The cavilling call, however, for additional evidence to be adduced by
Maria Monk, is manifestly futile. That testimony is within the
jurisdiction of the Priests alone who are criminated. Maria Monk
reiterates her charge against the Romish Ecclesiastics of Canada and
their Nuns; and she has solemnly sworn that they are true. What more
can she do? Nothing, but to _search the premises_, to see whether the
statements which she has made are correct. A Committee of the New York
Protestant Association are willing to accompany her to Montreal; to
walk through the Hotel Dieu Nunnery in company with any Gentlemen of
Montreal, and investigate the truth without favour or partiality, Maria
Monk is willing to submit the whole affair to that short, and easy, and
sensible test; in which there is no possibility of deception. It does
not depend upon credibility of witnesses, conflicting evidence,
personal friendship, or religions prejudices; it is reduced at once to
that unerring criterion; _the sight and the touch!_
But, it is retorted, that will not be granted; then we repeat another
proposal: let the Priest Conroy come forth girded in all the panoply of
the Roman court, and appear as the champion of the Canadian Jesuits;
let him institute an action, civil or criminal, or both, against the
publishers of such atrocious crimes, which, as they pretend, are
falsely alleged against the Roman Priests. If Lartigue and his Montreal
inferior priests are implicated in the most nefarious felonies, Maria
Monk has published him as a virtuous accomplice. Why does he not put
her truth to the test, by subjecting her to a criminal process? Why
does he not commence a suit against the Booksellers who published her
"Awful Disclosures?"--Ah! if Lartigue, Bonin, Dufresne, and Richards,
with their brethren, Conroy, Phelan, Kelly and Quarter, were coerced to
keep Lent, and live only upon _soup-maigre_, until that day arrives,
they would not much longer portray in their exterior, that they live
upon the fat of the land; but they would vociferously whine out--"Mea
culpa! O mea grandis culpa! O mea grandissima culpa! Peccava! Peccavi!
Peccavi!"
APPENDIX.
RECEPTION OF THE FIRST EDITIONS.
I have now reached the close of what appeared in my first editions.
Some of my readers may feel a wish to know what has been said of me and
my book, by those whose characters or connexions it exposes. Different
persons have expressed to me their fears that I should be kidnapped,
stabbed or poisoned; but of this I have had but little apprehension.
Others may suppose that the priests of Montreal, and some of those in
New York, against whom I have made different charges, may have appeared
against me in ways of which they are ignorant, and have published
facts, or used arguments of serious import, if not of decided force.
For the information of my readers, I have determined, though at some
inconvenience, to lay before them a fair view of what they have done.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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