[I at first proposed only to introduce four of Mr. Cobbett's letters to Lord Liverpool, but some of his other political pieces on the late American war, are so extremely interesting and pleasurable to me (which in fact was the primary cause of my republishing them in this form, with the subsequent appendages) that I have concluded to introduce the most important of all his writings on the present topic, as they vindicate the American character from the foul and false aspersions of tory calumniators, both in Europe and America, in the most masterly manner; and, as they, in themselves, give an honourable glimpse of the AMERICAN VICTORIES, ON LAND, ON THE LAKES, AND ON THE OCEAN. Indeed Mr. Cobbett deserves a statue of gold and the gratitude of every true American, for boldly vindicating, though surrounded with tyrants and traitors, sycophants and slaves) the just cause of our injured and insulted republic, the only one the ravages of monarchy and episcopacy has left in the world. For my part, though I abhorred his principal writings and politics, A. D. 1798, I cannot find language to express the pleasure I received on perusing the subjoined letters, and the gratitude and veneration I feel for their author for the same, A. D. 1815. The pleasure I participate I wish to communicate to my fellow citizens, and gladly would I exhibit to them in particular, and the population of Europe in general, the usurpation and imposition of monarchy, was my power equal to my will.]

TO THE COSSACK PRIESTHOOD OF THE STATE OF MAS

SACHUSETTS.

Botley, Nov. 29, 1814. Gentlemen-I perceive, that there were held, in your state, and at your instigation, and under your guidance and ministry, solemn fasts and thanksgivings on account of the entrance of the Cossacks in

to Paris, and of the fall of Napoleon. Hence, I perceive that you are called the Chaplains of the Cossacks; and sometimes, the Cossack Priesthood. That you, who used to be regarded as some of the best men in your republic, and the purity of whose religious motives were never even doubted, should have exposed yourselves to the application of such titles, I extremely regret to hear. But it is not my business to give way to private feelings upon such an occasion. It is for me, as far as I am able, and as I dare, to make truth known to the world; and, as you, in this case, appear to me to have shewn a more decided hostility to truth, than any other set of men of whom I have heard, not excepting the editors of the London newspapers, it is natural for me to address myself to you upon the subject.

The religion, of which you profess to be teachers, is the Presbyterian. I believe there are three or four sorts of Presbyterian Christians. To which of these sorts you belong, or whether some of you are of one sort, and some of each of the others, I know not. Nor is it material; it being well known, that, substantially, all these sorts are the same, and that the religion you professed, has existed, and has been the generally prevailing religion in the four eastern states of the republic, where there has been born and reared an industrious, sober, humane, brave, and free people, distinguished above all others for their good understanding of the-[In the number from which we copy, two or three lines are obliterated.]— Whether they would have been as good, better, or worse, without the religion that you have taught; whether, discarding, as is the manner of some men, all mysteries, and believing in nothing, the truth of which cannot be substantiated by undeniable facts, or by incontrovertible argument, they would have been

as good, better, or worse, than they are, is a question, which I will not meddle with. But you will excuse me, if I observe, that while this can possibly be made a question amongst rational men, you, who receive pay for your teaching of religion, ought to be very careful to excite no doubt in the minds of mankind as to the purity of your views, or the sincerity of your faith.

Your recent conduct does, however, appear to have excited such doubts in the minds of your countrymen. In my mind it has done more. It has convinced me that your motives are any thing rather than pure, and that your professions are a mere pretence; a trick to enable you to live without labour upon the earnings of those who do labour, just as are the tricks of monks and friars, and of all other imposers on popular credulity, from the golden-palmed showman of the Lady of Loretto down to the lousy-cowled consecrators of halfpenny strings of beads, and the itinerant protestant bawlers, whose harangues are wholly incomprehensible, until they come round with their hat to collect the means of recruiting the belly. All the zeal of impostors of every kind; all their calumnies of others; all their innumerable persecutions of those who have endeavoured to withdraw the people from their degrading influence, have had this great end in view: to extract and secure to themselves the means of living well, without labour, out of the earnings of those who do labour. I am very sorry to ascribe such a motive to you, whose forefathers fled to a wilderness rather than violate the dictates of their conscience; but truth compels me to say, that you appear to have no claim to an exemption from the general charge. Yet, I am not so unjust as to suppose, much less to hold forth to the world,

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that all the priests of Massachusetts are of this description; but, as I find no account of any protest, on the part of any of the priests, against the odious and detestable celebrations and fasts before mentioned, I shall stand fully justified for not making any particular exceptions. If any of the priests of Massachusetts feel sore under the appellation which I have given them, they ought to direct their resentment against those whose conduct has brought it upon them, and not against me, unless they are able to shew that I charge them unjustly.

Had you, indeed, confined your thanksgivings to the release of certain countries of Europe from the arms of an invader, a conqueror, an oppressor, an ambitious despot, who, instead of giving liberty, added to the civil sufferings of some of the nations, whom he over-ran, having first extinguished Republican Government, and along with it political liberty, in France, where the people had put power into his hands to be used in the cause of freedom; had you held solemn thanksgivings on account of the triumphs of the Cossacks, and their associates, in the cause of the civil and political independence of nations, you would not have excited indignation in the breast of any rational man; for though some men would have differed with you in opinion upon that point; though some men would have said as some men thought, that the conquerer could not long have held under his sway so extensive an empire as he was grasping; that in a few years, the several countries of which it was composed, begining with France, would in all human probability, throw off his yoke, and form themselves into independent states, freed from all his as well as all former shackless; and that thus he would in the end, be found to have been instrumental in establishing liberty,

civil as well as religious, in every part of Europe where it did not before exist; though some men would have said this and would of course not have joined you in your thanksgivings for the victories of the Cossacks, no just and considerate man could have censured you so long as you confined your thanksgivings to the aforementioned objects. But when, in your prayers and sermons, you called the Cossacks and others engaged on the same side, “the bulwark of your religion," when with the Reverend Mr. PARISH at your head, you called Napoleon Anti-Christ, and bawled out songs of praise to the Cossacks and their associates for pulling him down; and especially when you maliciously threw on your political opponents the charge of being the abettors of Anti-Christ; then you excited the indignation of all those who did not turn with disgust from your horrid ejaculations and harangues.

If there was one trait above all others, by which your sermons and prayers, until of late years, were characterized, it was by your zealous, your violent, not to say foul-mouthed, attacks on the Romish Pontiff, faith and worship; you had no scruple to represent the Pope as an Anti-Christ and as the Scarlet Whore of Old Babylon, covered with abominations. How clearly did you prove that he was the beast of the Revelations; that he had made the world drunk with the fornications; that his seven heads were his seven hills on which Rome is situated; his ten horns the ten principal catholic sovereigns of Europe; and that his colour was scarlet, because it was dyed in the blood of the Saints? Was there a sermon, was there a prayer that issued from your lips, in which you did not call on the Lord for vengeance on this "Man of Sin," and in which you did not describe the Catholic Religion as idolatrous,