The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-21
Archbishop Hughes n Religious Liberty.

Hall, on Monday evening, the Ssh OF March, the
Most Reverend Archbishop Hughes (not yet a Gar.
dna) viii deliver a lectu e, the Subject OF which
is 20 he " A storical exposition of Why the United
States ia conssitutionallJ neither Catholi, nor
Protestant country, but lard Of complete equality
in religion beore the law" Such is to be the sub
ject OF tire discOurse-and it is grea. subj ecL.
The ohit ct OF the lecture Is good object. IL Is
| announced that "the calls upon the excellent
NouFe CT Protection, uuder the care OF the Sisters
Of Mercy, in this city, have been very great during
the present. season." and that these devoted SIS.
ters who labor go efficiently and with 50 h.te
roe, have specisl need OF pecuaiary assistance At
/ the present timo" TIE benevolent societies os tae
Catholics such the Sisters OF Charity, aud the
Sisters Of Mercy--ccrstituts one OF the mos. bsanti
| ful, eonmerdGble. and attractive features of tho
church These Sisters, in ell countries, under all
/ Circumstance -smorg the dead and dying On tbs
battle Geld, snidst Tho infection of plague and
cholera hospitals, in the deepest and darkest len5
Of poverty end 6egradation-ars the Einiscsng
argels TO human suffering, "sSithcut money ant
without price" other than their faith aud hone Ia
glorious reward ia the Kingdom Of Heaven. The
ohjsct Of This proposed ecsaro, then, being tho sup
! ply ef " financial and material aid" to the Sisters
Of Mercy We give il the full benefit Of our columns
also free Of charge with the view Of giving to the
Arohbisbop's be evolent intention the advantage
Of Iniyerssl circulation aIserg all c1eeia ana
classes OF society.
Some practical philosopher has said that clean
conscience and thin pair Of brooches will carry a
man safely through the world. With clean con-
science, and pantaloons according to the season,
now proceed to the subject OF the Archbishops APP
Pointed discourse The object Will speak for Itself.
II ought to I'LL and doubtless will I'LL, the house
With benevolent audience, and the treasury box
OF the bene6ciares with solid cash. Wo therefore
| proceed to passing remark or two on the sub
jsct Of The lecture for the eighth Of March.
The theme Of he Archbishop ia to be historical
argument showing why the United States is %
land q complete equality Of religion before tho
law" Ii is q magnificent theme; and his Grace
may be confidently expected 10 handle I. ia mas
| tegly style. Ftcm his views, heretofore expressed
or The same general subject, we may partially
ticipate the drift Of his argument in this cese. IL
is, however, not essential to our purpose TO d. So
But tie subject offers its own sugge stions, which,
in view Of the present condition of the church, saa
Of al churches in this country, and ia all countries
al Ito present time, will justify passing review.
The debates in the convention which framed our
federal constitution, show that there WAS very lit
tie difficulty il that body in establishing the pra-
ciple Of religious, well civil liberty, part
Of the fundamental lag. And we arprehsnd that
this great concession is DUE net much to the DIFF
fculties Of adopting established religion. from
TIC experience in the history Of other nations, OF
the acompa.ibili.y, and the mpossibi,ity. OF ds.
mocIatic republican system based upon the JUNG
tion Of Church and State. This. We suppose, was
the great fact to which we indebted FOR The &c
lgious freedom erjoyed by the people Of tho United
| States Had the great mass Of the pic in that
day been Catholics, or had they been Of any par.i
| cuar Protestant sect, there il no telling what
might have been the consequence. Tho very exist
cnce Of go many diverse societies Of Pro.astants
doubtless rendered .hem incapable Of concerto al,
tion against the Catholics, while the Catholics,
from the minority IN which they stood, as opposed
to all tho Protestant scots, wee, from policy, rs
well as from any other motives, dispossi to make
| the general compromise Of equal liberty to all
But, If are 20 take the acts and history OF tao
early colonists Of this country as evidence of what
would have been the established religion had they
respectively possessed the power to appoint IT, thsn
do the Catholic colons.s stand il tee front rank as
the pioneers Of religious freedom The Roundheais
Of New England would, doubtless, have fastened
their peculiar .encts upon the government, with all
4
been as potential throughout the Union as in Mas
sachuse.ts AID Connecticut. The Cavaliers Of
Virginia, from their persecution oftac Catholics and
| certain eec.s CT Protestant dssenters. with the
power to do it, would probably havef1corporated
tho rubIic ofihe Church Of England With tic 70
desal contribution. The Kuiokerbockois Of Ncg
| York, in like maDror, might. hare crgrafsod the
doctrines Of the Lusherans With the principles Of
in fho h,na ',Ysu, Al
Quakers might have ordained universal drab
color, and the wearing Of hats in church, rs tho
symbols OF orthodoxy; while i: is possible that n,
Huguerots Of South Carolina would hare rotaliated
upon the Catholics, in en- act similar TO the rsvo
cation Of the Edo. Of Nantz. And yet, nc main
tain that we arc not SO much indebt ID 10: religious
liberty in the United States to he impossibbty OF
adopting any particular creed as ve are to tho en-
lghsencd spirit of early statesen in opprec.Gt.
ing tie absolute posRbility Of mixing Church and
state Together, il free, ,reseItative and Tcpub
lican government.
No.Tiiha,aldirg this elementary satlamsat Of
he question, 70 expect Archbishop Hughes .il
advert to the religious liberation practised By tho
Catholic refers Of Maryland, il contrast ait5 tie
pc7fecutioDs which blur the history CT several Of
tho Protestant. colonies, particularly the carly
Puritan settlers Of Plymouth in New England.
iud zen uoy he boast Ct thig ds!ing 4sting
fcatrro Of Catholic colonial history Taa co!aD;sts
under Lad Baltimore lGrdcd IN MaTylcn3 in
1894 lie laid Ito foundations Of lis province
IN lie broad ba,is Of f.caJ.ty % proreyty
md cf freedom il religion; graatse, ID abso,aso
| &c, ify acres q land 70 every en,gaas all
sa.ablshi5g Christianity agrceab to thu Ill con,
non l,w, ofnl.~A tia paIt, without loving pro-
crgivrrcc Ii nv tefl1ag sect flre ~ ! -