The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-07-26
.as From The Presbyterian Critic
TIE AMERICAN PARTY.

national movement against the Catholic
Church. The recent excitement in the coun.
try has been, ia the main, the resnlt of cor
rupt movement cf unprncipled politicians
10 excite the Protestant feeling of the people,
and 10 ride into power upon the Tide. They
have run foul Of the great maxim, which
they have so couspicuously set forward a
mong their principles, as if for the@purpose
of exposing the proaigacy of the whole
movement, by violating in practice what
they oppose in theory. II is absurd TO deny,
that making the mere religious sentiments
of man, the reason Of refusing to vots for
! him, is violation OF The great principle of
religious liberty. II is allowing principle
of discriminating the political aspect of a
vote TO be sound and just which would be
wicked and nnprincirled, if embodied in a
law. If our neighbors make their dislike TO
our Presbyterian sentiments, the ground for
their refusing 10 vote for us, it is perfectly
useless 10 disguise, that we are under politi,
cal responsibility for religious opiuions-that,
quoad hoe, we are suffering for them. The
Objectionable feature in This view of the case
is, making religious opinion unattended by
any viclousness of action growing out OF il.
ground for an universal discrimination in
political affairs, affecting permanently large
masses of citizens. This is our first and
great objection 10 the American or Know
Nothing party; il is violating the very prn-
ciple of religious liberty, which it processes
TO conserve; and has adopted a construction
Of that principle which strips it of all prac-
iical force, leaving ii dead letter in the
statute book, and abandoning It's control over
the political action of the people.
We object again 10 political movement
against the Catholic church, because there
is no necessity for 1t, provided the people of
this country will properly employ the legiti-
mate agencies OF opposition which are in
their power. The simple and sufficient con-
dition of the preservation of the Republic
from the arts oil Romansm is, the full and
efficient support of the Protestant Church
the complete and animated maintenance of
the Domestic Missionary enterprise of the
various Protestant denominations. This is
the great conservative element of our politi-
cal system TO sustain and vivify il with the
vigorous energy which il ought 10 possess,
and il need not 10 be feared that any of the
great social or political Interests that are con-
dilioned upon it, will ever come to barn.
Ii is the only,-not less Than the only legiti-
mate power which can be effectively en-
ployed 10 restrain Popery, and maintain the
institutions of our government. All perse-
cution no matter how disguised in form, or
limited in extent, will endure to the benefit
of the body enduring it. The policy then,
OF restraining Popery by political disabilities
inflicted upon the individual Catholic, is sui
cidal in the extreme. 1t will concentrate
and intensity the attachment of lis members,
and render them more and more unapproach-
able by Protestan, instruction.. Ii will create
sympathy, and thus open wide the door TO
prosey;ism, and il will put the Church in
an attitude far more Attractive, as the victim
OF an uujusti6ab!e crusade, than il is at all
entitled TO assume from its intrinsic charms.
How long is The world 10 be- learning the
lesson and never coming TO the knowledge
of the truth, that all means but reason and
love, 10 etfec; The opinions. OF men, only re-
suit in Strengthening attachment 10 their
original convictions The principle of this
opposition TO Popery is vicious, and the
more completely it is carried into effect, The
more disastrous will be lac result. The
more completely the political victory over
Popery, the more it will be benefited. The
only efIeelive-as il is the only lawful, gen.
eral and permanent agency of opposuon 10
the Popish ChuIch, is The true Protestant
| Church Of Christ under lie various FORMS
We have no right 10 complain of the ineffi-
| cheney of means, until we have employed
it fully, and tested all its capacities. Let the
people OF The United States double their snp-
port of The great Domestic Missionary work, ,
aud they may safely abandon all political
agitations against the Catholic Church.
We object again TO The American party,
that ii is coudensing the Catholic and For
eign element in our population into politi-
cal body, distinct from the mass of our citi-
zens, armed with all their power to do mis-
chief, and animated bv all that hostility
which is natural 10 men suffering under an
oslracism of their religion and birth, and
provoked by an attempt to diminish their
full equality with olter citizens. Now what
does -Nolhngism propose to do for the
remedy of this evil which il has Created p
Ii only proposes 10 render The Catholic and
Foreign citizens insIigibls e of3ci
them the power to vose, ff<
limited emigration 10 40
great means of mischief
to use them. There can L.
The Pope's control over u
except in taking away the eIeoc
altogether. Now it is, TO say the ii "a IL.
the most manly and honest policy, TO pro-
hibit the entry OF Catholic and q Foreigner
altogether, into the country, and 10 the rights
of citizenship, rather than invite them to