found the one, his own long and labored despatches proved that he enjoyed but little of the other. In one important respect M. Mignet's esti mate of the character of Charles V. differs from that of Mr. Stirling. Mr. Stirling, as we He began by attempting to confine his atten- have seen, absolves him from fanaticism dur tion to a few matters in which he was specially ing his imperial life, and affirms that it was interested, and which he hoped ere long to bring only within the walls of Yuste that he assumed to a happy termination; but the circle gradually widened, and at last his anxious eye learned the passions and superstitions of a friar. M. once more to sweep the whole horizon of Span- Mignet believes that he was intolerant throughish policy. From the war in Flanders he would out; that he temporized with heterodoxy only turn to the diplomacy of Italy or Portugal; and where he did not feel strong enough to put it his plans for replenishing the treasury at Val- down; and that whenever he dared, he was ladolid, were followed by remarks on the garri- as fierce a persecutor on the throne as he sons in Africa, or the signal towers along the wished to be when in the convent. Spanish shore. He watched the course of the vessel of state with interest as keen as if the helm were still in his own hands; and the successes and the disasters of his son affected him as if and his conversation, as reported by the prior Charles's letters, now published in extenso, of Yuste, appear to us to establish M. Mignet's opinion. they were his own. Unfortunately, in 1557 and 1558, the disasters greatly outnumbered and outThe Inquisition had flourished in the approweighed the successes. On one side of the ac-priate soil of Spain. During the reign of count stood the brilliant but barren victory of Ferdinand and Isabella it had burnt 20,000 St. Quentin, and the less signal, but better em- heretics, and banished 900,000,* and spread ployed victory of the Gravelines; on the other, at least the appearance of Catholicism over there were the bullion riots at Seville, the dis- the whole of the Peninsula. It wielded both graceful treaty of Rome, the loss of Calais and civil and ecclesiastical power; it punished sins, of Thionville, the sack of Minorca, and the outburst of heresy. He might well dread the arrival crimes, and opinions; it covered the country. of each courier; and the destruction of the army with its judges, its officers, and its spies; it of Oran was announced in the despatches which made its own laws, and executed them. What lay unread on his table at the time of his they were- -what was its procedure-what was death. the nature and the amount of the evidence that it required-what were the doctrines which it punished by death, what by perpetual imprisonment, what by exile, what by infamy, and what by confiscation-on what presump tions it employed torture against the accused, and against those who might be supposed to know or to suspect his opinions-all these were the mysteries of the Holy Office, into which it was dangerous even to inquire. This tribunal Charles supported, with all his authority, in Spain and in Sicily; he introduced it into the Low Countries, and was prevented only by an insurrection from establishing it in Naples. In one point alone did Charles in the cell differ widely from Charles on the throne. In the world, fanaticism had not been one of his vices; he feared the keys no more than his cousin of England, and he confronted the successor of St. Peter no less boldly than he made head against the heir of St. Louis. While he held Clement the Seventh prisoner at Rome, he permitted at Madrid the mockery of masses for that pontiff's speedy deliverance. Against the Protestants he fought rather as rebels than as heretics, and he frequently stayed the hand of the victorious zealots of the Church. At Wittenburgh he set a fine example of moderation, in forbidding the destruction of the tomb of Luther, saying he contended with the living and not with the dead.* To a Venetian envoy, accredited to him at Bruxelles, in the last year of his reign, he appeared free from all taint of polemical madness, and willing that subjects of theology should be discussed in his presence, with fair philosophical freedom.t ually protect Spain from the contagion of But even the Inquisition could not effect Lutheranism. 66 Alors," says M. Mignet, "dans l'Europe erudite et raisonneuse, hardie par curiosité, religieuse en esprit, tout précipitait vers l'hé But once within the walls of Yuste, he as-resie: le savoir y disposait, la piûté en rappro sumed all the passions, prejudices, and supersti- chait, la controverse y entraînait."