The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-18

lmbecility OF Pferce, ana TIE syetema-
tic and inscriptions treacheries Of Marcy,
Gushing and all concerned. Give n al The
testimony.
The Know Nothings and ths Roman Co
tnoIics.
A good deal Of sound bigotry has been ava
kened Of late In the country parts BY the sup
posed opposition Of the Native American Order
to Roman Catholics. We say supposed" for
though there were symptoms at the Council at
Philadelphia Of something more than an imzgi-
nary sectarian bias, we do not believe that,
we're the Know Nothings in power tomorrow,
the smallest evidence Of any desire 10 interfere
with any class Of religionists would be made
manifest. 1t seems TO be believed, however, In
many very orderly country towns, no end Of
thriving villages, and along the lines Of several
Western and Eastern railroads. that one Of the
chief aims Of the native Americans II 20 put
down the Pope, and put the Papists" through
q smart course Of martyrdom. Hence vigo-
rous drilling Of the Protestant mind In the rural
districts to make ready for the persecution, and
uDstinted plagiarism In divers dull journals
from the old controversial books about the
scarlet lady Of Babylon, antichrist, and the
other bugbears which served TO frightsa
naughty children to sleep couple Of centuries
ago.
The fact is not very complimentary to the
enlightenment Of the age. Two hundred years
ago, it was considered quite proper TO make
laws in Massachusetts, against the introduction
Of Papists into the colony, to drive Lord Balti-
more out of Virginia because he was Cstho.
lie, and to refuse to allow the few Catho-
lie settlers in New York the use Of arms. But IL
has been generally believed that these acts were
the fruit Of the blindness of the age, and that
mankind knew better now. For half q century
at least, men have been accustomed TO regard
religious controversy as q thing Of the past, TO
be confined hereafter to the musty recesses Of
parsonages, cathedrals and other ecclesiastical
retreats. They came to this conclusion by an
unassailable chain Of reasoning 1t had long
ago been discovered that honest conviction
could not be produced by force; that 1t was
folly to suppose one religion less favorable to
good citizenship than another; that the right Of
private judgment in religious concerns was in
disputable; these discoveries, joined with the
growing humanity of the age, had put a stop
to persecution, and hence the belief that the
day had past for quarrels on religious differ
ences-a belief which acquired additional
strength from the tendency manifested in all
civilized legislation towards unrestricted liber-
ty of conscience.
hat Z, .1s IL
sible and well founded, was hasty one. 1t
appears that, notwithstanding all the accessions
of knowledge we have gained within the last GEN.
tury or so, we bear very striking resemblance
to those who went before us, and that there is in
us no small share Of the leaven Of bigotry which
formerly lighted the fires at the stake. We
have improved, no doubt; we do not burn our
Catholics, or hang our Quakers; but, still, it is
quite clear that the old feeling Of Intolerance
is not eradicated. Judging from the progress
which the anti Catholic prejudice has made of
late in this country, and the violent outburst
created by the recent appointments of Catholic
bishops in England, it seems by no means GER
tain that we may not hereafter relapse into
our old courses, and regulate mems consciences
with the whip, the halter and the stake. Some
powerful stimulus would be needed, OF course,
to cause 80 decided reaction; but no one can
set bounds to the folly of priests, no one can
venture to say what avalanche they may not
some day bring down about their ears.
The present prejudice is clearly due to the
unwise interference of the Romish hierarchy
in secular affairs. Bedini and Hughes are the
fathers Of the movement. Analysed honestly,
the arts Of neither the one nor the other appear
SO very criminal as the extent of the prejudice
would lead one to suppose. Bedini was foreign
ambassador, who foolishly assumed to claim
temporal authority here in virtue of his rank
in the church; he was resisted by most of the
Catholics and defeated: being personally unpo-
pular, his designs were exaggerated, and the no.
ton was widely spread that the Pope had sent
him in some sort to govern the country or
part of it. Hughes, on the other hand, held
no'foreign authority; but he, as foolishly as the
nuncio, contrived to divide the interests OF the
Catholic Church from those Of the Catholic PEG.
pie, and to appear anxious on the part of the
former, to grasp real property; whereupon all
The old accounts of priestly tyranny, resting on
great landed wealth, were called to mind, aud
he was accused Of seeking to set up power in
the State more or less under the control of a
foreign potentate. Add to these mistakes of
the heads of the church, the fact that, rightly or
the spiritual teachers of the Catholic
foreigner, who come here usually exercise
more authority ever their congregations than
Is customary WIN Protestant ministers, or in.
deed desirable for the State, and the whole
basis for the existing prejudice against Catho.
lies i'll be laid bare. One is struck at the
very first glance with the disparity between
cause and effect. There is surely nothing here
that time and education will not cure. If Be
DIM and Hughes try to wrest property from
the Catholics, WHY need Professionals oird nm