Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-12

yoE THE AMklcAr ok0AH.
The American Party and Roman Catho-
Iicism.
As this d q rainy day, and am, therefore, kept
within doors, have determined TO appropriate at
least portion Of II TO tho preparation Of an article
for your columns. have, however, written 80
much, over various signatures, of late, touching
the grand movement now going forward in this
country, designed by It's orignator, and intended,
by thousands of those patriotic citizens who have
united in it. to annihilate, at one blow the undue
influence Of foreigners and the Ronaish hierarchy,
in our elections, well as the dangerous spirit Of
sectionaliSm, whether found North, South, East,
or West, that hardly know what more to say
upon the subject II is, however, to q patriotic
and philanthropic heart, fruitful theme and the
more such an one dwels upon il, the more does
he discover to interest both his head and heart.
"A fatal error seems to have taken possession Of
many good men in this country, whose impulses,
as wen as their Judgments, being right. would
otherwise incline them to unite with and aid in
pushing forward scheme, the object Of which, Il
properly understood by them, would command
their warmest sympathies and most active sup.
port am aware that many, very many, Of our
fellow-citizens regard the American party as an
organized opposition to Roman Catholics as a
ligious body, and to Oatholiciu as religion.
Now, nothing could be more untrue than this.
The American party does not propose or aim 70
Interfere Nth any mans religion That is mat
ter wholly and entirely between the human soul
and its great Creator. No other person, or body
Of men whatever, have any right or power to in
terfere in so sacred q matter as this 0, mol the
soul Of man, and the God who gave 1t, are the only
parties to any system or plan that can affect It's
(thesouls) future and eternal condition and there
fore no other parties have any right, power or
thorty, either from the Bible or the Constitution
of these States, to thrust themselves in between
the soul and its Maker. It Is not against any
mans religion, as such, that the American party
aimsits opposition. And any man, or set Of men,
who asserts the contrary, only show that they
are either wilfully blind, or obstinately perverse
now assert, and challenge any man in the Uni
ted States to disprove gainsay it. that the very
moment the Romish Church, in this country, shall
publicly and openly disavow its allegiance to the
Pope of Romo-shall openly andpublicy throw of
the spiritual shackes by which the whole Church is
bound to the throne of Rome and shall select and
choose It's own bishops, and other church dignita-
ries, do all other religious denominations in this
country--that very moment the American party
win cease It's opposition to Catholics-w cease to
prescribe them from officeand will at Jnce recog-
mise them they do all other good citizens Of this
country as fully entitled to all the rights and priv
Ieges enjoyed by others. Indeed, the American
party has never said, and does not now hold, that
Roman Catholics are not equally entitled to every
privilege enjoyed by any other class of citizens,
provided the people choose to confer such privi-
leges upon them; but the American party holds
that as long as the Roman Catholics of the United
States acknowledge spiritual allegiance to a for
eign prince, and rs long as that spiritual allegiance
is acknowledged by all good Catholics to be supe-
rior to any other obligation Whatever 80 long will
the American party withhold ito support, for any
political position, from any member Of the Roman
Catholic Church. Other citizens may, and Of
course will, do as they please in regard to this
matter.
From this view of the subject which is the
only true one, 1t follows, and every one must per-
ceive, that the opposition of the American party
IL not to Roman Catholicism, as a reiigio~, but 10
Roman Catholicism as u politieo-reiigious HER
archy. Let American Catholics absolve them
selves from any and all allegiance to the Pope Of
Rome, and assume position common to other
religionists in this country, and Immediately they
will find the door open TO them, as to all others,
to enter in and enjoy the full privileges Of menu
bership and communion in the American party /!
Till then, however, they must be content TO bear
the burden Of opposition that is laid on the
shoulders Of foreign Protestants and other for
eigners.
As far as the American party is concerned,
understand It to be its fixed and determined pur-
pose to create and foster an American sentiment,
as well as Protestdnt civilization, In the United
States Of Americal And who can say sught
against this purposef Why should Roman Catho-
lies not assume an americas character, as well as
other relgionists in the United Statess As soon
as they shall enter up their protest against the
Pope Of Rome, and the hierarchy by which their
souls and bodies are bound, just so soon will they
tnfist III bhth btnah, ahu uo cntlhtu 70 tue sYfn-
psthies, as well as the political support of their
fellow-citizens, in common with other religious de-
nominations in this country. They need not
change their name, their ritual, or any other re-
iigious observance to which they are now accus-
toned The moment they release themselves
from Popish and Jssuitiedi thraldom, that mo
ment they viii stand out before the world, and the
people Of the United States, as free American cit
liens, and he who shall dare attempt to raise any
Constitutional or legal barrier in the way of their
full enjoyment Of all the rights and privileges,
social and political, guaranteed to all other free
American citizens, would subject himself to the
just charge Of attempting to subvert the great
fundamental principles Of civil and religious lib
orty upon which our institutions are reared.