Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-07-29
Politics and Religion.

1t commences:
NIsapprehension exists in some quarters as
to the religious belief of General Scott. Such
, matters should find no place among the topics Of
Presidential election but The Wigs hare intro
ottce4 them into the present contest Of parties by
attempting to array our Catholic citizens against
General Pierce because of the Catholic disability
clause in the New Hampshire constitution, to
which he is known to be earnestly opposed"
The first that we ever knew of such charge
or that any one has ever been able to bring to our
view, was the publication in Democratic paper
of Cincinnati, Of communication from "a
Foreigner and Catholic" This communication
may possibly have been copied into some Of our
Wing papers-though Of that we arenot certain
when George NJ. Dallas, of Philadelphia, took it
up as u Wing charge-which was not true-and
attempted to rcfute it by stigmatzing Tie Wings
| Of Rhode bland-( the minority !)-as the enemies
Of religious liberty in Rhode Island Where.
upon the National Intelligencer brought out the
record and proved that the Wigs sustained, and
The Democrats opposed, Tie repeal Of the miserable
Catholic-proScribing clause The Democratic press
came promptly to the relief of Dallas and Pierce
but all they could ever venture upon asserting
was that, in this contest between freedom and
oppression, General Pierce had uotcd scih tie
Wigs!
But the Union says the Wings have introduced
religion into the present contest of parties
General Scott has been most shamelessly belied
respecting the orders he issued in Mexico for the
protection Of the peoplein the observance of their
religious rites. The republication of his order
on that subject has proved but another chaplet to
his fame; when, 10 the Union discovers that he
| deserves no credit whatever for such an order,
having received his instructions from a Demo
cratic administration. Is this not too contempt
| ible?
The Union further says: General Scott him
self announced, in his letter on general politics.
written in 1871, that he was by birth and edu-
cation a Protestant; and it is aOeH known that his
birth and education lure left rery married and de-
cidcd results on his religious beliet.'
This is a strange admission for the Union to
make: for, though true, it is u direct contra
diction of all the Union has ever said 1.-THE Gen
eral since he became candidate for the Pres-
dency. General Scott was born and educated in
the sunny South; he married in the State of his
birth the estimable and accomplished lady who
is now amongst us, and who is ere long to grace
the Executive Mansion in that State-the Old
Domnon-he commenced his career as a lawyer
and as citizen oft he received his first military APP
pointmcnt; andin it are his chief family and social
relations. And yet the Union believes it impossi-
bic for him to hold any other convictions than
those hostile to every interest of the South
How can the Union think man would SO rev.
olutonize all his early impressions and convic-
tons on one subject, and yet be able to assure
the world that " his birth and education hare LEFT |
yeyy marked and decided results on his religious be-
Hcf2" We, in our folly, have asked this question
but we fear it will require the exercise of all the
wisdom of the Union to answer it.
The Union gives expression to the following
noble sentiments
"0ur government has nothing to do with re-
Ggious belief 1t gives peculiar privileges and
imposes unequal burdens on none. All are equally
entitled to its protection, and each is left to
commend itself to the reverence of the people by
the character of its creed and the purity of its
practices"
This is true of our general government, and it
is true Of every State government in the republic,
with q single exception. Does the Union not
know of that exception? Did it not know of it
when it put forth the above? When it first an
nounced the nomination of General Pierce, it
eulogized to the skies the sterling Democracy Of
New Hampshire. The I" Life Of Pierce" with
which the shelves of bookstores are flooded,
says, chap l, page 10:
Frank Pierce sprung from Democratic fam
lily. He inherited Democracy with his birth-it
| flows in his blood-it has spoken in every act Of
his life-it has tinged and shaped his whole char
acter. He was bred in the midst of Democracy
and in a State that neUcr abandoned tie great princi
Piles Of Thomas JefrSon."
Thus enlightened, we cannot be at loss to
comprehend what kind of Democrat General
Franklin Pierce is lie is a New Hampshire
Democrat hereditary Democrat Jefferso.
MAN Democrat n Granite Democrat! If we must
judge him by the associations of his life, in which
he is said to sympathize so deeply, he is Catho-
Representing Democrat.
Now, for our own part, if it is indeed true that
General Pierce voted with the Wings on this
question Of religious freedom, our affections will
be drawn all the closer around him; and in tho
hope that he has-that he has lifted himself up
out Of the degradation and putrcscence Of New
Hampshire religion prosecuting Democracy, we
beg our opponents not to permit his fortunes to
depend in any degree upon "he Democracy
not to preach to us the doctrine that the merits
Of this disgraceful illiberality and prescription
arc to be accounted works Of supcrerogation to be
transferred to his account General Pierce is q
gentleman Of many qualities adapted to win our
affection and favor-though not sufficient to win