The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-11
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
Archbishop Hughes, I'm Reply 20 General Cas-
and I'm Sell. Vindication.

thought proper to pronounce IN the Sehate OF the
United States. The providence of God has directed
that General Cas- should serve not only his country
but his race in one order OF lfe and that 1t should
be my humble privilege to serve both in another. /
trust that my purity OF motives Is not inferior to his
But whilst he has steered his prosperous bark on
yielding tides and with avoring winds one OF the
approved and cherished great men of his country it
has been my lot, though citizer of the same coun-
try, to have been occupied in propelling the little
skiff entrusted to my charge, in direction gene
rally adverse to the current whether OF wind tide.
General Cass il SenatqrIam before the law, only
private citizen. ! am also an ecclesiastc of the
holy Catholic Church. even an unworthy prelate.
The duties and speculaiions of our distinct depart
ments appeItain to such divergent relations, al
though intended to promote ultimately the same
great beneficial ends we have in view, that any con-
troyersy in regard to them must necessarily appear
to the American people and to the civilized world
an extraordinary event, especially under the const
tutional charter OF our own beloved country which
has 30 wisely for its circumstances, eliminated rel-
gious questions from the deliberations of Congress.
That my name, or any views of mine in an Incl
dental letter should have attracted such serious at
tenon on the part OF General Cass, or to any other
Senator, Is to me rather humiliation than pride.
The circumstance brings me, as o citizen, into an
apparent collision with Senator. l am not dis
posed to waive either my rights a citizen, sac
rifce my principles as patriot and man. simply
because the tide Of American public opinion may be
turned against me. Neither am prepared, on the
other hand, to say one word in maintaining my po-
Bti0n, which, considering my age and rank III the
church. might give apparent sanction to that grow
ing irreverence which is becoming 80 prevalent in
this age, whether as 10 relates to prominence
civil ecclesiastical, social, domestic, or senatorial
To my utter establishment, Gen. Cass thinks that
his name was first brought into my letter without
any cause OF occasion having been presented his
part. shall perhaps best discharge my duty in
reference 10 this by giving brief statement of the
circumstances which | thought warranted me in
nsing the name of General Cass. The circum-
stances were these: man and his wife, named
AIQll "a hnd M Ind in ,a,, had
been tried according to the laws Of their country
and condemned to the penalty which the said laws
had provided against persons c.fondiag ~ they
mad done. The report 9. Ineir crime, as II reached
the newspapers OF England and America, was, that
tneeJ mad been imprisoned merely for owning and
reading their Bible 1t natural, and even
honorable, that all men, whether Catholics or
Professionals, should feel and manifest their abhor
crime and the positive penalty. meeting of
sympathy was convened and held in this city. The
undersigned, with view to learn the real facts of
the case, attended thai meeting The speakers . on
monks of Italy, the friars, the .lesuits and the
Catholics everywhere. The only person or
party that was treated with decent share of mode
ration was the Grand Duke Of Tuscany. Towards
the middle Of the proceedings the following resolu
ton complimentary to General Cass, as bright
particular star shining out from the dark heavens of
human nature, which the orators had been describ-
ing, was proposed and carried by acclamaton:-
the duty OF the of the United States to
tect all citizens in their religious rights, whilst re-
siding sojOurnng in reign lands approves in the
fullest of the noble attempt of distinguished
Senator from Michigan (G-n Cass to call the attention
of the mt and the public 10 this important sub
ent will speedily to its citizens by the express
sti pulations Of international treaties the right to
ship according the dictates Of their conscience in
every foreign land--N J.. Times, Jan 8, 1858.
In view Of the lampooning which all Catholics,
from the Pope downwards, had received at the lips
of the orators it did strike me as somewhat strange
that the above resolution should have been intro
duced. The question that arose III my mind was,
"How came it there?" The circumstance, however,
seemed to me to be sufficient reason for re-
ferring to General Glass; by name, in a letter
which l wrote some time after. ! nave
Baird, who might be called the chief conductor
OF the Madiai meeting, was found in short time
afterwards perfectly conversant with tue proceed
inge going on in the Senate touching reg ous nat
tiers abroad He is reported to have proclaimed in
the Hall Of the American Institute in Baltimore, on
the 18th February, 1858, that Mr.. Underwood q
Senator, had done him the honor CT reading ms
(Mr. Underwocd's) report on the subject referred
TO- before reporting it to the Senate, and that ne
(Dr Baird) approved of it. That report, If ever
published, have not been able to find bat think
il not improbable that such report would nave oeen
in consequence OF the reference OF petition from
the Maryland Baptist Union Association, which
General Cass had SO eoquenty recommended to the
appropriate committee in speech delivered Jan. ),
The petition alluded to had reference especially
to the condition of the Baptiss under the Protestant
government Of Prussia. reference to thus SUBJECT
is found in senatorial document, pu olished from
the files of the Department Of State, and designated
6. Doc GO. A letter from our Minister at Berlin,
Mr.. Barnard dated Jan. 81 1858, addressed TO Mr..
Everett Secretary Of State, gives an account OF his
poor in attempting to obtain federation tor
Protestant subjects of the Protestant government to
which he was accredited. Taking this document in
connection with what has gone before, there would
appear TO be perfect harmony of feelings
among the distinguished persons connected win
the subject, namely Mr.. Barnard Mr.. Cass, Rev. DR..
Baird, and Mr.. Underwood. The truth OF facts, am
the accuracy of memory among the parties, Is not
by any means perfect. Mr.. Barnard pleads for
subjects of Prussia who Baptists; MIR. Cas- for
the religious rights Of Americans who go abroad;
Dr. Baird for international treaties, to secure such
rights; Mr.. Cass, not for treaties, but for an anna
bic diplomatic, OH cous and unofficial interference
everywhere in favor OF American religious rights;
and Mr.. Underwood, as having covered the whole
ground by previously reading his report to Dr. Baird
who approved Of it even before it was submitted to
the Senate.
thrust II will be- as Il ever has been, the pleasing
duty as well as right of the Executive Department
Of this government, to interpose its kind and cour
teous Offices with other State soyereignties in dis
suading from acts OF oppression likely TO shock the
feelings Of humanity at large. But for this purpose
think legislation is unnecessary and, under the cir
cumsances, vastly prefer the form of policy pre-
scented at the Madai meeting to that which General
Cass has preached in his senatorial place. The for
mer goes for treaties and go for treaties, IL any
thing is to be done In the matter; the latter goes
for charging our representatives abroad with half.
defined duties, semi-national, semi-regious, semi
benevolent, semi-humanitarian, and il may be al
lowed the expression, semi everything, and yet
soothing definite. This, trust, win be received by
General Cass as sufficient apology for my having
Introduced his name into my letter
In my letter, to which General Cass takes such
exceptions, stated that, If our American Congress
implIcate itself in such questions TO be seen to by
our representatives abroad feared that such inter-
ference would be regarded by foreign governments
es dwelling. was not then aware that what an
Hcipated as probable contingency, had already be-
<Dme Q historical fact. IL appears from Mr.. Bar
nardr communication that letter addressed by
him TO the King of Prussia, confded to a distin-
guished hnnd, had been returned to him-the party
declining the responsibility Of presenting 1t. In
terviews between minister and the King and the
Kings private secretary, subsequently took place;
and II Is amusing to perceive with what amiabihty
of language the King and his secretary lowered
down the american Minister. Diplomacy never en-
ulnYnd morn courteous language for the PURPOSE of