To hold the vicious up to odium and contempt should be at all times a particular care of the Press; but when every powerful engine is exerted to veil the vices of the privileged ranks, and to make it appear that crime is peculiar to those who constitute what are called the lower classes, it becomes a sacred and imperative duty.

We know there are some who, from a pretended regard to religion, would suppress every fact that exposes the licentious conduct of its ministers, but, nine times out of ten, this is mere hypocritical cant to support those who “bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay on men’s shoulders.” The mistaken infidel may connect religion with the conduct of its professors, but the truly religious person makes no distinction of vice but its comparative enormity, and the more he venerates the doctrine of Christianity, the greater abhorrence he feels towards the wretch who violates every principle of the religion which it is his duty to inculcate.

We see a certain Association evincing a most scandalous partiality, by SELECTING the objects of their prosecution from those most unable to defend themselves! we participate in the general feeling of censure against them, and believe that they have done more injury to the cause they profess to support, than the united efforts of the persecuted parties could possibly have effected. This will ever be the case when exertions are influenced only by feelings of policy instead of principle, for if as much pains were taken to keep improper characters without the pale of the church, as there is art exerted to defend them through thick and thin, when they have entered it, the CLOTH would probably never have been disgraced by the “Rev. Father in God,” whose notoriety promises to eclipse that of all former brothers in divinity.

The name of the Prelate may have appeared in the subscription columns of a newspaper, the only place where the charity of many is heard of. Nay, we have little doubt but it might be found in the list of subscribers to the highly respectable association the “Bridge street gang” or the “Society for the suppression of vice.” We would not rob him of any action of merit on this score, or them of any claim to respectability in the eye of the public; for ourselves we would say, “Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye—also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Any comment on the case itself must be superfluous, we therefore give it to the reader as extracted verbatim from the Statesman.