† tions of a friar. Looking back on his past life, A little more than a year after the entrance he thanked God for the evil that he had been of Charles into the monastery, he received permitted to do in the matter of religious perse cution, and repented him, in sackcloth and ashes, for having kept his plighted word to a heretic. Religion was the enchanted ground whereon his strong will was paralyzed, and his keen intellect fell grovelling to the dust. *Juncker: Vita Mart. Luteri,' sm. 8vo. Francofurti: 1699, p. 219. Sleidan: De Statu relig. et. reip.: ,' lib. xix.. is cited as his authority. Relatione' of Badovaro. from Vasquez, the secretary of his daughter the Vice-queen of Spain, a letter dated the 27th April, 1558, informing him that, four days before, Cazalla, his own chaplain, with his sister, and many other ladies of great reputa tion for piety, had been arrested by the Inquisition: that the son of the Marquis de Poza, Domingo de Rojas, a Dominican friar much *Mignet, p. 353. † Ibid. 356. venerated by the people, had fled; and that was opposed, and it ended by a decree that persons of high rank were supposed to be infected with heresy.* Charles answers, not the secretary, but the Vice-queen herself. Considering that not only the safety of the kingdom, but the honor of God, is involved in the matter, he implores her to urge Valdez, the Inquisitor General, to use the utmost despatch, and to punish all the guilty, without any exception, with the rigor and the publicity deserved by their crimes.Nothing but the absolute impossibility of moving prevents him from leaving his retreat in order personally to superintend the persecution.† ** all persons, whatever their station, guilty of the opinions therein mentioned, should ipso facto, be burnt, and their properties confiscated: that spies should be appointed to discover the guilty and denounce them to the courts in order that the obstinate might be burnt alive, and the repentant beheaded.tAll which was done." (Ibid., p. 297.) Vasquez replies by answering for the severity of the Inquisition; and adds, that, as it is the cause of God, he hopes for divine assistance. (Ibid., p. 304.) A still stronger light is thrown on the religious opinions of Charles by a conversation between him and some of the monks of Yuste, related by Martin de Angulo, tho prior. 'The heretics,' he said, 'must be burnt He appears to have written to the same effect to his own secretary, Quijada, then at Valladolid; for Quijada, on the first of May, reports a conversation with Valdez, in which, in obedience to Charles, he had advised sum- not to burn them would be to incur the sin mary procedure and immediate punishment, which I incurred when I let Luther escape. I and Valdez had answered, that he thought it did not put him to death, because I would not better to conform to the usual rules of the violate the promise and the safe conduct which Holy Office; that by patience and solicitation I had given to him. But I was wrong. I had confession might often be obtained, and if not no right to forgive a crime against God. It so, then by ill-treatment and torture [con malos tratamientos y tormentos]. ‡ Charles does not appear to have been quite satisfied. was my duty, without having any regard to my promise, to avenge the injury which his heresy had inflicted on God. I should probably have cut short its progress. I is very dangerous to talk with these heretics. They deceive you by their subtile, studied reasonings. Therefore I never would enter into any discussion with them. When I was marching against the Landgrave and the Duke of Saxony, four of the Lutheran princes, speaking in the name of all, said to me, Sire, we have taken arms, not to make war against your Majesty, or to renounce our allegiance, but because you call us heretics, and we believe that we are none. We have our learned men, your Majesty has yours. Let the question be discussed in your presence, and we bind ourselves to abide by your decision." On the 25th of May, he writes again to his daughter, and after lamenting, that after his comfort had been destroyed, and his salvation endangered, by the heresies of Germany, he should in his old age, when he had retired from the world to serve God, have to witness such audacious scoundrelism §: he repeats that but for his reliance on her activity and severity, he should himself resume power in order to punish the guilty. "As this business,' he continues," concerns more than any other our duty to God, it is necessary that the remedy should be immediate, and the chastisement exemplary. I doubt whether the ordinary rule should be followed, which lets off with moderate punishment those who have sinned for the first time and renounce their guilt: seeing that it is probable, that being educated persons, whose heresy has been the result of inquiry, they will fall into it again. I will also