1799. COOPER (Thomas), University of Va. and.—[continued].
You may have heard of
the hue and cry raised from the different pulpits
on our appointment [to be professor in
the University of Virginia] of Dr. Cooper,
whom they charge with Unitarianism as boldly
as if they knew the fact, and as presumptuously
as if it were a crime, and one for which, like
Servetus, he should be burned * * *. For
myself, I was not disposed to regard the denunciations
of these satellites of religious inquisition;
but our colleagues, better judges of popular
feeling, thought that they were not to be
altogether neglected; and that it might be better
to relieve Dr. Cooper, ourselves and the institution
from this crusade.—
To General Taylor. Washington ed. vii, 162.
(M.
1820)
