New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-09
THE CATHOLIC CHAPTER
IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
A L f C T U RE
BY ARCHBISHOP HUGHES.

sembed at Met opoltan Hall TO hear the prom
ised lecture of Archbishop HUGHES, entitled
THE Catholic Chapter in the History of the
United States" The lecture was listened to
with unusual attention, and was frequently in
tenupted by applause. As document of no or
binary importance from the head and exponent of
Roman Catholic authority in this country, we
present the lecture verbatim from an official copy
furnished by the Bishop himself. At the conclu-
sion the applause was loud and long The money
received from the sale of tickets will be hand
some purse of material aid" to the charity for
which il is designed.
THE LECTURE.
American statesmen and orators are never more
eloquent than hen they cilate on the religious equal
ity which has been guaranteed TO all the people of
| this land by the Magma Charta OF their rights and
privrieges,-the Constitution of the United States
| This equality has not only been proclaimed
| in theory: has been reduced TO practice.
| The mode by which the trainers Of the Con-
stitution proposed 10 secure it was simple, and
may say original. In other countries, whether
Catholic or Protestant, there had been legislation
establishing recognizing one prominent creed, but
sometimes also granting federation dissenters from
the doctrine Of the state religion. In all such cases
the rights OF conscience were secured by affirmative
| laws here they have a wider scope and bet
ter security, by the constitutional negation Of all
| power to Iegislste On so sacred a subject. In
| other countries they are secured by some pos
| tive statute,-here they are safer, under a con-
stitutional provision forbiddIg any such statute to
| be ever enacted In other countries federation
was granted by the civil autnorty,-here the great
| men who framed the Constitution saw, with keen
and delicate perception. that the night to tolerate
implied the equal night to refuse liberation, and
behalf OF the United States, as civil Government
they denied all night to legislate in the premises
| one way or the O'her: Congress shall make no
law on the subject Of religion, or prohibiting the
| iIee exercise thereof"
As soon as the States had approved and confirmed
| the provisions OF the Constitution 1t was natural
| that they should ADJUST their local charters In
accordance with the principles OF the great instru-
| meDt Of federal Union. Already in 1854, Rhode
| Island had removed the only blemsh in her laws on
this subject, brief dsquahfying clause against
| Roman Catholics. Pennsy lvana and Delaware,
| believe, we've the only other States at that
period which were not under the necessity of i'm
provirg the legislative records, BY expungng some
| clause similar 10 that which Rhode lslaAc had re-
| peaed and erased before the general Constitution
was adopted. AT very early day, however, several
| OF them followed the example. Some twenty years
ago. North Carolina expurged her Cobssut on in this
Iepect, in part, no doubt, owing 10 her esteem and
res for one of her own cherished soIs, himself
| Catholic the late Judee CASTOR man whose char
scter such that It could not but reflect honor
| bis native State and county Within a more recent
| periCd, New-JeTsey also, unprompted and Of her
own accord, revised and Improved her Consti.u-
| clDes to her old unatered charter In which is
clause disabling Catholics, on account of their reh
| gion, from holding any office the State Her dis.
described in the words Of The poet
| It's the lat rose OF summer,
Left blooming alone,
| Not faded but gone"
The cisqualb ing clause is, | suppose, q dead let
| ter the Catholics OF New HampshiIe must be very
| few. On the whole, have doubt that the lib.
crafty OF The country at large has imbued the peo
pie OF New Hampshire with kinoest feeling TO VI ard
even Roman 'bolics. IL must slso be said to her
credit that ste was one OF the three States who sBg
gesTed to the trainers Of the Constitution the very
Wh plIar mt n
| all he people OF this widely extended Union, the
perfect and perpetual equality of religious rights and
freedom OF CONSCIENCE IL Is only to be regretted
that alter having performed, at SO early period,
the function OF index, pointing out at the cross
| ways, the true path in which her thirty sisters
are now advancing peacefully and prosperously,
she should have continued stationary and be
founs the last to practice what she had been among
| the first to preach
written State Constitutions that the people of
Union confoImed TO the and LIBERAL order which
| had been sanctioned by their authorized Delegates
| IL Convention. They labOred TO Undue the nselyes
and those around them With Its spint and its life
The Legislature, the Executive, the Judiciary, the
| Pulpit, the Bar, wed with each other in cher
| lshlDg and uttering sentiments of reverence
| for the sacredness OF what had been sane.
toned In the provisions OF the Federal Con-
sttutlon. IL was in the primitive age Of American
patriotism trust, however, that IL may never de-
serve to be cslled, in comparison with subsequent
peiiods OF possible degeneracy, the Golden Age"
But at all events, 1t was peod In which the eat
seH ents, their conversation and actions nay con.
uoled ana brought the very prejudice OF their
youth and education into harmony with the or
Ger OF civil, religious and social iife which had
been wisely provided for in the FEDERAL Covenant
Such example could not fail 70 furnish KEY note
fer the universal tone OF American patriotism which
II has not yet lost, and which, trust 1t will never
forget or alter
Rsman Catholics, 4. least, have every reason to
remember and 10 cherish It. II Is stated by one of
cur historians that al the commencement of the
Revolutionary War; except the city OF Penn there
was hardly another place In the Colonies In which,
by authority Of the land, Catholic priest could ce
tbIsts mass. NOW, there 10 10 Law az anst 1t any
where
In view ef this wonderful change, i. may be, in.
ceed II has been ssked. why Catholics in America
Go net procure, at least petition for, similar al
tsratons OF the laws In favor of Pedestrians In such
countries as Italy, Spain. Portugali THIS in nv
opinion, Is very SHY question Catholics In Amer.
lea have TO more TO GO With the Civil Governments
Of Italy, Spain ard Portugal, than hey have TO do
With those of England, Russia or Turkey Ba. the
qsesuon may peihsps, be bes. answered oy putting
10 those who snk IL another Just as silly: WHY 40
| you PIoestan's rot induce England and the Prot
tstsnt States of Northern Europe to Initiate the ex
ample OF ibis country, and abolish all legislation on
the seoleei OF religion or prohibiting the free ex
| erclse thereof"
All such questions, en- either side appear to me
not only very absurd in themselves, bu, entirely
oct OF place IN country like this IL ecu ally out
OF place, sno stoge her untrue, to assert or assume
that this Is Catholic county or a Protestant coun-
Try; hnIeiiher Il, IS land Of religious freedom
aid equality and hope that in this respect IL
shall remain just what Is is to the latest pos
terify. There are, however, certain parties that
have been only partially, to this day penetrated
by the spirit OF the Constitution, and OF the Brlmi
| tive men of the Republic, who, by word ceed and
exam pie, ushtfed u into the every day business Of
| American national LIE. Even this portion OF the
public mind u constrained 20 exhibit, or seem 10
txhlbit, on It's narTow surface formal respect
| for Purhc law and constitutional night Bu. still
beIeaih that surface and the lower depths there
| Yet survives Certain vague, traditional memory
VI Protestant sscenosncy, fed BY hereditary prejd
Gee TO the effect that. a civilized state where Pro-
tssiaits constitute the great majority of the people
| CafolIcs ought 10 be satisfied with subordinate
pc siion and be very grateful, a. that for the
privileges which the Eoeralliy of Professionalism in
| this country permits them toenjoy.