suggest to you whether, in order to deprive them of public sympathy, they may not be proceeded against for sedition or treason. Perhaps it may be well to refer you, as a precedent, to my conduct in the Low Countries. I proposed to check the heresies that were imported from Germany, England, and France, by introducing the Inquisition. Ifend their religious opinions, and no longer to I answered that I was not learned, but that the learned men might argue the matter among themselves, and that mine would report to me the result. Now if I had acted otherwise, and these heretics had got any of their doctrine into my head, how could I have got it out? For this reason I never would hear them, though they promised, if I would do so, to join me with all their troops. Afterwards when I was flying before Maurice, with only six horsemen for my attendants, two princes of the Empire, speaking again in the name of all, implored me to hear them explain and de "Ipso facto fuesen quemados." Ipso facto, we suppose, means, on summary conviction-a drum-head court-martial. †"Para que quemasen vivos a los pertinaces y a los que se reconciliasen les cortasen las cabezas." treat them as heretics, promising on that condition to support me with all their forces, to drive the Turks from Hungary, and either to make me master of Constantinople, or to die in the attempt. I answered, that I would not buy, at that price, all Germany and France, and Spain and Italy: so I spurred my horse and left them.'* Now, purely speculative questions are precisely those which have been most furiously debated. They have created more hatred, more bloodshed, more wars, and more persecution than all practical questions put together. And for this reason, that practical questions generally admit of a decision. They are debated and disposed of. Speculative questions Charles was one of the ablest men of his are eternal. Their premises are generally age, indeed of any age. His powerful natural ambiguous, often unintelligible. The discustalents had been exercised and strengthened sion resembles an argument between two deaf by the constant management of great affairs, men, in which neither attaches any meaning and by constant intercourse with eminent men. to the words uttered by the other. What is Yet such are the strange delusions by which the real difference between the Transubstanthe most powerful intellects may be abused on tiation of the Roman Catholics and the Conmatters on religion, that he believed that the substantiation of Luther? The former beadopting, after full conscientious inquiry, an lieves that by consecration the substance of the erroneous doctrine, was an injury to God and bread and wine are changed into the substance to man, a crime and a sin; to be punished by of the body and blood of Christ. The latter a cruel death here, and by eternal misery here-affirmed that The true body of Christ is preafter. With a strange confusion of thought, sent under the appearance of bread, and also he considered such errors voluntary, or he would not have punished them; and yet involuntary, or he would not have feared their being implanted in him by discussion. his true blood under the appearance of wine. And that that body and blood are not spiritual and fictitious, but the true and natural body which was born of the most Holy Virgin, which same body and blood are now sitting at the right hand of the Majesty of God in that divine Person who is called Christ Jesus."* And for the one or for the other of these opinions, each of them we venture to say devoid of meaning, thousands have thought it their duty to kill, and thousands have thought it their duty to die. That error may sometimes be voluntary must be admitted. The man who from carelessness or timidity neglects or refuses to ascertain the real grounds on which he believes and disbelieves; the Roman Catholic who, for fear of unsettling his mind, will not hear what the Protestant has to say, the Trinitarian who refuses to discuss his faith with the Socinian, is right or wrong only by accident. The errors of We have said that Charles was a man of a man who rejects information are as voluntary extraordinary ability. He was also a man of as any other part of his conduct. But the er- extraordinary piety. Immersed as he was in ror of those who have never had an opportuni- politics and in wars, ruling and even administy of ascertaining the truth, and of those who, tering great and dissimilar kingdoms, surafter patient and candid examination, have rounded by enemies both foreign and domestic, come to a wrong conclusion, depends no more managing the home affairs and the foreign afon the will than the bitter taste of camomile or fairs of Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the hot taste of