The Yazoo City weekly Whig., 1853-05-20
Religious T0lcrnlIOll. Troubles ia
Nexw 4xfeRasSsIs..


nude noallusions III our paper 70 tieso subjects
because we.did not clearly understand the mer-
its DC the case; and what we do not perfectly
comprehend ourself cannot be clearly impart-
led to our readers We mention the matter now
not from any spirit Of religious controversy
for with creeds and canons We have nothing
to do--and we neither criticise or interfere with
any mans faiths but because we think the as
sumption Of the Pope has political bearing
that aIlseculaf journals should notice and bring
home to the Ainerisan people.
| It seems the Republic Of New Grenada has
formed : Constitution as near as possible after
the model Of that ef these United States, grants
ing free education and religious liberation and
the liberty Of the press. About two months ago.
there was great excitement in New York
about the Archbishop Of New Grenada being
Expelled or exiled from his country on account
of religious persecution. Archbishop Hughes
made his cause the subject of much sympathy
among the Roman Catholics of New York, and
people who did not get both sides of the ques-
ton, thought he must have been badly treated
and was fit subject for republican coincidence.
Since that time, there has been strict transla-
ton of the Allocution of his Holiness setting
forth the causes the Holy See had to complain
of in New Grenada, which puts the matter in
different light, and solves the old question
| Of the supremacy Of the Pope in temporal as
we'll as spiritual matters. One cause of COM
plant, in the Allocution, is that the republic
of New Grenada grants religious toleration to
immigrants. If we understand this Alright, tie
Pope qnarrels with that government because it
allows. Protestants, who immigrate to New Gre
fathers Are we correct! Another charge is
that the republic insists on trying ecclesiastics,
in civil as well as criminal cases, before the or
dinary courts of the country, it being the desire
of the Pontif that they should be tried before
courts Ct ecclesiastics only. A third accusa-
ton is, that the republic has established. by the
new constitution, the right of free education.
the liberty of the press, and religious tolerance.
Now, If these complaints have really been
made, and we presume that they have, what
must we think of the right and wrong of this
controversy! Would any one of these United
States listen, for moment, to repeal Of laws
similar to those thus accused! Are not religi-
Gus tolerance, common tribunal for laity and
priesthood alike, the liberty Of the press, and
public education, cardinal principles of true
repubGcanism!
hn is NJ iran nTln
debate has been going on, for some years, in
these United States, as to whether the Papacy
has, or has not relinquishcd certain of its old
claims, Some of the most important of these
claims, it is well known, are those said to be in
controversy now in New Grenada. Ii it has
not abandoned such claims, it will be difficult
to prove, to the satisfaction of Americans, that
Papacy is not the enemy of liberty, for it IS
plain that freedom cannot survive where free
education, the liberty of the press, and religious
toleration are denied; and it is equally plain
that if the Pontf puts down these things
where he has the power, he cannot but be said
to be the enemy of freedom. The charge IS
against the hierarchy of Rome, and not against
Is tenets of its faith It is the revival of an oil
controversy, which ragged in England long 9
fore England thought Of leaving the Rom'n
Church. A man may believe in every doctrine,
yet refuse to subscribe to this polity Of Roman
Catholicism. The people of New Grenada, in
fact, are exactly ip this position. In aword,
t is the old question so often discussed, and in
which Papacy was once worsted everywhere
except in SPUN and Italy, whether the spiritual
was superior to the temporal power, whether
the priest was above the law, or the law above
the priest.
1t is important, we repeat that this fact
should be known Has the battle to be fought |
over again? Or is this but a false alarm! For
on this single question of the supremacy of the |
priest, or the law, hangs the whole fabric of
political and religious freedom Make the pries.-
hood supreme, and whether it be Protestant
or Papal priesthood, a Mahometan or Buddhist /
one, and even the name Of liberty vanishes, or,
if the name and form are suffered to remain, it I
is only that through them sacerdotal tyranny
may easier rule, as Augustus governed despotc-
ally through his tool Of Senate. Now, IL the
Papacy ssmaking these demands in New Gre
nada, we may be sure itwould make them else
where, if il had the slightest prospect of sue
cess; we may be certain that it still holds to
the absolute right Of the hierarchy to be above
the law, and to the wickedness Of toleration,
free education. and the liberty Of the press.
We wish, by these remarks, to assal no
mans religion 1t is not the Roman Catholic
faith we are discussing, but the claims, if claims
hey are, Of the Papal hierarchy. Were the
ASSEMBLY, the Methodist Confer