The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-09
THE EUROPEAN WORLD.


piace-The outcriers care not for principie-Thc
strange alliance In intolerance between the Dissen-
tiers and their oppressors-The hedge preachers-The
church is alarmed for the preservation of the
Queens spiritual authority, which, by law is OF no
force the Disorders Of England, and for the
preservation Of her ill-gotten revenues.
New YORK CITY, January A, 1851.
To the Editor of The National Era:
The Baltc's mails tell us that the Church
squabble in England continues to rage with una
bated virulence. Yet, with the exception of o
very few really liberal newspapers, nearly all
who make public demonstrations on the subject
agree in condemping the act of the Pope in fg-
uratively re-dividing the British Kingdom into
bishOprics, and appointing Cardinal Arch
Bishop over the whole. This, be it remembered
is the extent of his INSULT against the majesty
or rns q deer, II VINO, 6y the Jaws OF England and
the grace of God, is the only person in the realm
competent to the dispensation Of regulations to
govern the cc1sciences of the KahgaOnl:
A month or two ago, took occasion to call the
attention Of your readers to the fact that the
Pope has been in the habit Of doing in this coun-
try that which, when 80 lately done in England,
has generated all this great hubbub. Your read
ers will therefore understand, that after all, no
real tangible, practical aggression has been per-
petrated on Britain by the Bishop Of Rome. 1t
is altogether imaginary; wholly so. The Popes
Council resolved on the change, doubtless with
the view to increase the sway of their church over
the minds of Englishmen Or, to use the phrase
of the day, to "gather" more sheep into the Ro-
man Catholic fold Just as the Unitarians,
Methodists, Presbyterians, Bsptsts, &c, are now
constantly taking measures, each sect to increase
the number of its members and the sphere of its
usefulness.
With these few preliminary remarks, which
unfold to view the gist Of the controversy shall
proceed to write plainly concerning the exciting
extraordinary condition of the public mind, in the
country which is constantly Boosting itself to be
the most liberal and enlightened on earth, that
this dispute reveals to the gaze of all searchers
after truth The "do unto others as you would
they should do unto you" principle is at the bot
tom of all sound liberalism. II is the alpha and
omega of all sound reform. Changes, nominally
designed for the public good, which violate this
principle, are mere alterations in the existing
condition of things, designed for the benefit of
classes-reforms wrung from the tightly clenched
hands of hard masters who yield part that they
may the more surely keep the balance of what
they hold unjustly from its rightful owners. For
such reforms the people owe gratitude, not to the
donors, but alone to those whose courage, suffer-
ings, and perseverance, have wrung them from
the unwilling privileged few.
The doings of the English Church Hierarchy
in Ireland furnish glazing example of the n.y.
pocrisy and the wsnton violation Of this great
principle of reform, above stated, by the party
the Anglican Church. now clamoring so vehe-
mently against this act of the Council of Rome
The complaint is, that the Pope has dared to APP
point spiritual governors over people who
acknowledge no allegiance to the Church Of Rome,
granting them titles which, being territorial, in
volve, they falsely declare the impression that
they look to the eventual realization of the tenn
poral possessions which, before the Reformation,
were incidental to the enjoyment of these revived
stations. The Church of Rome, on the contrary,
has merely appointed for its Orn people, spiritual
officers honorng them with titles which all are
free under the law to accord or withhold, and al
lowing them to accept Of revenues which, unlike
those Of the English Church, are entirely the free
gU Of their people But, as ] wrote above, the
example Of the Anglican Church in Ireland in
wolves a complete exposure of the hollowness of
the complaints now being uttered by the Church"
in England. The latter has not only installed re-
ligious officers over the people OF Ireland, whose
authority finds no response in the consciences Of
the great mass of the Irish, but has endowed
them with titles large territorial possessions and
enormous revenues, all wrung from the half
starved and brutalized Irish masses. Whose act
should be most reprehended by thinking and feel
ing people-that of the Church of Rome, or that
of the Anglican Church But that the hubbub
has been raised wholly for the preservation Of
exclusive privileges, is evident from the train of
argument which the orators and writer's, lay and
clerical, against the "papsl aggression" invaria-
bly, fall into. Thus, one rarely reads in their in
Weighing aught concerning the necessity for the
preservation of the principles of the Reformation
nor Is it possible to discover in them sigh Of
aspiration for civil and religious liberty. On
the other hand, they are but tumble about true
sacraments, holy apostolcal traditions apostolic
cal succession "the Church." &c, which alone
appear worthy Of the labors Of these self-consti-
tuted guardians Of Christian truth. They fight
but for the Parliamentary God--the State reli.
gion.
The truth is, it is, after all but a squabble for
place The religious titles given by the Queen
in the British realm, bring not only honors and
great and direct political power, but In the aggre
gate, to all the officers Of the Church, from the
Primate Of England down to the poorest cura,e,
starved that his rector may squander thousands
in dissipation, full thirty millions Of dollars per
annum-no mean perquisites, for the retention o.
which to struggle Now, 1t is extremely danger
GUS to such system to permit citizens to set up
rival hierarchy without the attribute of politi-
cal power, and without the recognition Of the
State, vet in imitation Of the State establishment
with Offices and titles Of honor. The danger Is
to be found in the fact that II permitted, public
opinion-popular recognition may In few
years give TO its own creation, an importance at
least equal to that which the law lends to its
rival; which would reduce the distinction be-
tween them only to that involved In the money
taken from the people by force, and given by
them with grudge to the Church establishment
Of England. The Church breads lest its flock
may come to understand that 1t has but to will
that II shall depend wholly on the strength Of
its hold upon their oonsciences, to bring about
that most desirable state Of things The Church
does not want the people to understand that, IL
with ts vast resources, It were cut adrift from
the State, and made thoroughly responsible and
subject to the people, ~ all churches arc, smphati'