The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1852-10-26

E3amp siiire..Gen. Pieces silence &c
We make the following extract from
private letter written us by gentleman OF
some prominence in the East. In the course
of his-letter he says: "Are the Catholics OF
your vicinity aware that in New Hampshire
FREE NEGRO, CAN HOLD OFFICE
WHILE A WHITE CATHOLIC CAN
NOT 2" tits even so. There is nothing ia the
Constitution Of Nelo Hampshire TO PreUent dtree
negro from icing elected Governor, FRovlDED
ONLY HE is NOT A CATHOLIC, and the people see
fit to vote for him. If the Catholics are rot
aware in what estimation they are held IN
State where Pierce is said to hold supreme
sway, il strikes me that it is public duty TO
enhehten them" They probable knew this
before, but it is well to urge them to renpen1-
Der the fact 1t is disgraceiul condiiltn OF
things in that State for which Gen. Pierce is
more responsible than any other man in New
Hampshire. He is more responsible than
any other man in that State, that its consti-
tuition should be marked by such disgusting
IGatUFEs, SIMPLY ptN0CoS Ills own lUi'J
for him more influence in New Hampshire
than belongs to any other person. Suppose
that these Anti Catholic features were IN the
Constitution of Indiana, and that the Demo-
cratic party as in Hew Hampshire had al
ways controlled the affairs of the State, by
having the ruling majority. Would rot
Catholics hold that party responsible Tor this
bitter enmity to their sect, WHICH exclude
them from Office simply because they were
Catholics, and which permitted negro to rise
to the highest Office in the State, simply be-
cause he was not Catholic! And suppose
that Gov Wright, for instance, was said to
have the power of influencing this party to
do whatever he pleased; that he had more
influence than any other man in the State
would not Catholics regard this man Wright
as more responsible for the continuance Of such
obnoxious features in the Constitution, than
any other man in Indiana! Certainly they
woud-because he bad it i'll his power to
influence his party to abolish these ugly iea-
lures, and he did not used this influence.
Now Just SO it is in New Hampshire. The
Democratic party have always been in power
there. They could have abolished that part
of the Constitution which persecutes Catho-
lies, aud which permits negroes privileges it
does not Catholics, but they have not done
SO. Gen. Pierce, if he has but one half the
influence at home, his friends claim for him,
could have long since succeeded in effecting
the desired change in the Constitution Of
New Hampshire, but he has sat at his ease,
and never SO much as raised hand for Catho-
lies.
Now if Catholics can support the man who
has assisted to crush them down below ne
groes, or stood idly by AMI seen it done by he
Convention of his State, when he had the
power to prevent it, they are more patient
under persecution than we ever knew them
10 be IN any other country. They well know
that if Gen Pierce had made any exertion at
all, he could have effected the removal of the
Catholic disability, and placed Catholics on
an equality with Protestants, whether black
OF "hitS- nc never oPehcu hiS i"Outii III III
State Convention while this subject was be-
fore it, yet he had been ready to talk on
every other. He appeared to fear that if lie
did speak, he might exercise some influence
in favor of Catholics, or injure his popularity
with his bigoted Locjioco friends. When
this matter was put to 4 vote of the peop.e of
the State, Pierce's orn county and his otcn
torn, voted against removing the clause
which prescribed Catholics-thus showing
most conclusively, he had not used a particle
of influence even right at home, in favor of
Catholics Reflect upon these matters. II
the Locofocos of New Hampshire are bigots,
Gen. Pierce is the Prince of Bigots.