The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-09


Independence when the people Of these colonies appealed
to the sword and left the issue Of the struggle TO Heavens
aioitraton until tho day on which that came dag was
secn iumphantly waving the capital Of Mexico
think sha be safe In saying that there has not been one
important campaign or engagement In which Catholics
have not bvouac fought and fallen by the side of Pro
testants in maintaining the rights and honor Of their
common country On all these occasions from glance
at the roll Of the missing gaze at the upurned faces
Of the dead would be easy to discover that however
small the constituency the Catholic body never failed to
furnish comparatively numerous delegation to the battle
field that whether in defence Of the country in dis
charging the duties Of civil social commercial profess
siops life they have justified their title Of right TO
that perfect equality with their Protestant
which the constitution has conferred Unfortunately
all.
But may be said that the constitution Itself L.
spontaneous concession, for which indebted 70
the berslty of Professionalism If had proofs Of the
contrary what deem due to the proprety Of this
sion would prevent my making of them. AL credit
and all gratitude to the iberaty Of the great men who
framed that document, who almost if not alto
geher exclusively Protesants But the matter not
which they might dispose Of according to the impulse
of their own high and generous eelings-and if there
bad been only form Of Professionalism protested in all
the Colonies fear much that with Washington at
their head the would not have been what II
L. Almost every Colony had its own form Of Protesan-
tsm, and am sorry to have to say thai among them,
even on religious matters mutual charity was always
superabundant. Antagonisms from without lid have
defeated all the purposes of the confederatioW States
If tho convention had attempted to favor any of
those forms at the expense Ss others But be this IS It
may is in the order Of my subject to contend that
with without the constitution, there was no civil or
religious immunity by the success Of the Revolution
in which Catholics were not morally and politically en-
titled IN their own right, to share equally with their
Protestant feiow-citizens
Now, the Catholic Church has recognized theory
the subject of forms Of civil government The little Re
public OF San Marine has preserved its independence and
its republican forms for fourteen hundred years in the
very heart Of the Papa States The Church, however
Is not approyer Of revolutions except when they
clearly jusiifable. Having experienced singular protec
ton in all the vcisstudes and revolutions Of the social
and political world during eighteen centuries she has he
consciousness that she lives by Inherent vitality within
herself of more than human origin. This has sufced
her during the pastt is sufficient for the present and
she troubled with doubts misgivngs in regard
to her position In the future which God has in His
hands and can dispose of as He will The first impress
sion which the influence of her doctrine in regard to the
principle Of revolution would produce, think, would
be presumption in favor Of existing authority, until
to the contrary should appear Yet the principle
of passive obedience the part Of subjects Of abso
lutte and irresponsible authority that Of soveregns,
never was, and certainly will be approved prin
cipe Of hers She to have little condenccin the
oets systems which that great enduring bene-
fit IL TO result from those sudden and unexpected excite
ments, Of religious kindthose enthusiasms in ia
yor Of schemethOse irregular starts and leaps and
bounds OF popular ardor-now in directon-now in
another and not unfrequenty in different and OPP
society is to be preternaturay quckened in the path Of
universal progress In short, having witnessed many
experiments tried on poor credulous humanity by
doctors who turned out to have been only quacks pana
ceas not by her highly valued She has had such
long and universal experience and such opportunities Of
studying her subject that she knows what in the heart
OF mnn the bad as well the good much better than he
knows himself She is inclined to suspect disrust
all those crudely conceived political changes which dis
turb the peace Of communities and nations without I'M
proving their condition Oh how many Of these abortve
and disastrous changes has she not witnessed throughout
the whole world during her life Of eighteen hundred
years.
