The New York herald., 1844-07-12

HIS OWN CHURcH.-We publish on our first page q
very Interesting document, which sheds food o.
: light upon the principles and policy adopted BY
Bishop Hughes in the exercise OF his episcopal
auihorlty. The circumstances and controversy
connected with the attempt Of this prelate TO wres
from the legally appointed trustees OF church pro
perty, the privileges conferred upon them by oul
constitutional laws be still fresh IN the reco
/ lection Of many of our readers. Ii excited grea
deal of public attention al the time, and the
feeling Of Indignation at the conduct Of the
Bishop was very loudly and generally express
ed. Indeed, he felt this pretty keeny, and
shortly before his departure for Europe last
Spring, Bishop Hughes had actually the mo.
desty to send two Of his priests to US with long
and elaborate defence OF his conduct, in endea-
voring TO deprive the trustees of the church Of ST.
Louis OF their guardianship OF the property, which
had been entrusted to their management according
to the laws OF this Republic. This defence, we
need hardly say, was quibbling and insufficient,
and as we satisfactorily demonstrated at the tim.
did moi in the slightest degree tend to relieve the
Bishop from the stigma which his unjust and unpo-
puar conduct had fastened upon him.
The petition to his Holiness at Rome, which we
republsh presents the grievances Of the Catholics
oi Buffalo in very forcble light. This case is,
indeed, one Of peculiar hardship. The tyranny
and injustice manifested by this Catholic prelate
towards portion of the people over whom he has
been appointed to exercise authority, to be
compared only to the oppressive and domineering
conduct Of the hierarchy in the darkest days ol
prieslly despotism
Besides discovering the remarkable indiscretion
and perverted judgment of Bishop Hughes in the
administration OF his episcopal Office this case af
fords striking and instructive indications of the
progress in this country of the same policy on the
part Of the Catholic clergy, which we see attempt
ed in France. There the very same effort has
been made by the priesthood TO obtain the control
and possession OF the emporalities of the church,
under the pretence Of providing for the education
of the people, which the government has wisely
taken out of the hands Of the clergy and entrusted
to the University. In Spain also, the same ques-
ton has mingled largely in the civil war which
has desolated that unhappy country The Carliss
are in favor of a restoration Of the old dominion OF
the hierarchy, whilst the liberal party oppose such
measure as hostile the liberties and welfare OF
| the people. The truth is, that throughout the
bounds of the Catholic church, there has of late
| grown up amongst the people, strong and we'll
grounded dislike and dread ofgiving political power
or the temperatures Of the church into the hands
of the priesthood In other countries the people OF
the Catholic faith are guarding against the oppres
sion and tyranny of the clergy, by securing tor the
church temperatures the protection Of the State.
In this country, the sovereign power is possessed
| by the people and the trustees legally appointed
to the guardianship of church property, are the
presentatives of the only sovereignty which here
| exists. It is out OF the hands then of the State
that Bishop Hughes seeks to wrest the temporali-
ties OF his church, and il is certainly highly graft
tying to find that this unjustifabe and tyranncal
procedure meets from his own flock, that energetic
opposition which it demands.
Such is the position which Bishop Hughes at
present occupies with respect to his own people.
This is not question between him and the g most
dangerous man in the community" James Gordon
Bennett. This is not question between the Bishop
and that bgoited superintendent OF public schools
Colonel Stone. But il is question between the
| free citizens of this State and the legate Of
foreign ecclesiastical potentate. 1t is a question
between the vested rights of the Trustees and The
arrogant pretensons Of Catholic prelate. And il
is question which presents, only in another phase,
the same indscreet, arrogant, and unjustifabe po-
Icy which called together the meeting in Carroll
| Hail. and attempted TO organize politico-religous
influence, under the frivolous preience Of oppos-
ton to a translation Of the Bible, alleged to be
wicked and dangerous, than which, a more silly
pretext for introducing civil discord was never
seized by any dsturber Of the peace, lay or cleri-
| cal.
| We sympathise very sincerely with the people o.
Buffalo. We think it very hard that they are
| obliged to seek deliverance from the tyranny OF
their bishops only through the venerable old gentle
man who occupies the pontifcal throne 1T Rome
However, we shall render them all the aid in our
power We shall transmit, by the next steamer to
Europe, copy Of this journal to the American
Consul at Rome, with a request that he may, with
out delay, lay it before his Holiness. And we
humbly call upon the Society Of the Propaganda
to depose Bishop Hughes, and install in the Office
for which he is so manifesy unfit, the very Rev
DR.. Powers, who, in sagacity, experience, talent,
piety, erudlton, and every thing, $50 immeasura-
bly, superior to the present Catholic Bishop of the
| important diocese of New York
! The REFORM PARTY IN THE CORPORATION 1T is
gratifying to find that there is sprinkling of honor
and fidelity 10 solemn obligations in the new Cor
poration Alderman Cozzens, who fulfs his pro-
misses, public or private, dlsgusted with the inf
deity of his associates, has resigned. His resig-
nation, however, was not accepted, which explains
/ its non publication in the records of the Common
Council. But the probability is that he will per-
sist in it.
We perceive that the newparty have had meet
ing in the Third Ward, and discovered at it that
tney feel that the Corporation Jast playing the
old game, negecting their duty entirely, and do
! ing nothing without some sinister and selfish mo-
tives. AT this meeting one particularly good reso-
luton was adopted, namely -
Whereas, II is notorious that females Of abandoned
character nightly thronsing most public tho
roughfare, Broadway and that part more particularly
comprised in the Third Ward and
Whereas, The same is one Of the greatest nusances
that exists in this community whereby respectable
males insulted by obscene vulgar and gro sly pro
fame language during their promenades through this
therefore
Resolved That il is the OF this meeting that the