he world is not fitted to judge about or to uphold, such as faith,
hope, and charity: but it can judge about truthfulness; it can judge
about the natural virtues, and truthfulness is one of them. Natural
virtues may also become supernatural; truthfulness is such; but that
does not withdraw it from the jurisdiction of mankind at large. It
may be more difficult in this or that particular case for men to take
cognizance of it, as it may be difficult for the Court of Queen's
Bench at Westminster to try a case fairly which took place in
Hindoostan; but that is a question of capacity, not of right. Mankind
has the right to judge of truthfulness in the case of a Catholic, as
in the case of a Protestant, of an Italian, or of a Chinese. I have
never doubted, that in my hour, in God's hour, my avenger will
appear, and the world will acquit me of untruthfulness, even though
it be not while I live.

Still more confident am I of such eventual acquittal, seeing that my
judges are my own countrymen. I think, indeed, Englishmen the most
suspicious and touchy of mankind; I think them unreasonable and
unjust in their seasons of excitement; but I had rather be an
Englishman (as in fact I am) than belong to any other race under
heaven. They are as generous, as they are hasty and burly; and their
repentance for their injustice is greater than their sin.

For twenty years and more I have borne an imputation, of which I am
at least as sensitive, who am the object of it, as they can be, who
are only the judges. I have not set myself to remove it, first,
because I never have had an opening to speak, and, next, because I
never saw in them the disposition to hear. I have wished to appeal
from Philip drunk to Philip sober. When shall I pronounce him to be
himself again? If I may judge from the tone of the public press,
which represents the public voice, I have great reason to take heart
at this time. I have been treated by contemporary critics in this
controversy with great fairness and gentleness, and I am grateful to
them for it. However, the decision of the time and mode of my defence
has been taken out of my hands; and I am thankful that it has been
so. I am bound now as a duty to myself, to the Catholic cause, to the
Catholic priesthood, to give account of myself without any delay,
when I am so rudely and circumstantially charged with untruthfulness.
I accept the challenge; I shall do my best to meet it, and I shall be
content when I have d