Polynesian., 1854-09-30
CHE polpuesian,
Religious Toleration .

I
/ The following is an extract from long and in
terestng speech of Gen. Cass, lately delivered il
the Senate, on moving that the United States de-
clare in favor of claiming for American citizen:
abroad full religious toleration, and the rights o.
burial according TO such religious ceremonies as
would be consistent with the faith of parties inter
ested:
" 1t Is humiliating confession that in the race
OF persecution, many of the Christian powers have
outstrpped their Nlosem competitors. 1t has been
long contest, and bitter one, begun eary and
continued late, and carried on with fiery zeal, wri-
ting Its history in characters of blood but the fol-
lower OF the prophet has yielded, and friendly re-
monstrances and the light of truth have at length
been telt even IN the high places of Islamsm. The
imperial mansayer, one of the titles of the Sultan
and once not barren one, who issued his DEGREES
from the royal strrup, and annually ransomed his
christian subjects from death by the payment OF
the haratsch, for year embraced the legal tenure
of Christian life by the Turkish law, has taken his
place among the liberal Sovereigns of the earth,
feeling his responsibility to the public opinion of
the world, and shaping his course in conformity
with IT. Ills appeal to that great tribunal con
tanned IN the State paper recently issued refuting
the unworthy preteXt by which the Emperor of
Russia sought TO give to his ambition the guise of
religious fanatcism, repeling his pretensions with
equal power and calmness, is one of the noblest
come to gladden. hose who, grateful for so much,
yet anxiously look for still better things. 1t as
serts boldly, though in form of an interrogation
which challenges contradiction, that no obstacles
now exist to the exercise of the Christian religion
in the Ottoman Empire. proud boast, and be-
ieve true one. And the declaration of the Gov
ernor OF Andrlanople, just made to an assemblage
OF It's principal citizens, is beautiful and practical
commentary upon this claim of toleration sOur
Is tba of foil,
(he deserved forty of these honorary caude appen-
dages,) our creed is different-but if we obey the
law-we pray in the Mosque, the Christians in the
Temple, and the Jews in the Synagogue-we are
not less faithful subjects of the Sultan; we are
therefore brothers, and ought to love each other
SUCH And this, while the Russian autOcrat an
nounces in his proclamation that his mission is to
annihilate Paganism, and that whoever stops him
IN his course will be annihilated like the Pagans
Protestant places of worship have recently aris-
en-, even at Jerusalem, under the shadow of the
Mosque of Omar upon Mount Moriah, the site of
the Temple of Solomon, while in more than one of
the capitals of the Christian world an American
believer in the Word of God, but who does not be-
eve in the creed of the Established Church. is al
lowed no place of public worship. but must wor-
ship privately and by connivance, or not worship
at all: and even this 'connivance is withheld
from the native citizen, whose secession from the
dominant faith is high offence, sure to be visited
by severe punishment
And the soil of the Holy Land, once trod By the
feet of our Saviour, Is not too sacred to receive
the lifeless remains of his Protestant believer
while there Is no fitting repose for him in many a
Christian land, desecrated by dark deeds and dark
er presumption. Even so late as the 25th of No
vember, 1852, decree was issued from the royal
manufactory of intolerance at Madrid, which pro-
hlblted any stranger, whether dOmiciliated or trav
cling in Spain, from protesting any other religion
than that of the Catholic Apostolic Church of
Rome"
And does Archbishop Hughes believe, asked the
Senator in conclusion, that all these abuses are
destined to continue untouched and unchanged
Fiat they will much longer resist the mighty tide
of public opinion which has done 80 much in these
our latter days, and is fated to do much more: 1t
may not be. The past is pledge for the future.
Within the memory of the present generation the
abuses OF ages seemed to possess an impregnable
fortress, occupying its position in the midst of
Christianity and civilization, and overlooking and
overawing both. Bnt ono after another its out
works have fallen before the effects of TRUTH and
the citadel itself will be levelled to the ground
And are the Representatives of the American peo-
pie to lay their hands to their mouths, and their
mouths in the dust, to look on and see the persecu
tions and expressions to which their countrymen
are exposed abroad and not even express their dis
pleasure and their demands? And all from an af-
tectation of national decorum-n national squeamish
ness il should be called-which is so tender to the
presumption of others as TO sacrifice our own true
rights and honor. trust no such humiliation is in
store for u.s."