New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-01-12
THE DAILY CRESCENT.
THURSDAY MORNING, lAN,Y T., Isl
TITLES OFF HONOR.

Ia.
Our correspondent, q Chesterfield" whose.
very sensible and proper communication ap
pears in another column, asks why, in this
country, Cardinal Bedini seems to be, Of q
somewhat set purpose, refused his proper, dis
tinguishing title
or course, we cannot answer the question
positively. But, as one accustomed 70 hho"
and sometimes to sound the often rather Jahg-
ling strings Of what is entitled public sentl-
mentn Though certainly not very sentiment
tai thine1 We can give b guess which may come
within less than d bow shot Of the matter.
In the first place, we do not think there exists
among cur people at large-still less among the
Press any illiberal spirit towards the Nunoio
People are too knowing in this country to take
for gospel the bitter and bad reviiings Of a.
sanguinary renegade and Jaeobin, like Ga
vazai. let but little was known OF the per.
sonal merits of the Cardinal; and, as the world
goes, even in this land of Reason, where dame
Truth has set up her head quarters, the saluting
a newcomer with billingsgate levels him, to a
certain degree, with those who fling dirt on him,
whether deserved or not
But, secondly, ever since those amiable days
of religious controversy, when John Rogers
stood at the stake--as he still stands in New
England primers-with his wife and the ann
biguous number Of his babes % or I'D around
him; ever since Luther called the Pope cine
elegant and learned Leo X, can ass, ana
was in return styled ga devil" it has been
usual for some Protestants and some Catholics
to hate and to yilify each other, worse than
rri.s a4.JJ who ftp1irht in
keeping up that good old custom; and there.
fore there are folks whose religious bigotry
shuns all titles Of respect towards the Nuncio;
although they without compunction dignity
Brigham Young the Mormon, as g Governor
and reyerently salute Gavazzi as s Father
Then, thirdly, we are, in this country, great
Republicans and hate all titles. Witness Vie
small number of Colonies and Generals that we
have, and the manner in which our people re-
fuse to run after every monkey of an English
lord. To be sure, the dignity Of Cardinal is,
like that of General, personal only it does not
pass by inheritance but is conferred for SER
vices Of either piety or learning. No matter:
democracy is very averse to titles--unless they
be the empty ones of our militia and scorns
nobles-when it can't get their acquaintance.
But, now, what Of all that If Bedini be
sent to America, which is now one Of the favor
lite and richest fields for Catholic propagation,
as the chosen envoy of that wise and polite
power, the Roman Church, is he not certain to
be q man of high qualities and great sense
What will he care, then, whether he be called
Cardinal or not? A man who has been chosen
as the first regular Nunoio and first real Cardi-
nal ever shown US is sure to be one fit to make
Catholicism loved and reyered in his person
Nocommon person can he be. Hestands within
reach Of the Papaoy itself. For Catholicism is
in this most democratic its dignities are
open to all alike, high or low born. Bedni can
afford to go untitled, just as much as any Of
our own Episcopalian or Methodist bishops could
to travel in strange parts or in his own diocese
unreccgnized. and perform his sacred duties,
under modest name.