New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-10

free enjoyment of their own religion here,
not because they are Two, Three or Five
Millions not because the frat American
Colony that recognized Religious Liberty
was founded by Catholics; not because
Catholics fought for Liberty in the Ameri-
can Revolution nor even because the Fed
eral Constitution recognizes and secures
Religious Freedom but because such Free
dom is naturally, absolutely, eternally, the
proper birthright of all human beings, and
only overborne in any case by usurpation
and wrong. This country is not land Of
Religious Equality for Protestants and
Catholics only, hut for Hebrews, Mormons,
Mohamedans, Deists, Atheists and Idolaters
as well, no matter whether their ancestors
fought in the Revolution or not.
When, therefore, the Archbishop urges
that Protestants have prosecuted and do
persecute Catholics, we at once concede
the fact and confess the shame. They did
and do wrong, Rev. Archbishop hold them
up to merited oblOquy; but take care that
your own Church, which is old enough and
big enough to know better, shall set them
wholesome example! They plead her in-
tolerance as provocation and excuse for
theirs-we admit no such excuse do you
deny the provOcation? Above all, do you
now affirm the right of every man to wor-
ship God as his own conscience shall die
tate! Why is this vital question so eau
tiously avoided? Is not this case of what
the poet terms expressive silence -
What are we to make of such paragraph
as this
at is stated by one of our historians that, at the
commencement OF the Revolutionary War, except
in the city of Penn, there hardly another place
in the Colonies In which, by authority OF the land
Catholic priest could celebrate mass. Now there is
no law against it anywhere. In view OF this won.
derful change it may be- indeed IL has been, asked,
why Catholics in America do not procure, or at least
petition for similar alterations of the laws in favor
of PTotestants such countries as Italy, SPAIN Per-
tugal' This in my opinion, is very silly question.
Catholics in America have no more to DO with the
Civil Governments OF Italy, Spain and Portugal,
than they have TO do with those Of England Russia,
swered by putting to those who ask 1t another
lust as silly Why do you ProtestaRts no! induce
En- gland and the Protestant States OF Northern Ed
rope to initiate the example OF this country, and
abolish all legislation Oh the subject OF religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereofP"
sam my brothers keeper was the in
dignant response of Cain to what he doubt
less esteemed ga very silly question" The
spirit of the Archbishop is manifestly the
same. If he really desired the establish
ment of Religious Freedom in Italy, Spain
and Portugal, he would not regard the sub
ject as ole SO utterly foreign to American
Catholics. We venture to say that the
Archbishop himself might exert very po-
tent influence in favor of Religious Liberty
in Europe, especially in Rome, if he only
chose to do so. That city is the constant
resort Of many intelligent, educated, devout
Protestants, who would highly esteem the
privilege of worshiping God therein with
out let or hindrance. Let our Archbishop
but urgently demand this of the Papal Gov
ernment, and we feel confident that his in
fiuence would suffice to carry it !; and, though
his promotion to the Cardinalate might thus
be postponed, We feel very sure that his
place in the eternal mansions would not
thereby be lowered.
We do not esteem the query he pro.
pounds with regard to Protestants in Eu-
rope and America "a silly question" by
any means. We have done what little we
could to expose and rebuke the denial of
equal rights by Protestants to Catholics in
Europe, especially in Ireland. We do not
know any region under Protestant rule
where Catholics are absolutely denied the
rights Of public worship, as Protestants are
in Papal Italy ant. Spain but we.condemn,
and have always condemned, the minor
measures of persecution resorted to by
Protestants, such as the exaction of 1.-THE,
the Ecclesiastical Titles bill, &c. They
are .an alike wrong in principle, unjust and
pernicious in practice, and deserving of the
severest apprehension. And we say that
the influence Of American Protestantism
has been felt, is now felt, in Great Britain,
and wherever else that influence is felt at
all, in the s0ftening and gradual abolition Of
such prosecuting statutes. Individual Prot
estants are often bigots and prosecutors /;
but Professionalism cannot prosecute without
convicting itself of fundamental falsehood.
- Is it so also with Catholicism! We
would gladly believe so ; yet the Archbish-
ops discourse is not calculated to give the
needed assurance. Yet why should he not
give it Hearken to his praises of Rsli-
gious Freedom in America
"The moral Of the remarks have made IL they
have any, should be, in my Judgment that no pre-