Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-08-05

r;na The sneech Of the distinguished Sen.
ator. stoe / think it would be no difficult
task, by means Of critical distribution
or sS rather classification Of bis arguments
oro m and con, to prove that the ill.digested
pr parts Of the complex subject which be
had ba' taken in hand, are on the whole SO
equally balanced, that if each could be
logically arranged, under its {, own apPrO'
pirate head, and either set of, according
70 otis its weigh. and measure against its op:
nosi,e. NJ The several positions of this great
production would be found SO mutually
Effective in their destruction of each 9th
er, en- tba, no no positive result would remain,
excepting tha. General Cass is, what eve
~ body knows, statesman Of great b. be,
nseyolence, having great respect for The
American people, especially the majority
The Senator from Michigan maintains
The supremacy of individual conscience,
but he nullifes that supremacy according
to bis definition of conscience, BY limit.
ing the righ. to follow its dictates, "a and
subbiecting subj tha, right to the prohibition Of
law. human or divine. Now if the con-
science Of ,he individual is supreme, and
The law of The land of any country is su-
preme also, which supremacy shall give
way to the other. These are tie premi-
ses laid down by General Cass, but un-
fortunately he has left the conclusions TO
BE- drawn from them, respectively to de-
stroy or annihilate each other. His idea
Of conscience is not That 1t is a superior
and indestructible, independent, moral
faculty in the human soul, enabling every
man 10 distinguish and choose between
wha. seems 10 him COED and evil, but
that conscience gives right to the irdIvid-
ual to act out, or manifest in words or
deeds its interior dictates. On the other
hand, he arms the civil authorities ol oil
countries with the acknowledged right to
control outward actions; SO that by COM
pounding outward actions with conscience
itself, he betrays and bands over that sa'
cred principle to be Judged Of, and con-
trolled BY magistrates and civil govern
ments. His first ebullition in favor OF
conscience is proclamation that bis pur'
pose is "not merely to protect a Catholic;
10 Protestant country, a PFosestan. ia in !! q
Catholic country, Jew in a Christian
country, but an American in all coun-
,ries.p General Cas- processes to speak
and act IN regard TO this subject, on the
ground of principle. Principle is neither
Catholic nor Protestant, nor Jewish nor
Christian-at least in the sense in which
it has been employed by him. Principle,
ifanything is universal. And SINCE Gen.
Cass has attributed TO what he calls 40
something like special pre-
rogative, be ought TO show some grounds
why an American, here classified under
the head of religious denominations,
should have any special or exceptional
preference. Four religious denomina-
lions are mentioned, namely Catholic,
Protestant, Jew and Christian. This no.
menclature General Cass may explain
I,s terms, theologically considered, are,
at least, ineligible. But when he comes
to rank an American as representative
of fifth sect, l really do not understand
what be means.
If an American, as such, has righ! 10
protection in all countries, why not also
a European, an Asiatic, or an African 7
It seems, according to him, tha! religious
denominations, in general, should be treat
ed by confederation in all countries, but
when a man processes the American re-
ligion, which General Cas- has not e1-
planned, such a man has pre-eminen.
right to special protection everywhere
that wherever be appears in foreign land
the sovereignty Of the State, in regard 10
oil questions appertaining to religion,
must fall back the moment be proclaims
himself an American. And it shall be
understood that when he arrive, on the
shore of such county with a full measure
Of American atmosphere, American sun.
beams, and American religion according
to Mr.. Cass, sufficien, for his consumption
during the period of bis passage through
or soiourning within tha. country. be
shall have The right 10 say and do what be
thinks proper, provided always i! be ac-
cordins TO the dictates Of his conscience.
If this doctrine can obtain. several
consequences which Mr.. Cas-, had tried
to guard against in other parts of his
speech must necessarily follow. Every
nation has the real or supposed element
of sovereignty within itself. Bu. if the
rights of conscience are supreme, and
an American is to be protected every
where in acting out its dictates. then the
sovereignty of such nation must give
way,o the sovereignty OF hiscon.cience.
What .henl Two sovereign,ies are
Immediately in conflict. Which shall
yield to the o,herl If the sovereignty
of the State mus, give way to the indi-
vidual, provided that individual be an
American, then lie, foreign sovereign
States hide their diminished heads, for
i. is obvious that two rival sovereign,ies
cannot both prevail in the same State.
Then, il that be the case, as the Sens.