The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-09-29
CATHOLICISM AND LIBERTY.
[From the New York Mirror.


that religion, in 50 far us the individual enjoy
mcnt thereof is concerned, should not enter
among the tests by which the citizen is polit
icalIy tried at the ballot box. Religion, sim.
ply as Il matter of individual opinion and faith
is Il concern which it is more safe to leave he.
tween man and his maker, than to enirust it
to any third party, Whomsocver. So at least
has It's universal history proved. ManHind
could have scarcely been more irrcligous had
crccds and priests never existed But We DO
not agree with those who would shut from
the ballot box and the political forum al judy
mcnt upon religion, whether of individuals or
classes, where 1t is beyond question that this
religion has more in it Of political craft than
OF souI-saying Godincas.
To come directly TO the point, we do not
agree that Il rcli zion, like Roman Cath"ieiAn,,
judged by IFS record, past or prcsrnt-if in
fallb'c, its record should always be the same
is entitled TO that exemption from political
discussion and Judgment which may be, and
We think is, due to the unyHunting, unambig-
uous and sublime religion Of Jesus. No, il
there were no worldwide history, written too
often in letters Of blood and rapuc by which
to Judge it, wc have seen enough in our midst
in this, its most tocr:bic and tolerant are. to
satisfy us that, in countermininr or meeting
it face to face we have, in Catholicism, to do
with Il vast and mighty political machinery
Il machinery worked hy GINNING miids and
skiItn hands, that has, III darker arcs, clasp,
ed ali who disputed is claims, whether divine
or temporal, to Il breast, not of 'teudrr mrr-
cy," but Of implacabc, life crushing spikes
and thorns.
/ a religion which compel, its chiefs to
swear, in the hour of 'sacrcl invcstiturc," to
yield nothing to "principaIiiics or powers"
that can conflict with the will and interests OF
their one and only sovereign, the temporarily
grasping successor Of st. Peter, is II poIiti-
cal element and authority, to be watched, and
met, and bafllcd wherever the people would
rule the State or govern their own temporal
affairs. A religion which cXacts such irlliv
from its chiefs, must impose Il no less dam
ger"us obligation on its rank and file, and
thus it is that, wherever the Roman Catholic
is citizen he is bound, if Papai ambition or
need demand, to abjurc al! other allegiance.
And the fcaity Of the chiefs goes further than
this:-as we saw only lately when II muta-
ted oath Of Il ust con ,ccratcd Catholic Bish-
op was sought to be palmed of as the real,
whole thing-it binds him to ccasclcss per-
sccution, if that will avail, of ri! who are
without the Catholic fold There is no de-
nying this, had there never been qucnched Il
brand in Il martyrs bIood--llad never u soul
passed to heaven from the torture Of the rack.
1t is in the nature of the religion which, of
Itself, is perpetual instigator to violence
against all who are not of "thc faith"
In our own country, we have seen but an
exercise of its spirit and power, yet enough
to bctray the hoary and profound dcspotism
that lies concealed beneath its local, Temporal
ry inability. 1t has not among us, dared, or
rather, has not seen iit-ior il is polite, and
patient wthai--to rc-thundcr the motto of
that Austrian bravo of the "ll"ly Allinnce,''
who said Il will oppose will Of iron {s.eciD
to the progress of liberal principles; y it In,
not vcnturcd-savc in petty instanccs-to
burn sacred or prcian literature in our high
ways: il has not kndIcd the material faggot,
nor raised the auto.da-tr it has not denied
all decent gravc-srce to "herctics." No, it is |.
not bold and brave in defence of itself: il |
does not spurn ;imc-scrving policy, and un-
mask ITSELF at once, in all its hilcous ugIincss !
The spirit is there, burning with hate and
vengeance, rs deeply as on Bartholomew's .
Day, or when the Bohemian cxpiated his |
Professionalism in fire, or the Empcror-monk Of
iuste dabbed his cruciiiX in hereto core but .
the time is rot come to manifest it sin the
llcsh," and God grant that it never may
come.
But il has done all it dared to do. 1t has
seized on strong elements of temporal power,
grasping for its Pontiiical head temples. and
treasures, and graves, reared, and coined, and
dug by its blind followers sweat and blood.
1t has isolated and armed its hcrd-with one
weapon or othcr-against all hearty coalition
with the people of the land. 1t has battlrd
against free thought and free speech, and par
ticulary against the education OF the children
of the land, free, and in common. In the
name of n religion which il dare not trust 10
the march of mind and the progress of events,
It has stood like II rock of flint in the way of
Iibcrty's watch-lights-ircc altars and free
schools. II has opposed, secretly always
and openly when it dared, whatever tended
to make people more free and sclf.reliant.
If it has ycilcd the pagcants and hummer
es whercwiih it has dcludcd and dcbauched
n other lands, il is because the Intelligence
Of the people at large would not tolerate
hem; or because, perhaps, it has found am
pie work for its genius and craft in attempt 4;
ng TO stem the currents of intelligence, lest
hey should so widen. and swell, and burst,
Is TO swirl down the Jesuistc-Roman struct-
ire, stripping despotism of its migliiest
and rdding freedom of her dead
lest foe We have had the true programme
If what Catholicism would do if it had the
State in its cutches-as in Spain, or Naples,
,r Rome-soundcd in our ears by an Arch
bishops organ, "Thc Shepherd Of the Valley"
I would suppress free schools and common
,cb,ols. IL voull crush or censor the press ,