The New York herald., 1851-12-03

o
The history Of the CathoNc Church In the United
States ID ftsught with the deepest inssrss, inti-
nstely associated - Il ID, with the earliest ssstle
the cory battle field, the declaration Of indepen-
dsnes, the final estabshment Of the constitution as
the bond Of domestic peace, permanent union, and
impregnable strength, and the growth Of unexam-
pied prosperity that has sprung from that immortal
tors.
Maryland, enc Of the Oldest of the colonies, was
settled by Catholics, who, like the other sects, fed
from persecution at home. It was the most tole-
rant Of them all, and while it held ont the right
hand Of welcome to men Of every creed, every colo.
ny, with one exception, refused to hold communion
with it. The Puritan settlers of Massachusetts,
driven from their native land by religious persecu
tion, became prosecutors in turn, and bsnished
~ Episcopslian from their borders. The Cavaliers
Of Virginia made rsprisals by the expulsion Of eve
~ Puritan. To the persecuted of both colonies,
and Of every o:her. Maryland offered hospitality
and q home. It's constitution, established two or
three years after the FIRST landing of its colonists
admitted all freemen without distinction to share
in the making and the protection of the laws. In
the words of Bancroft, "The asylum of Papists
was the spo. where in remote corner Of the world
on the banks Of rivers which as yet were little ex
pl0red the mild forbearance Of proprietary adopt
ed dreHg ms freedom as the basis ofthe State.
Ard there, too, Protestants were sheltered against
Protestant intolerance"
Thus BY the Catholics Of Maryland was religious
liberty established for the first time in the history
Of Christianity All the Protestant sects in the
colonies had prosecuted the Catholics, and each
they In IN nd nd NJ trja tha Cafhn-
lies had persecuted and burned "herstics" Is they
were called and the heretics or Pretestants had
perecuted and burned Catholics for conscience sake
and in the name Of the Lord. The faggot and the
stake were the instruments of conversion alternate
ly used on both sides, just as each happened to
have the ascendancy; and there are modern Chris
tians, who, like Mahomet, with the Koran in one
hand and the swerd in the other, would wieldthe
same appliances, if they had the power. This per.
secu,ion did not proceed from anything in the Pro
testant or Catholic religion, but from the want of
the spirit of true religion in the professors ofboth-
from the alliance of church with state, and
from the bad passions of in high places, veiled
under the garb of religious hypocrisy or fansta-
cism. The first country on the face of the globe
where religisus freedom was proclaimed, and prac.
ticay carried into effect, was the United States;
population had the proud distinction of giving an
example to the colonies and the rest of tho world.
This blessed example gradually prevailed over
the dark dogmas of persecution, and spirit
Of universal federation and Christian brother.
hood marked the first blow o. the Revolution.
A common danger and common interests, common
hopes and common fears, drew the hearts of the
colonsts together, and the hatchet Of religious dis
L.. Jse.~ k.,A III
Hughes, after lapse of more than eighty years of
tranquility.
ID was not for their religious toeraton alone that
the Catholics Of Maryland were distinguished.
They fought in the van of the Revolution, and their
blood mingled in one com mon stream with that Of
their Protestant brethren os every denomination
and the Catholics of the other colonies were equally
true to liberty and American independence. Charles
Carroll, Of Carrollton, among the bravest of the
brave, and sgner Of the Declaration of Indepen
dence, was Catholic. Other Catholics appended
their names to this Magma Charta. The sagest and
staunchest members Of the first Congress were
Catholics the most disting guished in the field, both
officers and rank and file, were Catholics; and the
names Of General Sullivan and other revolutionary
heroes OF his creed will never be forgotten by the
American people, till the records of their gallant
deeds are efaced from the page of history
Ever since that struggle resulted in the freedom
and independence of the country, the Catholic por
tion of the population have been among the best,
the most industrious, and most patriotic citizens Of
the United States. While other se,ts have OBJ
tanned . bad notoristy for the prominent part they
have taken in the anti slavery agitation the Catho-
lies have continued stesdfast to the compromises Of
the constitution, and have most relgousy observed
the obligatio Of that solemn covenant. They
are good and true republicans, and cordially har-
monise with their Protestant fsllow-countrymen.
They contribute, in a high degree, to the national
wealth and prosperity. Their clergy do not inter
fere in the political fsuis and faction hghts Of the
day. On the contrary, like true men of God, they
are too busily engaged in their sacred vocation.
Eminent Protestant divines at our anniversary
meetings in New York have borne ample testimony
to their zeal and success in the Far West where
they outstrip all competition, and the pioneers
Of civilization and religion, standing between the
darkness and the lghtthe food gates Of infdelity,
ignorance, and licentousness on one hand, and the
blessings Of Christianity on the othsr. The Catho-
lie Church has prospered ever sinse IL was planted
in this free soil, because 1t was brough. ba,k to
primitive Christianity, aud no, being entangled
by any corrupting connection with civil govern
ment, it has been kept pure, and is, therefore,
vigorous, energetic, and useful.
For all this, and for more that We have not emu
merated, the Catholic religion and ts ministers
honored and respected in thu land. The best proof
Of this, well as the most remarkable illustration
of the religious liberation that universally prevails,
is the fact that only three f,ur years ago. Arch
bishop Hughes himself invited TO preach before
Congress, the vast majority Of whose members did
not belong to the Catholic Church How did he
requte this liberaty, and this mark Of respect to
his religionl BY delivering secsarian discourse
that iasulted the religious feelings Of his audience,
and excited the deepest indignation. lie was never
invited since, and never will be again. We should
mention that on that occasion he got himself in
vited. What is his conduct now
A,chhishor C.rJ;nai o- pona uu1has Or ,vh.t-