The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-09-30
VOL. vi.
BISHOP HUGHES AND POLITICS

The Washington Union publishes n eor,o.
poudenee between Thomas J. Semmes D.
man Catholic and Democrat, and Arch;sho.
Hughes in relation to the part which Cahl
lies should take in the coming Presidential eI..
ton. The object of Mr.. Semmes seems -
have been to draw from that G,nct;o,o..
some expression of opinions which wopId 81,
" favor of General Pierce but he wa. Co.,
pletely foiled The reply completely baslo.
all attempts even to guess the position Or v;ov,,
Of Bishop Hughes Mr. Semmes saws.
g address YOU because, for some week mas.
common rumor mas given out in this y;c;p;,',
and believe elsewhere, that you, in con;nnSc''
ton with several other distinguished member
oil the Roman Catholic hierarchy, enterta;n
and express the opinion that the Catholic
throughout the Union should regard the an
preaching Presidential election as a fit onnor
tunlty to signify their disapprobation of that
portion OF the Constitution of the State of New
Hampshire, commonly called the religious-test
clause which excludes the Roman Catholic
citizens OF that State from an equal particpa.
ton OF the privileges and immunities enioyed
by Their Protestant brethren and that. as a
merlted rebuke to the State of New Hampshire
the Catholic voters should manifest their dis.
appreciation at the polls by voting against
General Pierce, regardless of ordinary party
affinities and political predictions.
sin consequence of your exalted station in
the church, adorned as tits by such distinguish.
ed ability, your opinions, without any active
exerton on your part, must necessarily have
great influence on Catholic sentiment, particu.
larry in respect to subject partakng of A re-
llgous nature. | therefore write you, in order
IT the rumor be false, to destroy its effects bv
contradicting it upon authority; but if true
to indicate the reasons which have brought nv
mind to a different conclusion in the hope that
If | am wrong you will do me the favor TO
point out my error, and if am right, you will
adopt my conclusion
The reply is brief and leaves MIR Semmes
Just as well informed as it found him.
New YORK, September II, 1852.
DEAR SIR | have read through and careful
ly, the letter which you addressed to me. IN.
der date | It'll instant, in regard to the impend.
ing election of President of the United States
and the part which you think the Catholic
citizens OF the republic ought to take in it.
The two candidates presented are General
Scott and General Pierce. The entire Amer.
can people appear to be nearly equally divided
in opinion as to which of these two will make
the better Chief Magistrate This fact seems
to intimate a general opinion that the country
will be safe under the four years Presidency
of either AS to the Catholics, they have never
been consulted as to the limited choice between
these two. The probability is that, like their
fellow-citizens of other denominations. they
will be divided-some voting for one candidate
and some for the other Like others, they are
liable to err in their choice But. under all
the circumstances, | should prefer that. voting
honestly, each according to his own Judgment,
they should err with the minority; or what is
equally possble) with the majority of their fell
low-citzens of all denominations, rather than
see them guarded against such danger of err
ing in their choice of President by any ecclesi-
astioal influence
am sure that with your enlightened mind
and large Catholic education, you will appre.
clate the reasons on which this my humble
opinion is founded, whether or not you will
agree with me in regard to it's Justice and ex-
pedlency In any event, however, | beg leave
to subscribe myself
Your sincere and devoted servant in Xt.
JOHN, archbishop of New York.
Thomas J. SemmeS, ESQ.
For ourselves, we must say that we have no
with the attempts made in this can
vass to arouse sectarian feeling and array re-
ligious denominations in. support of or against
particular candidates