The New York herald., 1845-03-27

side of the picture Tor one day in this age of the
wicked world.
Civil ana Religious Liberty-the Charter
Election.
The Interest in the coming election, in this city,
grows more and more intense every day, and differs
both in degree and character from that heretofore
manifested in reference 10 a similar event. This
arises from the peculiar position OF the three promi-
nent parties in the eld-the strong and irrepressi-
BILE desire the part of the great mass OF the
munty 10 get rid of the miserable mbeciles now
ia power IN the orporation-butc chiefly, andabove
ALL from the circumstance that in this contest are
involved those great principles of civil and religious
liberty on which the glorious superstructure of this
republic Is founded. The great question is submit
Ted, In thus election, to every citizen who will go
TO the polls-are you willing that sectaran bigolry
and religious intolerance shall hereafter be permit
ted to mix and mlngle with political controversy?
Are you willing that any particular religious faith
Is to be made an indispensable qualification of
ddates tor civil office! Are you willing that that
Tell spirit OF religious persecution, which kindled
the hres OF Smlhheld and the Grass s-market-
which created the lnqulsiton-which lighted up
sister city with the flames of burning churches
shall carry discord, blood shed and ruin throughout
this land?
This is the great issue involved in this city elec-
tion And this important truth cannot be too often
or too forcby presented to this community. The
eyes OF all intelligent patriots throughout the coun
try are now anxiousy directed to the city of New
York. Municipal reform-party rolics-struggle
tor ofiice-have comparatively nothing to do with
this election "Natvism,' but another name for
all that is lntoerant and proscriptive, is openly in
the field, and prepared to battle orvctory over the
fundamental principles Of the American constitu-
tion Let the citizens of this metropolis recall the
past. Let them 60 back to those days when the
fierce and bloody religious prosecutions which de-
vastated Europe, drove the early settlers of the
country to this western world-the home of out
lawed liberty, and the sanctuary Of prosecuted re-
ligion. Men of every creed, thus impelled, came
to these shores. In the minds of all, what was the
first inspiring sentiment, as they entered on the
hard ofsubjugatng gthewildernesses ofthe new
world? 1t was gratitude to heaven that here they
found freedom to worship God. They had all
passed through terrible baptism into profound de
voton to civil and religious liberty and the ele-
waited, liberal, and enlightened spirit thus created
amongst them, was ever present and ever active in
their first attempts at the establishment Of their civil
institutions. Catholics, Episcopalians, PurItans,
Quakers- all the early settlers of this country unit
'din Incorporating with their social arrangements,
a,~e the utmost liberty of conscience and
pinlon, IN all things pertaining to re-
= f. Such was the spirit which animat-
,no were engaged in the struggle for inde-
.ce-such was the spirit in which the Con.
on was framed-such is the spirit which gives
free institutions of this country their crown
Jory and excellence.
he first unhaIlowed hand laid upon the ark of
3country's liberties, in an attempt to violate
csc great fundamental principles, was that of
ishop Hughes He was impelled to that rash act
personal ambiton-by silly vanity-and the
ak, ill-judging Idesire of an ecclesiastic, TO
achieve great things for his church. That at.
tempt provoked, on the part of the antagonistic
religious interests, violent counter-action With
the'cry of "No Popery % a faction, chiefly com.
posed OF the Presbyterians and Methodists, was
speedily organized, and directed by few schem-
ing demagogues-alike wanting in principle and
in talent, for the tide of popular passions, gno-
rance and bigotry, is easily urged on-tnat counter
movement led to those awful scenes in the city Of
Philadelphia, which presented, in characters of
fire and blood, terrible admonition to the
whole land, that here, and in this age, as
every where, and in all time past, religious
intolerance cannot exist without its attend
ant fends-without civil discord, bloodshed,
disaster and ruin. But we all know that that les
son has not yet sunk into the minds of all. The
cry of "No Popery" still sounds in our ears Bit.
ter and inhammatory denunciations of particular
sect are still uttered around u.s. and party, in the
face OF all that has passed before us-n defiance of
the great leading principles of the CONSTITUTIONAL
open despite of all that is enlightened and truly pa.
triotic in the land, presents itself in this city, con.
tending not only for the municipal government Of
this city, but for future and more extended op-
portunity of influence and power, on the avowe6
principle of hostility to the Catholic Church and the
professors of the Catholic creed.
Is not this, then, indeed time for the wise and
good citizen, whether he be whig or locofoco, to
think and to act? 1t is no imaginary evil with
which we are threatened. II stands before, us in
the light of day, with Its fearful visage unveiled
the same bloody and devouring demon of religious
persecution, which two or three centuries ago sent
the dragons of Dalzel and Caverhouse to murder
thousands on the moors and amid the glens of
Scotland-which deluged the streets of Paris with
blood on St. Bartholomew's day-and which whi-
tened the mountains of Piedmont with the bones
OF Its slaughtered victims. No matter un.
der what renglous bdnner-nO with
what religious watchword-this accursed spi
} mt Is the same. Catholic and Protestant
nave ahke thls blood outlines their
heads. The Church of Rome has, indeed,
lived longer in the world-has welded mishtier
sceptre-and has had more important personal in.
teresrs to promote, and she has filled high up her
cup of persecution. Bat the Protestant church has
also piled up the faggots, and covered the earth
with her slain Both have in times past departed
from the peaceful and benevolent principles Of an,
cient Christianity, incurring alike the maledct
of him who said-"all they that take up the sword
shall perish with the sword-I came not to DESTROY.
but to saver
To the good citizen, then, Of every party and OF
every creed we say look well to 1t, that YOU be up
and doing. "Nativeism," throwing aside all dis