The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-25
NO. 900

18th the father of lies; and lam sure, sr, that
,au would hardly expect the Pope to go 80 lar
pos;des as a Temporal Prince, he knows the
horrors of civil war which have desolated other
nonntries. springing out of the ambitions OF
.Lg;o,ts seets, each struggling for political as
155ancv in the State But, besides all this,
~ Lno,Ss that il is fundamental article OF the
p.atostant religion to believe that he is Anti
hist Liberty of conscience therefore IN
,.o,,r sense. would require that the Pope should
become directly party to the introduction oil
ororv species of error and impiety, and the
orerihr0w of his own authority both as lem
noral Prince and Sovereign Pontiff"
MIR. Hughes, it is seen, endorses the entire
nolicy of the Pope in relation to Professionalism,
and assigns such reasons as convict him OF
radical hostility to religious and civil liberty
What is this policy! The public worship
Of Pedestrians is forbidden in Rome. The
American chapel in which American Protest
ants were allowed to worship, las special
mark of favor to Mr. Cass who had rendered
the Pontff some service,) has lately been
closed Should any of our Protestant citizens
now attempt public worship in Rome, they
would be dispersed by the soldiery; and If
they persisted in the attempt, be imprisoned,
or otherwise punished The circulation of
Protestant books as well as publications which
the Pope may pronounce infdel, is prohibited
under severe penalties. No man is at liberty
to propagate any opinions repugnant to the
Catholic religion and the late work of DR.
Achilli shows clearly enough the severe pen
alties incurred by Catholic priests as teachers
who embrace Protestant opinions. The Papal
policy then, is the Policyof coercing Conscience
IL is the same policy which in other times kin
died the fagot and piled the damnable tor
lures of the Inquisiton; and the deliberate
attempt of the Pope now to enforce it in Italy,
in Spain, and wherever his power is strong
enough to carry it into effect shows that Po-
perry is the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever.
1t is this policy which Mr.. Hughes, standing
as the head of the Catholic Hierarchy in the
United States boldly maintains and vindicates
in all its parts and, if possible, the grounds on
,,.I,if ,s4-'y.,Do tS..scs-. ~Uas. s,'~
tends the Nrapal rohcy in Rome, NOT as excep-
tional and necessary, but as absolutely right.
Let us examine them
The Pope interdicts the public worship of
Professionals Incorporation of Protestant opin-
ions, the circulation of Protestant books and
Furnishes apostacy from The Catholic Faith
Mr.. Hughes says he is right, and on these
grounds:
l. AS Spiritual Head of the Catholic
Church on Earth he is bound to preserve the
Revelation which has Christ for it's author"
Mr.. Hughes then holds that the Christian
Revelation is to be preserved by penal laws
against Professionalism and Skepticism and, as
the remark is without limitation, this method of
preserving Christianity is applicable in all
countries, urhers the Pope has the po,0er TO Sc
cure the passage and execution Of such lars.
Gas the Spiritual Head of the Catholic
Church." all its parts must be equally precious
in his eyes-the Church in America having as
imperative claims upon his paternal care as
the Church in Rome-so that if he does not
attempt " to preserve the Revelation of which
Christ is the author" by penal laws in Amer
lea, it is simply because he has not the power,
and not because he disclaims the right and has
no inclination.
2. "To encourage opposition to that religion,
(Christ's Revelation, as held by the Catholic
Church,) would be to take sides with the father
of lies"
In the judgment of Mr. Hughes, to repeal
all prohbtory laws against Protestantism--n
other words, to recognise the right of every
person to worship as he pleases, or not worship
at all or to hold what opinions he pleases re-
specting Christianity, and to propagate them
is to encourage opposition to that religion.
And yet he processes in this same letter to be
steadfast friend of the Constitution and laws
of this country, which forbid the passage of
all such prohibitory statutes, and guaranty
this very right-ay, and this feature of our
institutions he glories in! What! Glory in
encouragement to lrrelgon and Infidelity
All! MIR. Hughes, give you and your hierarchy
the ascendency here, as the Pope has in Rome,
and your creed would at once assume cohe-
rent expression That, in which you now glory.
would be your adherence; in imitation of the
policy of your Supreme Pontiff, you would
marvel at the audacity of the man who should
call upon you to allow the public worship of
Protestants and the propagation of their opin-
IONS as if you could for a moment think of
encouraging opposition to Religion.
3. ASS temporal prince, he knows the horrors |
OF war springng out of the antagonism of re-
hgious sects each struggling for political as
tendency; and as spiritual ruler, he knows |
that the fundamental article of the Protestant |
creed is, to believe that he is Antichrist |
Therefore heis justified in interdictng Protest
antism, because, to allow it, would be to en-
courage civil war and impiety-the overthrow
OF his authority, both as a temporal prince and
sovereign Pontih. 1t follows as logical in
ference that wherever the Pope has power or
or influence enough, it is his duty, for the pur-
pose OF preventing error and impiety and the
overthrow of his authority as Sovereign Pom.
tlfi, to prohibit Professionalism in other words,
to coerce conscience.
Now, what does the boosted religious liberty
OF MIR. Hughes amount to? Precisely this
liberty for Catholics to hold, avow, practice.
and propagate their faith everywhere, whether
they be a minority or majority, wherein we
agree with him. and liberty for Professionals 10
DO the same, uher they cannot be prevented
II the Catholic Church be so much in the as-
cendant as to enforce the exclusion of Protest
ants, without hazarding its own safety, it is
bound to exclude Them else it is guilty of en-
couraglng heresy impety, civil strife, rreligion.
Where such policy would involve danger