The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-30

does not afford the information IL will be taken as
confessed by him that he has none to give. wish
will see what we will see." With great respect,
your obedient servant, JOSIAH. Polk.
WAshINGruN CRY, July %, 1851
+. S.-The letter was prepaid, and mailed on
the 9Th July.
WASHINGTON, July 9, 1851.
To the Most Rev'd JOHN HUdHEs, ID. ID,
Archbishop of New York:
Mosr REVEREND SrR;-
In your spesch at the Liverpool dinner, as re.
ported In tue 4Nrc York Herald, of the 9Th June
last, you are represented as having said. in re-
Spouse to a toast complimentary OF the United
States for their principles of religious freedom that
whenever there IL a controversy between a Catho-
lie ana Protestant, the Protes ant is sure to claim
rehsloSs freedom as acry that is popular, aud. of
right, belongs to his side. 30 far as the United
States are concerned, must quality the cry very
aeh ana Wiii tell you how religious freedom oc-
Cured there. When they came
TO think they had lived long enough to set ap
Keeping for themselves, they met aud. among other
things the question ofrelision came up and do you
know why they have religious freedom! Because
they could not agree ON any one relgioa that shoad
be predominant" Deeming this An IN history,
| was on the point of sending denial of the trut1
of the statement to the press, and call upon
you for your historical vouchers, or a public
acknowledgment of the error; but, on sec Jnd
thought, concluded taat man of your character,
learning, and position in society, would not, on
such an occasion-representiRg himself, too at the
same time, TO be fortified with good deal of read
ing-make sucn broad, definite, and unqualified
assertion, without some foundation. | resolved
therefore, AZ the more proper and spectful course
and such u one as would that Others should pursue
towards me, to make respectful private applica-
tion for your historical references your reply TO
which might save you from the annoyance OF being
arraigned without cause before the pub e. n. an
egregious blunderer in reference To the reu yjous
hi tory OF our government, in a statemel. diayl-
raging to our people, and myself the m0r.idea.iOl
TO had had ma Sc g. lud.ess accusation against
an innocent person. Moreover, you may not have
been Cor. reported.
], a. SO TO have looked q good deal into
the b .o.y OBJ. our government; bat have never
seer Id the Proceedings Of the convention that
form lie constitution, of any OF those of the
States Tor ITS ratif cation, in the proceedings of
any State convention, that the question of religion,
as represented by you, was ever )oted at all But
have not read everything and, il you right,
will esteem 1T favor to be informed when and
where il was done.
Furthermore, you say: 'To this day | never
found single instance where Protestantism granted
religion. freedom where it was in its power to with
hold it,"
Now, will be obliged, most reverend sir. if YOU
will inform me by what means you arrive at the
that the States Of New York, Rhode
Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Mary
land, &c. &c.-for all must be embraced in your
sweeping remark-never had Protestant power suf-
fcient to withhold religious freedom! Has not
every State Of this Union, even now, the power
the people see fit to exert ito make Protestant
ism predominant, and to drive every other religion
thence as efiectualy as Protestantsm is driven from
and kept from Rome By the bayonet and the Inqui-
'ition Has not any-even the smallest-of the
nited states, the Protestant power now, and when
had they not this power, only as restrained by con-
situations made by voluntary Protestant power-to
be as intolerant as North Carolina once was, rs
Massachusetts ever was, and a. New Hampshire, or
sweden, tho Emperor of Russia, or even the Pope
OF Rome himself, is now! And pray, what earthly
power prevents this but their own superior regard
Tor equal rights What, but voluntary Protestant
power, engrafted into the constitution Of Maryland
now just gono into operation, an article of universal
toleration-for the first time, too that such freedom
Of religion was ever granted to the people of Mary.
and since the date Of the charter to Lord Batimorci
Sir, you are unjust to your foster other-he land
of your adoption-which has received and cherished
you and your adverse religion, when she could have
excluded both with as much propriety a. Mexico
md some OF the South American States excluded
Protestantism, and Jesuitism, and foreigners, or
IS Louis the Fourteenth drove the Protestants
rom France. You are ungrateful, sir Be not
'fended at my plain speech; intend no offence;
'ut am "a plain, blunt man, and speak right on"
'ut endeavor to treat all with equal courtesy,
Without assimilation. In short, / am q democrat
an advocate Of equal rights, everywhere, for ALL
nd, OK course, according to your own showing,
our aith cannot be the faith for me, for you say
that same dinner speech-your religion sis not
emocrstic; and for my own part, eechew all
elgous faith that is not democratic for II IL not
emocratie, II cannot DO the faith Of the universal
'hurch OF Christ. ! do not say Of Rene.
do not wonder that you should adhere TO the
rror that Maryland, ~ n Catholic colony, per.
litted religious freedom, when 90 many historians
eighted with so strange fiction, have, one after
mother, regularly posted it up for the world to
IS been rcfuted and pu. 70 rest, long ago.
Did IL never occur 70 you, most reverend cir az
ny strange thing, when rejecting on this Maryland
Iteration, that Protetant king should grant 4
arter Tor colony toa Roman Catholic lord pro-
etary, and in the midst, too, Of Protestant colo
es, with authority to exclude the exercise Of the
rotestant religion the established religion of the
u gdom-within that colony Read the charter,
:, and you will find no such authority, but the
'hIary III. then, there was no power TO prohibit
which Is the fact--wheren consists the merit Of
armitting religious freedom TO the limited extent
lat IL wa, permitted
Again you say:-''l,sme never had but one rcli.
on, and for whom would they make religious
eedoml The Roman people d. not desire IL;
icy have never petitioned for it,"
he same might be said Of Japan and China,
I'd other places, before missionaries went among
em. japan, like Rome. will now admit no mis-
onaries. If you do not justify this in Japan,
l'her can you with proprety justify /: in the
ope. If you make the distinction that Japan is
pagan darkness, and you would carry to them
e hgLt Oi the gospel. may bot Protcstants reply
at, IN Their view, the condition o: Rome is but
tie better |
But why Is Il that "the Roman people DO no, de-
e religious FREEDOM . Why is IL that "they
We 10. petitioned FIR 1t = The cause IL the sane
nsrever such state Of things exists. II Is the
in the ruler. Il the spirit Of despo,-
u, injustice, tyranny, which l. ever at var with |
right OF msn-s spirit which every Christian
ist depfecste, must d. tcst, alike, wherever IL
ists, whether In Rome, or in Japan, or in sweden,
cause u Il the spirit Of sn,christ. But why do |
: the Roman people petition their ruler for re-
ious freedom Perhaps, A. you say, they do not
ire IL. They do net wish 10 be permitted 10
TX, and to express their thoughts as they NAV
ft. But, whether this be so or not, You we'll
tw, most reverend sir, that II they desired II ever
srdently, they burst not ask L. They could
do Il with IMMUNITY. II they dare even
cherish such thought, and the thought
nspire, you know, sir, they are met at once with
hown OF The INCLUSION, and ell the dreadful
ay Of Imprisonment and torture. Why has /.
Tome never had but one religion - You know. ! .
that no one has ever been permitted, since the
nth century, TO have any other religion than tina,
!, ard TO enjoy equal rights and Liberties with !
sc Of that faith. Allow the people OF Rome the =
&c liberty that We enjoy remove all the re-.
int Of foreg armies, and prosecutions for teach.