Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-08-28
Religion and Politics.

There are two subjects, says the Bulletin
which should never be brought together. TIL,
one is altogether too holy and exalted--tot
pure and sublime-to be mixed up with parti
san strife and political d~emagoguesm. But, in
the present canvass, the atrociously proscrip
tive conduct of one of the States of the Union
which furnishes the Democratic candidate fol
the Presidency, in absolutely excluding Catho.
lies from public offices solely on account of
their religion, will necessarily bring the Ques.
ton before the people with greater or less pro-
minency.
Democratic New Ilampshire-the birthplace
and home of FRANKLIN PIERCE, whose friends
say his influence is all-powerful, that he is the
idol, the pride, the boast of his State--is the
only member Of the confederacy which ilnpo-
ses religious tests, which says to a man that he
shall not worship his God according to the die
tates of his own conscience, or the convictions
of his reason-which tells the Catholic that if
he does not ALLURE the religion of his fathers, he
shall not be eligible to offices of trust and hon.
Or! These are stubborn facts, and cannot be
explained away. They stand upon the record,
a blot upon New Hampshire and upon the whole
Union.
The following letter, upon this subject, is
clear and forcible. We trust, ere long, that
Democratic New Hampshire will be shamed in
to justice and federation. AS we entertain no
doubt Gen PIERCE will have plenty of leisure,
after the first Monday in November next, we
would suggest the propriety of starting a re-
form movement in his own State.
TO the Editors ofthe Rochester Daily American
GENTLEMEN: | perceive that strenuous efforts
are making to secure the Irish vote for the next
Presidential election.
| can assure you that the great body of the |
Irish adopted citizens will be no longer duped
by the barney of the Democratic party. The
Democratic faction is the faction Of lawful un-
constitutional moyements-its objects are to
if possible, the internal Improvements
of the country; it is unreasonable, revolutiona-
ry; it holds that government best which gov
erns the least; from which it follows that the
best government would be no government; and
t aims at securing to every man the right to do
wrong, whenever, wherever, and hoWeyer.he
nay choose.
Franklin Pierce is now the candidate put for
ward by the Democracy for the Presidency of
he Union. He is 4 native of New Hampshire,
lnder the constitution of which State Catholics
ire not eligible for State Offices. In Pierce's
State, observe that a Catholic is not qualified
o be a governor, lieutenant governor, Judge of
he State courts, or to hold any Office under the
ontrol of the State, nor, | believe, in the Iegis-
allure.
England is no more an enemy to the Cutho-
C population Of Ireland than the State of New
hampshire is to the Catholic citizens of the
United States. {
That State has a religious test act on her :
'atute book. excluding me and every other Ca :
lolic from the exercise of our rights as Amer {
AN citizens; and England, with her bequest,
ties, Maynooth, and other bills intended to
neck the growth Of our religion, with all her :
loral deprayity and prosecuting propensity,
as none worse against us. :
But am determined, as a Catholic, and as a
tizen of these United States, not to sustain, -
Their by my vote or influence, any man put +
inward by that State for public favors, as long 7
she holds that infamous act on her statute
ook, and thus attempts to degrade four mill u
MS of American citizens below all other class
because of their religion. I
remain yours, very truly, r
WILLIAM DUNN. Z
Rochester, July 10, 1852. L