Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES..

Nothing speech of Mr.. BANKS, who, he said,
had made special and inculpatory remarks re-
garding the Roman Catholic Church, involving in
the inculpation charge Of latent treason against
its members, or, at least, an imputation. There is
no article of their religious faith which overrides
all fealty to this government and which would rem
der them unworthy Of public trust--suspccted citi-
zeqs and dangerous officers. Standing here almost
alone in the assertion of fact which seems to be
doubted, he was without the sympathy of a host Of
partisans to sustain him and to pardon the infrmity
of his defence of the principles which he advocated
He denied that the Pope Of Rome has or claims
for himself the right to interfere with the political
relations of any country than that of which he is
himself the sovereign; and he denied the right of
the Pope, resulting from his divine Office, to inter-
fere between the subjects, and sovereigns and ct-
zens, and governments. While he made this de-
NAL he acknowledged all his obligations to that
church, Of which he is an humble member He
would not yield single dogma, nor explain it away
to suit the spirit of the time.
He believed all that the Church believes and
teaches as religious dogmas. He must regard
himself as involved in the general censure of the
gentleman from Massachusetts,. He clearly and
distinctly denied that the power Of the Pope ex-
tends one grain beyond his spiritual relations, or
infringes in the least degree on the duty which
any Roman Catholic owes to the government
under which he lives. If he said, by the Prov
idence of God, the Bishop of Rome should pos
sess himself Of an army to invade the territory
OF the United States, or assail the rights of our
country, he would find no more earnest antago-
nists than in the Roman Catholics
II should not be here to vote supplies to our
army, and too old to take part in the battle,
would be found. in the privacy of my chamber
or at the foot of the altar, imploring God for
the salty OF my country and the defeat of the in
vaders. Applause.1 II the spirit of conquest
should seize on the wearer of the tiara, and he
should seek to subjugate Italy, provoking the
arms OF other nations against his own State,
would look on the chances of the defeat of his
arms as coolly and complacently as on the mis-
chieyous schemes of any other ambitious monarch
This was his belief and fully and openly asserted
by every bishop in the United States In proof,
he read from the writings of Bishops England,
kenrick, Hughes, Spalding and others He scorned
to utter less than the whole truth; and referred
TO other times when the Pope dethroned kings, but
only when It was required by existing constitutions
or compacts for the benefit and at the instance of
the governed. In the language of Bishop England,
God never gave to the Pope any temporal power
to depose kings or interfere with the political con-
Germs; and any rights which the successor of St
Peter claims for that purpose must be derived from
some other source He condemned the inequality
In citizens which the Know Nothngs seek to estab-
lish saying that If this shall be done 1t would not
be long before that class win demand as boon
what freemen claim.
In conclusion, he said With my hand on my
heart, and my eyes towards Heaven, with rever-
ence, appeal to God to witness the truth of the
assertions which have made, with the conviction
OF knowledge and the crcdibility Of the testimony
have sdduccd from others
Mr.: COKE having the floor, argued to show that
the Wing party Is not dissolved and disbanded, as
their enemies repeatedly assert. He reviewed, in
condemnation, the acts and policy OF the admins
tration, and passed 70 the X now Noth;np ouoet;or
briefly contending that Americans have the right
TO manage politics in their own way, to exclude
Roman Catholics from Office, and to extend the
term Of naturalization.
The Committee here rose, and the House ad-
journed