Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-07-08
General scett's Religious views.
CHESTER, Ills, June 25, 1852.


GENTLEMEN--Mapy good men in this
part Of Illinois accuse General ScoTT of
being a Catholic, and refuse TO vote for
him on that account. Please inform your
readers whether, or not, he is Catholic.
We have fallen upon curious times,
when it is necessary to ask such ques-
ton. The Constitution Of he =. States,
and of every State IN this Uuion, save
New Hampshire, guarantees the free and
unrestricted exercise of religious opin-
ion, no matter what form it may take
The privilege of worshiping God &C
cording TO the dictates of our concience,
is one of the most remarkable features
of our institutions, and we have never
been able 10 conceal our surprise, when
questions of this kind have been pu, in
our presence.
Grant tina, General ScoTT is Catho-
lie. What of il? Does that make him
less patriot--less lover of his country
less DESTROYS for the prosperity of the
people-less solicitous for the perpetuity
of our institutions? Can it be, that he
who has served his country for more
than forty years of his life, on the battle
| field aud in places Of extreme peril, is
less to be respected because he Is a Cath.
Ole, than Washington, or Jackson, or
any oil the best of patriots who happen
to have belonged to other churches and
to have enjoyed other modes of worship
o: God! We humbly think not. Sign.
ers of the Declaration of Independence
those who pledged their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honor, to up
hold tina. declaraiion--were Catholics,
and yet who ever thought of making il.
a matter of accusation against them!
The present Chief Justice OF the Su-
preme Court of the United States-a
man of great learning, of unimpeachable
integrity, and enjoying universal respect,
is a Catholic, and yet who imputes this
as an objection TO him in that high Of
fee! Instances are numberless in which
Catholics have aided in achieving and sus-
tanning the liberties of our country, and
wo be to the country when such dis
tinction shall be made against any religi-
Gus class in it. We reprobate all such
dlstlnetlons-we care not whether man
be Presby terrain, or an Unitarian,
Methodist or Catholic, il is enough for
us TO know that he is Patriot, and an
honest man, to justify us in supporting
him for even the first Office in the gif, OF
the people of this country. We never
will agree, whatever others may do, TO
make religious test in political matters.
But, we can put our querist at rest
Gen. Scott is not a Catholic. He is an
Episcopalian. Members Of his famii,y,;
are Catholics, and in this, as much as in
any thing else, the beauty of our insti,u
tons is exempifed. While he is attach.
ed 10 one church, il has not prevented one
perhaps more, of his children from con-
Meeting themselves with the Catholic
church. In the tolerant spirit of mag
unanimous mind, he has permitted them
to exercise their own judgement in this
matter. For SO doing, he deserves praise
rather than censure, and we believe the
country will sustain him in this course.
We think too much of the feeling of re-
llgious tolerance among our people--too
much of the catholic spirit which is writ
ten in our Constitutions, to suppose, that
any such objection can have weight in
determining the election which is to take
place In the present year for the Office of
Chief Magistrate Of the republic. We
never wish to see the day when ques
ton of religious faith shall determine one
OF our elections.--1fo. Republican.