter to Dr. Channing. These are your own words. "ALL, against whom I suppose the denunciations in your works are specially directed, I have the pleasure of being more or less acquainted with; and I know well their feelings and views." I am sure no other orthodox divine can justly advance an

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