The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-06-05
THE ROBBERY OF MEXICAN
CHURCHES.


The Cincinnati Catholic Telegraph of the 9th
ultimo holds the following just and indignant lam
guage respecting Mr.. Folks proposed policy Of rob-
bing the churches in Mexico with view to reduce
the enemy-a policy which we again charge has
not only not been abandoned but which will be car
ried into execution a, the proper time.
THE WASHINGTON UNION.
| This paper the organ Of The AdminislIatio and
the moulh-piece Of the Office holding democracy
suggests the seizure Of the church property in Mexi
co! The following disrepuiaIle language is q part
Of the article TO which we aude:
1T is not as a religious body, hut an engine Of
State. hat the Catholics Of Mexico look upon us
with hostile eye. II is for their own political pur-
poses-to retain her vast poss s>ions. which impov-
erish the naiion--to sustain their own hierarchy
which lords it over the peope--to preserve their pow
or which weighs down the rest of the community
into the slough Of ignorance and sIavery-hat they
are thus solicitous and active. It is zeal for the
mammon Of unrigheousn. for the welfare of
souls which inspires and animaes the Catholics of
Mexico"
i A Catholic citizen Of the United States who can
read such language as this without emotion, must
have very frged temper. More than half the rank
and file and no small number of the officers of the
regular arnin, are members of The Catholic church.
and because they exposed their lives and most gal
lan,ly defended the national flag of their native or
adopted country, The Washington Union seems to
think that they ready to play the part of COM
mon robbers and to lay sacriligious hands the al
tars before which they kneel in prayer. Let the Co
vernment give such an order During the fierce
conflict at Monterey, statue OF the blessed virgin
which stood on he bridge leading to the city, attrac
ted the eyes OF the combatants. After the stormng
| OF the town. party OF volunteers who anticipated
the sentiments Of the Union, determined to take
down the statue during the night and bring it to
Cincinnati trophy certain company called
the Montgomery Guards. under the direction of an
officer named Kennedy, General Urea knows
them) heard of the intended outrage went privately
10 the scene and after brief contest marched the
offending party to the guard house, without the sta
tue! Let the administration give an order to plum
der The churches, and they may find themselves in
like unpleasant condition. they may receive in re-
turn more iron than gold II does not follow that
man must be thief or a scoundrel because he is
a soldier
! The Catholic clergy in Mexico did their duty in
resisting the North Americans Were foreign
enemy to land in the United States, every Catholic
clergyman would oppose them but according to
the logic of the Union, the invaders would be usti-
fled in seizing on our church property on our col
eges and on the patrimony of orphans, on the in
come OF hospitals, and all this with the sanction Of
religion All to be accomplished and justified by
pharlsaical denunciatons Of the "mammon of I'M
! righteousness and "welfare Of souls" Was it The
welfare Of souls that Mr. Polk had in view when
he commenced the war, or was it "the mammon OF
unrghteo sness?"
But the Union is indignant with the Catholic
clergy, because they keep the people in .he slough
OF Ignorance and slavery It is sport to hear
La Virginlan rebuke any people for Ignorance and
slavery II is clear illustration Of the outside mr.
rality OF the times 10 hear man abuse the Catholic
clergy for slording over the people," and keeping
them in IGNORANCE and slavery" whose moral
teaching in his own household has been made note
rinus by an event. the like of viii h no records Of
any country equal in arocity.
: There are various political papers which do not
conceal their animosity for those who profess the
Catholic faith. In Boston the most Infamous cal
umnies are published against us, and in New York
the editor of the Journal of Commerce may be said
10 monopolize The "cap and belIs;" but when pa
per. acknowledged to be the organ of the Admins.
tration, talks out SO plainly, shows such unequivo-
Cal demonstration Of striking blow at the freedom
OF religious worship, no matter what denomination
may be attacked, il is the duty of all 10 talk as loud
ly.as the minion of those in power and to confne
him within the limits ofhis duty. We Catholics do
not forget what insults have been heaped upon us
during the present Administration
!, We do not forget the article in the Union abou,
the tariff of prices for the pardon Of sins y we do
not forget the pacards upon the Post Office Depart
ment, at Washington announcing for sale, by one
who held an Office in that establishment of shame.
less work against our Church we Catholics have
submitted TO much insult, but we think that the
friends Of the abdmnsta had better spare us and
spare themselves. There may not be bigot at every
election, on their opponents ticket TO throw the
dark shadow of his name over more than half the
land. We wish to keep religion clear of political
excitement; to save it from contact with worldly
minded schemes, but cannot do so unless we are
permitted to enjoy our constitutional rights free from
such vuperative and ant-repubcan language as that
which the Union has published
Since writing these remarks we have seen num-
Der of the Union in which is published disclaimer
recantation of the above sentiments and parcu-
lar and reiterated asseveraton that the editor alone
!, was responsible and that member of the Cabinet
participated in his opinion Then why was the
abusive article published! If the Editor dill not en-
tertain the opinions which he published, why in the
name Of sense, did he print them Was it for the
qualification Of anti.calhoc prejudice, or was It, a
feeier 2 Probably he wished to know how much de-
pendence could be placed on the forbearance of
Catholic citizens, and he has ascerlained before this,
that though they may have faith enough to endure
martyrdom, they have not the remotes idea of sub
hitting to political execution.
new cherry has been discovered ut Mezel in
France, says the Cincinnati Gazette excelling all
others for size, beauty and flavor. Il is Bigarreau
and an enormous bearer. A committee of the Au-
vergne Horticultural Society have examined the tree
weighing ten grammes (6a dwts.) each, an average