The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-03
RELIGIOUS FREEDox-BIsHop HUGHES

tional antipathes among the Irish, he affects 10
regard these movements as of English origin
the Indignation of Metropolitan Hall is but an
echo of the wrath of Exeter Hall. Sup
pose this were true, were it not nobler u
emulate the free spirit of England, than to
apologize for the bastard despotism OF Italy
But his reverence is a man of one idea. He is
a mOnomaniac in his antagonism to England
Ascertain what England feels, thinks, and
does and you know at once that his feeling
thinking, and doing will be precisely opposite
Hatred of England determines his creed and
his policy Now, he must not expect Ameri-
cans to go crazy, because he is crazy. They do
not choose to enslave themselves to an antipa-
thy, to build their ethics upon their prejudces
| If England does wrong thing and they
avoid it, they do 10 not because it is Eng
lish, but because it is wrong and if England
does right thing, and they repeat it, it is not
because it is English, but because it is right.
Should they refuse to do a generous deed, be-
cause other people had got the start Of them,
they would be acting, not like reasonable men,
but like Bishop Hughes
The Bishop can see no good to be gained by
agitating this question of Religious Freedom in
this country. He says the object is to arouse
an excitement against the Catholics and he
thinks it would be wiser to recognise the rights
of each denomination and each individual fully
and peaceabiy as they are recognised by the
Constitution of the country. Who denies these
rights What meeting has questioned them I!
What Protestant in this country has suggested
a restriction of themi This is all clap-trap
Bishop Hughes. Nobody questions your right to
be a Catholic, to advocate Catholicism, to de-
nounce and ridicule Professionalism, or even to
issue periodical missiles against civil or religious
freedom. Nobody seeks to arouse prejudice
against American Catholicism but when
men are imprisoned and prosecuted to the
death in other countries for exercising the
right of worshippng God according to their
consciences-a right guaranteed in this coun-
try by our organic laws-American citizens
were traitors to their institutions, did they not
Indignantly denounce oppression so fragrant
and abominable Should their indignation be
extended to the Catholic Church in this coun-
try, it would not be because the Church was
Catholic but because, under the lead of such
enemies to Liberty as Bishop Hughes, it chose
to uphold and vindicate Oppression. America
will hold that Church in adherence if there
be such one which sides with the foreign
Despot against the Principles of their Institu-
tions. The willy appeals of priestcraft cannot
reconcile them to the hateful policy of tyrants
Bishop Hughes arraigns General Cass for
having broached new policy in the Senate of
the United States-"a policy which purports
to be q vindicatOn of the rights of conscience.
to be secured to all American citizens in what
'ver countries they may choose to travel or So
ourn." Freedom of conscience" he says, dis
nvlolable in its very nature. To say that any
nan or nation has either physical or moral
power to destroy freedom of conscience, is to
1--WE utterance to a positive absurdity" This
3 one of those sophisms by which the Bishop
) accustomed to bewilder his disciples Con-
cence-or the sense of moral right or wrong
> certainly free, inherently. In prison, in tor
ure, at the stake the conscience may exercise
III its rghts-may adhere steadfastly to all
he judgments for which punishment is inhict-
ID. To the death and by death may it yindi-
ate its freedom. But, what has this to do with
he question--with the policy preached by Gen
Ass. He does not--who does i--propose to
make conscience free but to prohibit the In.
exposition of all coercve measures to prevent
he enjoyment of this freedom, to prevent men
rom reading the Bible, attending such public
Worship as they choose, or promulgsting their
'wn views of faith and practice as their con-
sciences shall dictate. He and all Americans |
,old that no Human authority shall undertake
% punish man for believing that the Pope is
Gods vicegerent, OF the Devils that the Bible |
= inspired or not for being Protestant
Catholic, Trinitarian, Unitarian, or lnfidel
or reading and circulating what religious
books, and attending what form of worship he
pleases, whether Christian or heather. This
s what they mean by freedom of conscience
hey enjoy it themseves-ioreign immigrants
and sojourners among them enjoy tit is Sc
cured to all by the Constitution of the country
What they enjoy, what they guaranty to
and others residing or visiting in
their country, they wish to see enjoyed and
in all other countries, at least to
Americans when sojourning in them.
This liberty of action in accordance with the
dictates of conscience does not suit the creed of
Bishop Hughes. He denies that it exists even
in our country, because an Abolitionist cannot
do in New Orleans as he may do in Boston
because convent was once burned in Massa-
chusetts, and the State has positively refused
reparation-and because Mormons have been
compelled to migrate to Utah for the purpose
of worshipping God according to the dictates of
their conscience This is fair specimen of
of the usual logic of the Bishop. Violent excep-
ton are quoted to prove the non-existence of a
Principle; gross violations of Principle are
relied on to justify ts non -recogpiton. What
If all the cases specified by the Bishop were
true, would it follow that they were right, or
that they ought to furnish precedents for ty
ranny elsewherei II is true that an Abolition
ist cannot use the same freedom of speech
against Slavery in Louisiana as in Massachu-
sets; but it is not because there is specific
prohibition of freedom of opinion on that sub
ject but because Slavery, in its essence kindred
with religious oppression in violation of Law
forbids such freedom. But the oppression of
Tuscany is in accordance with Law. IL is true
that n convent was burned in Massachusetts
and the owners have remained uncompensated
but at the worst, that was single ACTON
vents exist throughout the country, and the
rights of property, life and conscience are just