Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-29
FOR THE AMERICAN ORGAN.
The Legislative Power Of the Catholic
Church.

" The Catholic Church is invested with full an-
thority to egisate on all such matters as appertain
TO the spiritual good of its children, and are not
already determined by Divine precept.p
The above is the doctrine as laid down by Dixon,
relative to the Legislative power Of the Romish
Church. Whatever Divine law has not positively
and irreyocably fixed and determined, it claims the
power to fix and determine. The learned official
also contends that the Bible has been committed
solely TO the keeping Of the Pope and Priest
hood, by its Divine author, and that they 1.-THE
clergy only have right to interpret and define it.
This is not ALL He claims that, /" its established
ministry only is qualified and authorized Ito teach
the people what they are to believe and practice
II is obvious to every man that in the foregoing
which is but synopsis Of the doctrines of the
Catholic Church, as laid down by Dixon, one Of its
ablest fctionaries, that three distinct powers are
claimed, into which all power is concentrated
These three powers alluded to, are FIRST the power
to legislate second, the power and right to pres.
crbe the belief and practices ofthe people, through
her established ministry" and third the exclu-
ssive power and right to define and interpret the
Sacred Scriptures. iA' s'
1t Is true, its legislative power is limited to those
subjects (which have not been withdrawn from
II by Divine precept.' Yet, if it possesses the
right and power to determine the full intent and
meaning Of all Divine precept claiming for itself,
at the same time, inMllibity, where is the neces-
sity Of any limitation to itslegslative power There
is in effect Imitation it Is absolute The Church
Of Rome claims the right to legisate upon all sub
jects, not incompatible with Divine precept, the
right to define the meaning Of all Divine precept,
and the right and power to 'sprescribe the belief
and practices Of the people," and Furthermore de-
MES that it can, BY any possibility err in the exer
else Of these rights and powers The Church then
claims the power and right absolute and uncondi-
tional to do whatever it may choose to do to del
egate to the laty any power or right, or withhold
the same, and even to direct the mind to indicate
the thought, to control the conscience, and to in
crease or limit mans reverence for his God
These are but the natural deductions from a close
examination of the Romish doctrines, as expound-
ed BY the present Primate Of all ireland"
1t is not for me to carry the reader through the
traditional biography Of the Catholic church and
its canonized saints, to ascertain whence are OBJ
tanned such exclusive powers, rights, and privi-
leges 1t is sufficient for purposes to find one
SO high in the church who dares claim all this for
the Romish hierarchy whom we can place upon
the stand and catechise. T''T
To genuine American, the question naturally
arises Is such church in consomnce with repub-
lican institutions! Are not the inalienable rights
Of every claimed by it as subservient to g its
established ministry" 1t is an olgarchy, and far
more dangerous to free institutions than any COM
bihatons of men, for mere political purposes, how
ever secret or mysterious their acts aud objects
may be. JABEz sit