Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-08-04
FOR TIE ADVERTISER

very offensive extract from the Herald left him not
without some color Of excuse, for feeling and c1-
pressing himself strongly. But in candour, permit
me to assure you, that do moi approve the Ian
guage or the tone Of the Miseellany's corrcspon-
dent.
do hope, after little reflection, that you will
not consider the righteousness Of single ind-
vdual, to be sufficient justification, for the terrible
imputation upon the Catholic Church, which your
editorial contnins. am sure your innate love Of
justice, is too great TO allow you, after mature re-
ncction TO give uttcrancc to an opinion, so deeply
injurious to many of your fellow-citizens, without
dcmonstrativc proof Of the truth Of that opinion.
The assertion Of which complain, is contained in
the following extract from your editorial:
" And but short train of reflection brings us TO
the assertion, that believe the hour, wirl, shall
see Roman Catholic prcponderncc in America,
will ring the death kncll of>civil liberty"
We should remember in treating religious qucs-
tions, particularly when opinions are to 60 forth
to the world, never to permit ourselves to view its
great interests, through the medium Of our pre- u
diccs. "Truth ncvcrhows from the pen, that pre-
judicc guides" There is no Shield cffrctual, ip
rendering the heart Of man impcnetrable to its
rays. You are aware, that there is no tide in hu-
man afars SO dfheult to stem, as the tide Of popu-
lar prejddicc, when once fairly sci in motion and
you must have been aware, that nothing was better
calculated to kndlc the Aan,csof popular prejudice
against the Catholic Church, than the above extract
If the opinion be true, it is certainly strong pre-
sumpiire evidence against the truth of the Catholic
Religion; but if it should be false, as conscicn-
tinusly believe it to be, then, you must allow that
certain portion of the responsibility attaches to you,
for contributing to darken the medium, through
which Catholic truth, at besti is but too dimy secn
by our Protestant friends. You hang veil before
the eyes Of thosc who mghE otherwise come to the
light.
beg you not to infer, from, the above remarks,
thai Ihc ,Gtsih> tire figHr;E5 .ar from IT. nurHmg
delights her more, than toy ave her principles and
doctrines calmly investigated by te light Of impair
.ial history. 1t is true shl sometimes complains,
when she hears those fearful Judgments pronounced
against her, upon information derived frum books,
and mi,rcprcsentcd, in every possible shape and
form but even then. her complaints, when her
Catholic heart speaks out, arc uttered more in sor.
row than in anger. She always admitted and IL
ready to admit now, that she has bad members
within her old,-memhers, who have produced
much evil, and very great scandal. But the tares
must grow among the wheat, until the harvest shall
come. These scanduls however, have never been
produced by conformity with her teaching, but
always in palpablc violation of it.
Although may not be able to change your opin.
ion, as to the inconpatbility Of the Catholic Church
with civil liberty, yet hope to be able TO incline you
seriously, to question the validity Of the reasons by
which you have been lead to adopt that opinion.
know but one method, by which We can with GER
tanty test the truth of -FOUR opinion, and that is by
principles Of civil liberty, out Of which the frame
work of our political institutions have been con-
structcd and also, into the origin of those whole
some laws, b. which our social wel-bcine il So.
cured. am inclined to think, that you would find
it somewhat difficult 10 point out single y(unda-
mental principle Of cirl liberty ,chich Protcsfnn-
tism has furnished to the ,rorld IF there he such
principle frankly confess my ignorance Of it,
and wait to be enlightened.
Representative Government, as well rs the pril,-
ciple that asserts the connection between taxation
and representation, VIC certainly derive from the
Catholics.
The trial by Jnry which is said to be the pal
laiium of civil liberty, is of Catholic origin.
Magma Chnrfa, that great bill Of rights, which
cmbodirs the leading principles of British and
American liberty, was drawn up by Catholic Car
dinal, STErnEH D. LAseTos
The independence of the Judiciary and the
Common lar, which is said to be by far the best
portion of our Jurisprudence, are both Of Catholic
origin These great leading principles of civil libcr-
ty, originated in a Catholic Country, where the
Catholic Church was all predominant They ger
minated, grew and attnincd to their maturity under
Catholic Civilization and Catholic Education in a
soil where tlIc people were not less distinguished
for their devotion to the Catlnlic Religion, than for
their heroism in defence Of their liberties.
Now if the Catholic Church is so exceedingly
inimca TO cvi! liberty, Us to be ready to ring it's
death knc' at the very first hour that she obtains
"prepondcrancc in the country" how can you
explain the fact, that at time when she had no
rival and acted without restraint, that she did not
crush these principles in their very gcrm7 Why
did she foster and cherish them in her bosom
Why did she suffer them to grow up under the
shadow of her wings, Mt time, when she mgh,
lave acted out her instructive rcpugnancc and hos
tily towards them, without let or hiudcrancc2 II
Your opinion be true, her conduct was utterly mex
picable. The truth is, as the great Dr. JOHNSON
says "No Church has ever been so monstrously
slandcred." The only excuse for the unfavoraJlc
opinion, which our people entertain of the Catholic
Church, is to be found in the fact, that VIC know
nothing of her, save as she has been presented to
Ms through British history and British literature,
which so fur as the Catholic Church is concerned,
as some one says, have been for the last three hun
drcd years, little else, than one grand conspiracy
against the truth, and need to be rewritten from,
original documents" 1t has been one mighty |
effort Of human genius TO furnish plausible prctex,s,
for tho robbcries, butchercs, and other cnormes,
pcrpctrated BY the British Government agninst the