pepper. We might as usefully Italy, providing and then commanding their punish a man for being sea-sick as for being armies and their fleets, his principal business, convinced. the matter which engrossed the most of his Again, it must be admitted that error, attention, was the working out his own salvathough involuntary, may lead to sin. A man tion. And he believed the first requisite to may sin from not knowing what is his duty, or salvation to be a correct faith. Such, however, from believing that his duty consists mainly in was his conduct as to involve him in errors, the performance of things, really useless, or the public mischief of which cannot be exagfrom believing that his duty consists in doing gerated, or, if there be any guilt in error, the acts absolutely mischievous: in other words, private guilt. In the first place, his errors behe may sin through ignorance or through longed to the class which we have termed vosuperstition. But in such cases the danger of luntary. They were the result of his obstinate the error arises from its practical nature. If determination not to inquire. If on a march error be merely speculative, if it relate, for he had been told, Your maps are faise, your instance, to the Procession of the Holy Spirit, guides are ignorant or treacherous, if you adthe Pre-existence of the Father, or the Imma-vance in this direction you will destroy your culate Conception, there seems to be no rea- army. Here are the proofs;' would he have sonable ground for imputing to it any guilt. Cited from Sandoval by M. Gachard, "Bulletins de l'Academie Royale de Bruxelles, tom. xii. p. 251. I partie. refused to look at the evidence, burnt alive the informants, and continued his course? *Cited-Waddington's History of the Reformation, vol. iii. p. 217. In the second place, his errors led him not chances of happiness in another world. We merely to reliance on useless observances and have to do only with his reputation in this. charms, but to ferocious cruelties, and, what And we must say that, judging by the event, was much worse, because much more permanent, than any death or torture inflicted on individuals, to measures which have kept in darkness and semi-barbarism one of the most energetic races, and perhaps the finest country, in Europe. This is not the place to discuss Charles's estimating him by the influence which his conduct has had over the subsequent fortunes of Europe, and indeed of America, we allot to him a conspicuous station among the enemies of mankind. He might have done more good, and he actually did more harm, than any sovereign that has reigned since Charlemagne. High.. Conrad's....... Baker's, Hudson river, New York........... ..... Carthage, Genesee river, New York........ Hoosack, river same name, New York,. Luzerne, Hudson river, New York. Montmorenci, Canada.. Niagara : ... 80 Trenton, New York: 200 75 175 110 200⚫ 350 100 30 186 100 40 20 20 Horse Shoe, New York and Canada.. 160 spare him a few potatoes. All I had was a dozen 164 cold cooked ones, which I showed him, and he accepted most thankfully, and begged me to put them in the beautiful dress coat which he had on; and away he went with a greasy ham over 100 his shoulder and his cold potatoes in his pocket. Every one is obliged to be his own porter here. The next day I met the Colonel on shore with 75 Lord Raglan and the Duke of Cambridge, and 125 all of them thanked me for the potatoes; they said they had them fried, and they were the first they had tasted for three weeks.-Letter from 12 Balaklava. 34 48 83 The dew point will fall on the 4th of the month, when Bills are generally payable. From the Christian Intelligencer, Feb. 1. lic or private, without commanding universal rePERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS - FROM AN spect. UNPUBLISHED JOURNAL. DE WIT CLINTON--CHANCELLOR KENTABRAHAM VAN VECHTEN-GEN. VAN RENSSELAER-CONVERSATION ON MINISTERS AND CHRISTIANITY, ETC. THE great men have not all died out. The race is far from being extinct. Every age of the world has its portion of them, and I am persuaded our generation has its full share. It could not well be otherwise. The leading men of the present day are the sons of those heroic spirits who were the fathers of the American Revolution..." There were giants in the earth in those days," and well did they perform their gigantic work. Their sons show by whose hands they have been trained, and they do honor to their lineage. I was strongly reminded of this yesterday at Governor Clinton's, who had assembled a few friends to dinner, and to spend the evening at his house. I never saw him appear to more advantage. The topics introduced and the company around his table were well calculated to draw him out. Among them were Chancellor Kent, Judge