That cry of more than two thousand Roman Catholics of
Chicago, which was reproduced by almost the whole press of
Illinois, and the United States, fell as a thunderbolt upon the
head of my lord O'Regan and Desaulnier. They wrote to all
bishops of America, to hasten to their rescue, and for several
months the pulpits of the Roman Catholic Churches had no
other mission than to repeat the echoes of the Episcopal fulminnations
hurled against my devoted head. Many bishop's letters
and mandements were published, demouncing me and my people
as infamous schismatics, whose pride and obstinancy were troubling
the peace of the church. But the most bitter of all these,
was a letter from my lord Bourget, bishop of Montreal, who
thought the best, if not the only way, to force the people to
desert me, was by forever destroying my honor. But he had
the misfortune to fall into the pit he had dug for me, in
1851.
The miserable girl he had associated with himself, to satisfy
his implacable hatred, was dead. But, he had still in hand the
lying accusations obtained from her, against me. Having probably
destroyed her sworn recantation, written by the Jesuit Father
Schneider, and not having the least idea that I had kept three
other sworn copies of the recantations—he thought he could
safely publish that I was a degraded man, who had been driven
from Canada, by him, after being convicted of some enormous
crime, and interdicted.
This declaration was brought before the public, for the first
time, by him, with an hypocritical air of compassion and mercy
for me, which added much to the deadly effect he expected to
produce by it. Here are his own words, addressed to the people
of Bourbonnais, and through them, to the whole world:
"I must tell you that on the 27th of September, 1851, I
withdrew all his powers, and interdicted him, for reasons which
I gave him in my letter addressed to him; a letter which he has
probably kept. Let him publish that letter if he finds that I
have persecuted him unjustly."
I could hardly believe my eyes when I read this ignominious
act of perfidy on the part of that high dignitary: it seemed
incredible, and surpassed anything I had ever seen, even in
Bishop O'Regan. I can not say, however, that it took me entirely
by surprise, for I had anticipated it. When Father
Schneider asked me why I had taken four sworn copies of the
recantation of tha unfortunate girl whose tears of regret were
flowing before us, I told him that I knew so much of the meanness
and perfidy of Bishop Bourget, that I thought he might destroy
the copy we were sending him, in order to pierce me again
with his poisonous arrows, whilst, if I kept three other copies,
one for him, one for Mr. Brassard and one for myself, I would
have nothing to fear. I am convinced that my merciful God
knew the malice of that bishop against me, and gave me that
wisdom to save me.
I immediately sent him, through the press, the following
answer:
