Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-03-19

fession, enable the priests to understand the
secret motives and springs Of action Of the
individual members Of their focks. which
they are thereby enabled to cont,ol,-whlle
they themselves being subject to the direc.
ton Of their superior Clergy, and Bishops,
and they again acting under the orders Of the
supreme head Of the Church, the Pope at
Rome-it becomes a matter Of course that
the whole Church may readily be brought to
act ss one man on any subject their spiritual
head may choose to direct. This was o
source Of power which the shrewd and cum
ming Martin Van Burcn forcsaw might he
turned TO great political account. and was AZ
once seized upon by him. and at favorable
juncture a sklfully worded letter as given
below, was addressed TO the head of the
Catholic Church. BY this master stroke Of
II seems that q dispute had OF CURED in Pha
delphia between two officiating priests, who had
boih solicited the Interference Of the Federal
Executive 10 settle their difficulty with his Holi-
ness the Pope II is hardly probable that The
Trainers OF our constitution ever supposed that
Gaze could occur in which the President OF the
United States should bs called upon to assist in
settling difficulties or disputes between its own
citizens by nm appeal To n foreign power. But
Mr.. Van Euren who WAS then Secretary Of State.
evidently considered the opportunity Of ingraciat-
ing himself with the people ofthe Catholic religion
too good to be lost. lie forthwith found means
TO open u correspondence with the court Of his
Holiness the Pope at Rome The writer knows
OF no means Of getting at the commence
nient Of this correspondence and it was probably
managed in such way AZ TO render full devel-
opements impossible, but it is evident that the
following notes, published in Niless Register,
August z, lS34.are a continuation OF "A preceding
written or verbal correspondence.
Mr.. Cicognani TO .Hr. Yan Buren,.
Rome, May sih. 1880.
"Ys.ter day I had a particular audience from
his holiness. in my official capacity Of consul of
the United States Of America in Rome. His
holiness received me in the most benign manner,
and expressed the most favorable sentiments for
the government as well as for the nation of the
United States Of America. lie said that he was
favorably inclined To the United States Of Ameri-
ca, because the Catholic people enjoy the same
protection the other citizens Of different crseds
and have no disabilities according 10 the law
His holiness desired me pa ficui0riy and repeat
ediy 10 assure, in his name, the government Of
tho United States that he ,cM neper interfere
IN politics, and that 10 case Of any mis- inteili- |
gence between governments, he will do all in his
power to lead them to peace he requested also
that should express his wish that the citizens Of
the Unitod States Of America protesting the
Catholic religion, may in future meet with tho
same protection they have found TO this time.
After The audience from his holiness, I went,
a. is customary, to pay my respects to cadnal
Ahant, secretary Of state, who received me very
kindly, and expressed the most friendly senti-
ments towards the citizens and the government
OF The United States Of America. The manner
in which was received by his holiness and the
cardinal secretary Of state, and the sentiments
expressed by them both, will afford great graft.
fcation 10 the president and to yourself, aud |
should bo highly bonored, if YOU would make
mo tho interpreter Of the sentiments that you
might think proper TO recprocale with those ex-
pressed by his honess."
Mr.. Von Bmen 10 .Nr. Cicognani.
WAsnISGroN, 20th July, 1880.
"Your letters of the lllh April and 9Th
May, the first anticipating the favorable SEN
tinents of his holiness the pope, towards the
government and people os the United States,
aud the last confirming your an,icipations;
have neen received at this department. and
submitted 10 the president, by whom am
directed 10 convey 10 his holiness, through
the same channel, an assurance Of sntisfac- |
tlon which hc derives from this communica. !
ton Of the frank and liberal opinions enter.
tanned by The apostolic see towards this 90
verhtnent and people, and Of the policy which
you likewise state his holiness has adopted. 4
and which Is so worthy Of the head of great
and Christian church. assduOusy To cultivate 1
IN his intercourse with foreign nations, the I
relations OF amlty and good will, and scdu I
lousy to abstain from oil interference in their Il
occasional differences with each other ex-
ccpt with the benign view Of affecting recon- 1
citations between thcm
You will accordingly seek an early oppor-
tunlty to make known to the Pope in terms
and manner best suited to the occasion, the
light in which the President views the com.
mnnieation referred to- and likewise you will
assure hlm that the president reciprocates in
their full extent and spirit, the friendly and
liberal sentiments entertained by his holiness
towards the government and the people Of
the L. States by those which he cn.ertains
towards tho government Of the apostolic see,
nnd the people Of the states Of the church;
and it is the presIdents's wish, that you should
upon the same occasion, offer his congratula-
tons TO the holy father, upon his rccen, sue.
cession 10 the Tiara not from ary hereditary
claim on his part, but from prcponderatlng
influence which a just estimation Of his tai
ents and virtues naturally had upon the en-
lightened councils by which that high dis
tInction was conferred; and which afforded
the best pledge that his pon,ificate will be a
wise and benefcent one.
You will take care. likewise, to assure his |
holiness, in reference to the paternal solici- 4
tude which he expresses in behalf of the Ro- |
man Catholics Of the U. States, that all our
eIiizcns, protesting that religion, stand upon
tho same elevated ground which citizens OF
all other religious denominations occupy, in |
regard To The rights of conscience, that of
Pcrfect hb,Ty, contradlstingushed from tole-
ration; that ihcy enjoy an entire exemption
from coercion ~ every possible shape, upon |
the score of religious faith, and that they are
free, IN common with their fellow citizens of |
all other secls. To adhere to. or adopt the
crerds snd practice the worship best adapted
to their reason or pr iudIces; and that there
exists n perfect UNITY of faith IN the United II
States amongst rclirronists Of all professions.
as Ia the wisdom and policy Of that cardinal
feature uf nll our constitutions and frnmes OIL
government. both thusr OF the u. Ststes and
the separate states oi the union, by which this
inrstlpahle right ~ formally recognised, aud
the "njnymcnt of 1t lntIolably secured" Il
II would BE- very croillyng to the writer,
10 be- able 10 assertion The mode IN which the