But revolution, begun under such circumstances as
marked the commencement, the prosecution and the
completion Of the American struggle for freedom 1t would
he impossible for her to condemn. 1t admitted by
the wist statesmen of the English Senate that the
authority Of the British constitution the side
the coons and directly opposed to the violent
their infatuated government in regard to the princ
pie for the maintenance of which the Americans took up
arms. Accordingly the Cathocs-clergy and laty-werc
among the first and most ardent to join their countrymen
in defence Of common rights Charles Carroll Of Carroll
ton signed the Declaration Of Independence with bold
and steady hand riskng his immense property well
his lfe in the Of his country. His cousin. the
Rev. John Carroll. then priest and Jesuit after
wards the venerated first Archbishop Of Baltimore was
mission to conciate pending the the good will at
least the neutra OF the Canadians who Catholics
native of Wexford in Ireland appointed to command
the Lexington the first vessel Of owned by the Con-
tnenal Congress. And well did he acguit himself,
that he received special thanks and Communications from
Washington himself He raised to the highest rank
the rst who obtained from this the title
which is popularity known Commodore his memory is
held in respect by his gallant and he is not
unir,qucniy designated as the father OF the American
Navy.
though les. prominent part in the great struggle who
may bT allowed 10 ask, your allies Catholics.
me furnished 10y Catholic France 10 aiu the
war OF American Independence, find it stated amount
cd in 81 10 thirteen thousand The vessels furnished
by the same government for the naval service Of the
young republic set down in all mt fortyfve ships Of
the line besides frigates But money necessary
men, and when the exchequer Of Congress empty
when The paer issues had ceased to represent any posi-
tive value loans advanced by that country,
amou uniting in all to seven millions Of dollars Neither
tlis yet all find another account Of three ships
dispatched from France to this country laden with mill
iary stores including two hundred pieces Of artillery
four thousand tents, and clothing for thirty thousand
men II may be said that France did all this from poll
icn motives with view to damage the power OF Eng
and But have intended only to state the fact not to
discuss the motive. Surprising the motive to be what
you say-thc colonies actuated by the desire
,hey, wished to damage and cripple the power Of
England TO prevent her from being able to dcspo
them &C their constitutional rights as freeborn men
According TO all popular ideas at least this side OF
the Atlantic the issue involved in the OF independ
ence choice, England presented 1t to the colo
n, between ,t political freedom ana political sa'eL S
e y H Ss
Eors ush Of different nations who rsked their lives ana
sGHT omitted to
gallant sontsonery ho fen A. Suessss speak Of your
the other this contest between slavery and freedom
whG es s Ssns sn %
much re British army h.I sssn 4ss IL
Or tie Of England But in the which Eng
the British ministry that he dislked couu uepenu
Irish Catholic soldiers and suggested that German mer-
troops should be empoyedand these German NOR
ccnas afterwards to be the famed Hessisns
AaD In raising German troops for the purpose Of crush
ing the liberties Of this country in the Of independence
the agents Britain the continent complained Of
the obstacles that thrown in their way whether in
raising recruits in forwarding them; and these ddou
ties appears by dispatches 10 the government in London
sscrbed TO the ntrgues and opposition Of Catholics
in Germany,
think that review OF these evidences there IL no
candid eriean pretending have any adequate
ovedge the history 81 his country who will not
with that the close Of the the Catholics OF
this land entitled in their right to the civil and
religious mmuuties which secured to them in
with their felowcizens Of other denominations by the
achievement Of the independence OF the United States But
there another ground In favor Of vast number VI them
involving the additional pledge o. national honor.
IL will be rcc0ccted that at the close OF the Iench war
Canada ceded by France to Great Britain The colonies
took interest In that in which Washington stil
youth, distinguished him self The issue Of the struggle
has bearing the early history OF the United
the Gulf Of ST. Lawrence 20 the mouth OF tho
Mississippi by exploration Of rivers and lakes including even
Lake Superior acquaintance with various tribes by mis-
onary posts here settlements there fors OF something
corresponding in other places the French, still Catholics
had created before the law q nations valid s TO th9
themselves physically capable Of defending i against the
lined Of England and her colonies France proved
% ceded tho treaty OF