The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-07

, | #t.... No. B.
WAsHINarOM March 81 1850
TIKI "aIyLY QUEsr1ON"-rHls ~ A PpOrRrr A Nv
COUNTTY-rHB contribution AND aovHvNMHNr
PROTEST ANr-BQuALrrY or RIGHTS TO ALIENS, A
| GRANT, HC.-hItirARY SERviCE3 OF CATHOLICS
| --LIBEpTY SECURE ONLY IN A MULTIPLICITY or
sEcPs, 6o.-TOLERATION PROTESTANT oaAnr--
| EQUIvOKn or ARCHBSHOH HUGHES, AU.
| Mr.. BENNETT: -
In reference TO the religious liberty onIoyod by
Roman Catholics in this country Archbishop Hughes
says --s' 1t has been asked why Catholics In Amor
ca do not procure, or at lens petition for similar al
teraons Of tho laws in favor OF Professionals, In such
countries as Italy. Spain, and Portugal" Ho thinks
this, no says, "a very silly qucston"-as " CaJh0-
los in America have no more to do with the OWL
| governments Of Italy, Spain, aud Portugal. than
they have to DO with those Of England Russia, or
| Turkey"
Well. if they have nothing to do with The civil
| governments they have something TO do with tho
| spirtual-all, in this rospoct, having the same
| head, and the church Roman Catholic being one.
Might not then, tho momber Of shst church in this
country, without being guilty of understandable in
terference AJAX the spiritual head of their church,
whom they may always approach 9s common IA
ther to use his influence with at least tho sovereign
/ rulerof the Papal Stato5-and which, owing to their
intimacy, and tho friendly relations suhsisting be-
| tween the two, wo might suppose would be consid-
| erable-towards the accomplishment Of tho object
in hs own domain What objection c,n tho archbsh-
opbaye to this! True, II would not bs doing much.
| but it would be better than nothing. The effort
might indeed most probably would BE-, unsuccessful.
The Pope might tell them he had no influence with
the temporal soycreigns Of the Papai States much
less with any othcreven his prot eotor Louis Napo
tcon--and that az spiritual head OF tho church, he
could not With propricty interfcrc with the civil
| ruler at Rome Such might be the result Of the
applications: still, though nothing AZ all should DO
effected, the effort would manifest liberal DISPOSE
tion-a sympathy for those who deprived by des-
pocpower of the freedom ofspeech, and Of the press,
and Of thought and Of conscience and would evince
Also proper appreciation OF that perfect liberty
they here enjoy; and it would prove Also to tbor
Protestant fellow citizens that they do not merit the
degrading accusation OF being friendly to equal
rights only whero ProteStants preiomnatc. And
should the Pope give such answer above is sup
posed think they might quite confound His
holiness by putting this question 70 him-When
did the Pope ronquish his claim 20 absolute autho-
conclusively established by Gregory VII Ho
might, however, coniound them with this worry
sapcnt rcply--"My children you ask very lilly
question" But the Archbishop says he might
answer that silly question Chat which he says
ask it another Just as silly Why do you Protestants
not induce England and the Protestant state, of
Northern Europe to initiate the example Of this
country &c. It might be replied to the arohbi
shops guestion:f the Professionals Of this country
bore the relation to the heads of the churches
of those countries that The Roman Catholics here
bear to the head of the churches IN italy SPAIN and
Portugal, it would unquestonaby be commcndable
in hem to make application for that object. Sup
pose for instance that before tho American revolu-
ton members OF tile Inufcl OF England Mary
land, or in tho colonies generally, had presented to
the head of their church respectful memorial and
argument, in favor Of equal rights to Catholics
civil and religious-thronshout the empire, would
Archbishop Hughes denominate that silly thing
| But there i, not the slightest analogy now between
the Protestants of this country in their relation to
| the head Of the Church Of England and the Roman
Catholics in thor relation to the Pope Of Rome. But
the Professionals here who are in the habit OF petition
ing the head Of their church-Jesu3 Christare worry
reniss if they do not regularly anu earnestly
treat him to besow on Roman Catholics everywhere
THAT liberty whcrewith he makes hs people
free"
He says that this is "neithcra Catholic ora proes-
tant country. II is land Of religious freedom and
equality; and, hope, that in this respect ii shall
remain just what it now is TO the latest posterity'
For the moment when he wro that sent forgot
New Hampshire, OF doubtless no woxld have madc
slight reservation She must still stand an in
dex Tor both Catholics and Protcstants-to Catho-
lies, to show them that, while they rejoice that this
is a land of religious freedom aad equality they
must not forget that for these things they are in
debted to the re will of the Protestant people Of
the States and are dependent on the same Tor their
continuance; and to Protestants, to warn them Of
the possibilityand without constant yigiiance and
exerton the probability-of their own dependence.
at some future day, for tile blessings,
| Hgious sect which never have allowed freedom and
| equality where they could withhold them with inn
| punity
know that this last assertion is controyerted bv
| the archbishop, who. in his letter to Mr. Greeley
| refers to France, and Belgium. and Bavaria, as
| Catholic countries allowing equality Of civil and
religious liberty to Proesants and he referred also
| to the proprietary government Of Maryland, which
| allowed the same. But, few persons are Ignorant
Of the fact that in France, Potcstants indebted
for the imperfect liberty they have enjoyed there to
the nide part of the population in Belgium to
| Protestant King and the influence of the British
| Empire; and in Bavaria, to Mrs Head C.ola
Montes); and am credibly informed, that since
| her expulsion and the reinforcement Of King Lewis
| by the Jesuits, Protesants have ceased to enjoy
| equality of rights-both civil and regous--in Ba-
| varia. | will advert to Maryland in the sequel.
| Countries take religious denominations from the
| numerical superiority OF sects. Thus. France and
Belgium, and Bavaria, are properly enough termed
| Catholic countries, because Roman Catholics are
| much more numerous there than Protcstants. Ma
ryland, when first settled, Tor the same reason
called Roman Catholic colony; and when the
| PTotesants became the more numerous, il became
| Protestant And 80 the Kingdoms Of England. Swe
! den, Denmark and Prussia, and also the United
States, are, tor the same reason Protestant coun-
| tres-the very learned argument of the archbishop
| to lie contrary Notwithstanding. He must deliver
many more lectures before the people will believe
otherwise and trust in God none of those Profess
tant countries will ever be otherwise in reality,
whatever they may be called.
| So far merely as the holding Of Office under the
United States is concerned-no religious test being
| required as qualification thereior--ths federal
government is, perhaps, neither Christian, Jewish,
| Mahomedan, nor Pagan. | maintain, however,
that the government and the constitution both are
| Profcsant--both being founded on that great and
! inalienabls right which is natural to every man
the right of each individual to Judge for himself in
| all matters. whether Of Church or State. This is
the great principle of Professionalism ely
| too often abandoned in matters of government by
Protestants hemselves-antagonistic to that great
] principle Of Roman Catholic authority Protest
| antism in its purity acknowledges authority
| under God. in Church State, but, the sovereign
| viii Of the people-the only lawful sovereign aud
diyinely constituted repositories of power the
| earth. Roman Catholicism, the contrary, in its
| purity claims for the church absolute and I'M
| limited authority all churches, and all govern
| ments. Ii this claim has been relinQushed
! the intelligence has not yet reached CHS country.
The archbishop acknowledges himself to be CRATE
ful for the birthrght OF civil and political nativity
! which he admits conferred him by the consti-
tuition and laws the same applies to all naturalzcd
citizens; and yet. in connection with the same, he
&, IL.