Washington telegraph., 1855-08-08

Order is an old-fashioned Jackson Democrat
wherever they have nominated candidates they
have taken the larger number from the Demo-
cratic ranks. Judge Cone of Georgia, who re-
ported the Platform adopted at Phiadelphis. is
an old line Democrat He was member of the
Baltimore Convention in 1914 that nominated
Mr.. Polk and reported the resolutions adopted
by that body as the principles of the Democratic
party. How stands the case on the other side?-
NJ Wise conessedly owes his election to the
Wings Messrs. Toombs and Stephens, Wing
leaders IN Georgia, are at the head of the Anti
American Party, and so with Mr.. Preston OF Ken
lucky. Everywhere you find Whig leaders among
the bItterest opponents of American principles,
and If it is Whig trick they have been long
time finding it out
There is another branch of the question which
| approach with more reluctance, because am
afraid with more prejudice than will enable me
to consider it dispassionately. Without belong
ing TO any Church | grew up in the Methodist
persuasion 1t was the faith in which my mother
lived and died and could not change it if would
Among the earliest books which fell into my
hands, found accounts of Catholic prosecutions of
the early Protestants Ofmen women and child.
rem thrown into dungeons-stretched upon the
rack, tortured with thumb screws. and finally
burned at the stake for the crime of worshipplng
God as reason and conscience dictated. Then
came the order OF Jesus' with the Inquisition in
its train. For centuries every page of history is
backened by the lnlquities of that Church whose
Pontiff arrogantly claims to be the immediate
representative OF the Almighty, and who has not
hesitated at all times to exercise powers in ac-
coTdance with that claim Subjects released from
obedience to their legal rulers-murder perjury
incest every crime made venal if it tended to the
advancement of the Church. l know it is said
that these powers not now exercised or claim
ed. Where has it ever been abandoned when
they had powe- to enforce ita What is the use
of the Confessional if the Priesthood do not still
claim the power OF forgiveness for sins commit
ted or to be committed! | have searched in vain
for any authentic document which shows that
they have ever abated jot or little of the pre-
tentions which characterized them in other years.
and characterize them now in other lands
| have.visited two countries in which the Cath.
olic religion is established by law, and foutd in
both the same intolerance, the same bigotry the
same hatred of the Protestant of yore. Even
the dead bodies OF Protestants denied the right
OF burial IN Catholic graveyar The masses
taught to. believe that the rotting corpses of
the faithful would be polluted by the neighbor-
hood of a Brother who held in life different
creed. In Spain an assemDlage Of more than Is
Protestants for the purpose OF religious worship is
declared an unlawful assembly, and all the rernon-
strances of England have failed to ameiorate this
detestable tyranny. What We see existing else
where. what we know has always existed where
ever Catholics had the power, may surely
dread for ourselves without being liable to the
charge of excessive timidity, particularly when
and influence among u.s. From 1910 to 1850
the mum Der of Catholics in the United States
doubled, and they exceed two millions of
souls AT that rate it will not take them long to
acquire all the power they want, and when ac-
quired they will not fail to exercise it. In the
very nature oil things the Catholic must be a per-
secutor. When he believes that egery Protestant
is on the highway to hell--when he believes
that it is Charity to torture. and piety to murder
those whom he looks upon as enemies to his God;
ha -.
liberation.
Another great danger we have to dread is the
prevalence of the nIschievous dogma that the
Pope is superior to the Constitution, and can alb
solve his flock from oaths to support it. know
how bitterly this is denied; but if American Cath.
olics do not acknowledge it they are widely DIFF
ferent from their brethren elsewhere. History is
full of instances OF Kingdoms laid under interdict
-monarchs ex-excommunicated, and " hole
people doomed to Purgatory, for some real or inn
aglnary fault OF their rulers. We all remember
that a King OF France was assassinated by priest
at the bidding of his superiors. We ali remem-
Der that king oil England was compelled to walk
bareiooted in sackcloth and asLes to the tomb of
Thomas a-Becket. and that the great Bruce war;
dered for years outlaw, hunted by assassins
and blood hounds, for daring to punish traitor
to his country within the precincts of Catholic
church. The best way of Judging tree is by ita
fruits, and those fruits familiar to us ALL &c is
objected however that the Constitution secures to
CsSi ludli tue ilSuL VI ITOQ as he
pleases. and that in prescribing Catholics we are
guilty Of violation OF that instrument Not at
ALL The same Constitution which gives to them
the rights of conscience, secures to me also the
right of Uotitg as | think best. 1t does not COM
pei me to vote Catholic, anv more than it COM
pels me to to vote for an Abolitionist One NAV
be lust sincere in his belief as the other. and
both be equally dangerous to the country OF
that each voter must Judge for himself
There is no proposition to change the Consti-
tuition, none to pass law inconsistent with it
The American party undertake to show precise
y as the Whig and Democratic parties undertake
TO show for themselves that it is safer for liberty
safer for the Union, safer for religion to place none
but American Protestants IN Office, and purely
leave it to their countrymen to decide upon rea-
son and argument how far they are right, or how
far they are wrong We do not propose to dis
turb their public worship-we do not propose to
declare assemblage OF Catholics unlawful, but
claim the privilege of voting to suit ourselves
can difference in the evil tendency of the
higher law OF Mr. Seward, or the higher law of
Archbishop Hughes. do not choose to vote for
either, and he who attempts to force me to, is
guilty of the very prescription he condemns.
wish | could have devoted more time to the
preparation OF this letter; but it is sufficient to
give tolerably correct idea of the position oc-
cupy upon the question to which you have called
my attention.
am very truly and
Respectfully. yours, &c,
JERE. CLEMENS.
J. E PEEHIrs f.nntersyjlIe Ala