The New York herald., 1845-11-11

MORE FANATICISM.-Ihe Rev. Mr.. klrk, OF Eos
ton, has been endeavoriDg TO light up the fires OF per-
sec tion in discourse delivered on last Sunday in
this city, at Dr. SINNERS church, in Mercer street
In it he represented the Catholic religion in the most
revolving light, and Its heads murderers, adulter-
ers and all that sort of thing. There is no doubt
that IN the long of ages during the last f-
teen hundred years, the church Of Rome in the per-
son of Its priests and clergy, has been guilty OF
great many enormities, and that crimes have been
committed under the cloak Of religion of such cha
racter as TO disgrace even the dark ages of the
world But the same may be said Of every sect
Even the patrarchs and prophets, il we 90 as far
back as the time of David, were guilty Of as great
enormities as any ever committed by the Romish
clergy. Nor have the Protestant clergy, nor those
OF any other church been without their crimes
Every sectof religion in its infancy. when strug-
cling to spread itself throughout the world and to
establish reputation, adopts the severest code Of
morals, but when IT has attained prosperity and pow
er, by means OF connection with the State or other
wise, then the natural depravity Of the human mlnd
even under clerical habiliments, manifests il
self. Look at the Greek clergy-the Catholic
cergy-the church of England clergy-they have
all been guilty OF the same crime which Mr..
klrk would fasten exclusively the clergy of
the church OF Rome. There are, no doubt, ma
ny errors in the church OF Rome-speculatve-
moral-philosophcal and religious. But that church
has fulfilled her mission during the last thousand
years, and no other ceurch could have maintained
It's position during the dark ages, in the benighted
regions of Europe, bu, the Catholic church, anmat-
ed by pure principles and spirited on by pure pety,
so as to prevent the whole OF Europe from falling
under Mahomedanism. The Rev. Mr. Kirk, be he
as learned as Aquinas, exhibits only the most shall
low and contemplate Ignorance, when he endeavors,
In this enightened'age, to bring up the errors and
the enormlues the Catholic clergy of past age
any objection, or OF any crime TO be charged against
those innocent at the present time. The Church of
Rome In its day and generation, fulfilled the mis-
sion OF the Almighty, as much the Protestant
church, which is following out the same mission
under the influence, and by the same permis-
sion.
We have seen too much OF this empty fanatcism
-ot this intoerant religious persecution during the
last few years in New York and throughout the coun-
try to tolerate II any longer and the Rev. Mr. Kirk
ought to have more sense, and to have mind
slightly more accessible to the lessons OF the times
than TO indulge IN such Ignorance and folly. The
recent events IN this city and Philadelphia ought
to teach Mr. Kirk, and all others like him. modera-
ton and christian charity. The enthusiasts and
fanatics are too late in the day to impregnate So
ciety with their ridiculous fances at the present
time.
LEGAL REFoRM.-One OF the principal subjects
taken up at the approaching State Convention to
amend the Constitution, will be that of legal reform
Perhaps no subject requires more searching inves-
tigaton than that. The excessive number of law
,aIr oh k,r L..
bic that more than very small proportion of the
whole can make decent living. Probably out of
nearly two thousand, which crowd the bar Of New
York, not over twenty or thirty make handsome
annual income We suppose that about twenty
or thirty more make a moderate income, and as
many more just make both ends meet at the end of
the year. But the great proportion are without en-
poyment, or cases, or briefs, save that which they
make themselves, and is the produce of petfogging
ofthe msanest and most contemplate kind.
There is a certain class of lawyers, mere petit
foggers, who do nothing but look over the news
papers, finding out some persons in the police reports
on whom some remarks may be made, discovering
their residences and then proceeding to their houses
and instigating them to commence suits against
newspaper propretors, without any ground merely
for the sake Of few dollars, which they get from
prietors whom they may intlmidate. On many oc-
casions we know this has been done, without any
intention Of pursuing such suits beyond the mere
commencement, but merely with the view of going
to the newspaper propretors and offering to settle"
it Tor eight ten dollars Others, again, offer their
services gratuitousy to miserable creatures who
commence suits, without any adequate funds, for
the purpose of having their names In the newspapers
LII Lx.- 4
tors and newspaper proprietors who are well known
In the community This is only one system of pet
tlfoggng that we happen to have had some expe-
renee IN. and which we have met on all occasions
promptly, by contestlng to the uttermost all such
pettifoggIng SUITS thai those miserable creatures
and lawyers soon find that nothing is to be made
out of u.s.
If some provision could be introduced in the new
Constitution to throw ope the whole profession OF
the law to the public, and prevent monopoly of
to those who call themselves lawyers, many of whom
know just much about law as the man in the
moon, we think it would be of great advantage to
society at large as constituted in this country.
MEDICAL CoNvESTIoN.-We perceive that conyen-
tion OF the medical men OF Tennessee is to be held
in Memphis in the Of few days, for the pur.
pose OF consulting measures connected with the
interests and prosperity of the profession Delegates
are also to be chosen to the Medical Convention in
this State.
MICHIGAN ELEcToN.-According to the return,
received, Mich gan has gone tor the democrats. but
by diminished majority. 1t is thought, and with
| some show of reason, that the issue which the
wings made in this election, the sale OF the State
Improvements, had the most to do with the decreased
democratic majority.
OLD COLONY RALRoAD.-This new road con-
Meeting Boston with Plymouth, was opened on Sa-
turdaY with all the honors. The Hon Iohn Qninnu