Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-06-01
HIGHER Law.

Fugitive Slave Law. announced his
belief in Higher Law, than human
enactments. For this he has been
branded as traitor to his country,
and Reputation Of Higher Lavish,
has been cardinal article Of faith, in
the party that is devoted to the extern
sion Of slavery, because the Law Of
God rebukes slavery. But new is
sue has arisen which makes reyis-
ion OF this doctrine necessary. The
attention Of American protestants has
been called to the alarming fact, that
the votes of Roman Catholics are to
be courtod atthe expense Of Ameri-
can Pedestrians. though they consti-
tute but one nineteenth of the popula-
ton of the country. Those who re-.
sist this procedure allege, as one OBJ
lection, to being thus ruled by Roman
lists, who constitute so small n minori-
ty OF the votes Of thit Republic, that
whatever oath of allegiance they take,
their religious faith binds them TO SUI
premc allegiance to a foreign despot
the Pope. A. FIRST an effort was made
to deny this, but. the canons Of the
church, are too well known to admit OF
such denial. Hence the tactics OF
party have changed and their allegi-
ance to the pops, is justified on the
ground Of the supremacy of the High
err Law.
In speech Of Mr. Hunter, Of Vir-
ginia, probable old-line. slavery-ex-
tending, catholic loving, candidate for
the presidency. delivered at Peters
burgh, Va, just before the late cleo
ton, he said:
"Fellow citizens, such a distinction
does not in truth exist. The Catholic
Of the present day no more admits the
supremacy Of the Church in temporal
matters than the Protestant; their def.
erence is in regard to spiritual concerns.
The Protestant maintains the right OF
private judgement in matters Of con-
science; the Catholic believes that in
spiritual affairs the decisions of the
Church ought to oycrrule the indiyid.
ual judgement. But Proiestants and
Catholics, all Christian Churches and
individuals believe that the allegiance
which they owe 10 God is higher than
any obligation to man; and that in u
conflict Jet,oeen Human and Divine Log
you must serpe God rather than man "
There il is. fellow citizens. Its all
right for catholics TO be believers IN the
Higher Law, but IL is treason in a
Protestant. Does any sensible man,
wonder at the just Indignation that
has arisen against the demagogues,
who thus court catholic yotesg Can
any lover Of American freedom and
American institution look such facts
in the face. and not feel that there is
cause for such combination of Amer
lean Freedom rs now exists against
such demagogues.
We are no alarmist, We have said
elsewhere. and we say again, thai
Catholics left alone, are harmless -
Treat them as other citizens. appeal t
: them as men, not as Catholics or -,
foreigners, and resist, kindly, but firm
ly. their demands for supremacy anC
there is no danger. But when such I
man as Senator Hunter who had 81
often scorned the doctrine of the SUI
premacy of conscience and Of Gods
law to now admit it. for mere political
eGeet, il is time for honest men TO be OF
the lookout.
We believe IN the doctrines o:
Higher Law, and we shall ever prae
tice upon it, and teach others to do tn,
same, and hence our objections are no
to the Senator's conversion to tn,
wholesome doctrine, but TO his zeal a
new convert just in time to secur,
Catholic votes.
But this shows the necessity of tn,
: American Protestant movement. Tha
} speech, connected, with his abuse o
Senator Seward. will seal the fate G
} the aspiring Senator from Virginia. |
will make more Know Nothings, thar
the Boston Crusader, or the fiery, fidg
ETY. Cincinnati Times, ever made. II i
an appeal from head quarters tina
will be marked and remembered.