Platt, Abraham Van Vechten, Esq., General Stephen Van Rensselaer, and others, who have at various times and in various ways swayed the destinies of our State. They formed a fine group.for the eye.. General Van Rensselaer's excellence of character gave him a high place in whatever company you might find him. He was the refined gentleman, the large hearted philanthropist, and the unpretending, sincere Christian. It always gave me pleasure to have him near me, nor did I ever meet with any one who knew him, who had not a good word to say of him. The conversation was free and general, turning very much on religious subjects. The inquiry was started by Governor Clinton, how we are to account for the great change respecting the truth of Christianity which has taken place in the last twenty years, in the minds of the ed. ucated classes, and especially among public men, "What are the main causes," he asked, "which have produced or brought it about?" "As to the fact," said Chancellor Kent, "there is no doubt, there can be no doubt. I remember," he added, "that in my younger days there were very few professional men that were not infidels, or at least so far inclined to infidelity that they could not be called believers in the to the truth of the Bible. What has ied change?" Although the question was addressed immediately to me, I was desirous to learn the views of those around me, and replied that I should like to hear how the gentlemen themselves would answer the question. Chancellor Kent at once said: "One great A first glance at Clinton showed that he was reason of it is with the ministers of the gospel As a profession, they are better no ordinary man. The majestic was a predom-themselves. inant feature of his mind and body. You saw it qualified for their work than they were formerly. in his figure, in his manner, in his countenance, Notwithstanding the venerable name of Edwards, all indicating him as the right man to be Govern- Davis and some others, who are to be had in all or of the Empire State, and to create an era in reverence for their learning and ability, take the her history that should never be forgotten. He clergy as a class, and they were not, forty or has left his mark on her progress to prosperity fifty years ago, what they are now. Pains are and power too deeply engraven ever to be cf-taken to educate ministers for their work, and to faced. I raise them more to a level with educated minds in other professions. Posterity will award to him the credit of the Erie Canal, whatever may have been said or done during his life by the small men who were envious of his fame. It is idle to reply that others thought of the work and talked of it before him. He was the man who took it up and carried it through, staking his reputation on his success, and no one could be with him long enough to see the large scale on which his conceptions were formed, and not feel persuaded that he was just the statesman for such a noble work. Chancellor Kent's eye was always radiant with clear intelligence. There was nothing dim or inanimate about him. Every lineament was strongly defined. On whatever subject he spoke, you saw that he had at his command a vast body of thought; and with a simplicity of manner, a quickness and agility in all his movements almost juvenile. He was a delightful companion, especially when he let his mind have full play. "If thinking men are to embrace Christianity, our understandings as well as our consciences must be addressed. We must have argument as well as exhortation; and I believe one great reason which has contributed to place educated men on the right side of the question, is that we find our clergy able to give us both; to act like Paul, who reasoned concerning righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, while he also rebuked with all long suffering and doctrine. When that great apostle had occasion to preach before the men of Athens, he showed himself a man of learning, and preached in a way that constrained the Athenians to hear him with respect." "There is, no doubt, much in that," said Mr. Van Vechten. "An intelligent ministry for intelligent hearers is indispensable, and the founders of theological seminaries which have recentMr. Van Vechten was a fine specimen of a ly been established in our country, deserve all class whom he loved to represent. If he was praise as wise men and good Christians. They somewhat heavy in his appearance, and slow in begin at the foundation. We have as good mahis movements, he had all the staid solidity and terials in this country for making an able minisstrength which marked the Hollanders in their try as can be found in any other. But we must best days, and he never appeared, either in pub-provide for making them, and not leave them in |