Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-02-19
NUMBER 50.
ECCLESIASTICAL TENUREs.
Speech Of Hon. IL. IL. whitney, In Senate
Of New York February 8, 1855.

Mr.. CHAIRMAN. | deem il little less than an act
Of temerity on the part Of one unyersed in clas-
sic lore, to venture in the same field side by side
with the honorable Senator from the 3lst (Mr
Putnam) whose learned and elaborate address on
this subject is yet so fresh in our memories and our
hearts. / shall not attempt to emulate either his
learning or his genius. 1t is sufficient If be per-
mtted to kneel between Helicon and Parnassus, and
worship at tho shrine where he ministers. i'll can
pass over the field SO closely garnored by the keen
sickle OF his eloquence, and gather up few stray
ears Of grain to cast into his sheaf, It is all that
dare hope to accomplish.
Let 1t be my duty, sir, to exhibit the political
bearing Of this subject and the encroachmcnts that
have been made on our state policy since the found
alton of our Republic The learned young Senator
has shown at length the philosophy of the theme;
let me present in brief its morale and its practical
effects.
In this argument we are not to deal with dogmas
or Church discipline, but solely with the Church
political in its direct relation to the temporal rights
Of American citizens, IL is general in its
application. Nor is it a new proposition; hay
ing for its object, rather the removal of an am
bguity or an imperfecton in law now upon the
statutes of the State That law has hitherto been
deemed sufficient for the safety Of thstate and tho
rights Of individuals but now, single Church
stands forth clothed in temporal garment and
bids defiance at once to the statute and the State
1t Is, perhaps, needless for me to say, this is the
Church Of Rome Sir, as have used the term
| "Church-poltical" feel called upon here at the
outset, to prove this Church Of Rome to be pol
itco-relgous organization, claiming boundless all-
thorty, temporal as well as spiritual and thirsting
for the time where il may enforce its edicts
throughout the world.
Thomas Aquinas, one of the most orthodox and
authoritative of Romish writer's, says:
The Pope, as supreme king Of the acorld may
impose taxes and destroy towns and castles for tho
preservation of Christianity"
BY Christianity, is meant .Romanism.
Pope Gregory VII, in his declaration of Papal
divine right, says:
"The Romish Church is the only ono that God
has founded"
Again. rs to the political character of the church.
In the reign of Gregory VII it was established,
| that
"The Pope alone ought to wear the tokens Of
imperial dignity all princes ought to kiss his feet
he has power to depose emperors and kings, and
is to be judged by none"
Under Pope John XII it was decreed
"Whoever shall venture to maintain that our
Lord the Pope cannot decree what he pleases, let
him be accurst."
The Council Of Trent dccreed as follows:
"The Pope is prince over all nations and king
doms, having power to pluck up, destroy, scatter,
ruin, plant and build"
Romish father, the Cardinal Zeba. He says:
uThe Pope can do all things which he wishes,
and Is empowered by God to do many things which
he himself cannot perform
These however, are but tho declarations of the
ancient Fathers Of the Church; declarations put
forth in the days of her power and her pride. But
sir, that church Is declared to be infallible that
sleis the same yesterday, to-day and forever, and
1t becomes important that we should know whether
the same prerogativcs Of power and might and
majesty, are still accorded to its august earthly
head On this subject will read paragraph pub
lshed in one of their journals two years ago, in
the city of New York; u1#
nThe Pope of Rome has supreme authority In
every diocese, and over every square foot of sur
face on the globe. His rights cipaumscribed
only by the ends of tho earth and the consumma-
ton of ages"
These authorities 90 to show not only the poti-
cal character Of the hierarchy but TO my mind its
absolute despotism, wherever It's power can be
made TO apply
In our land, tie sequcstraton Of government
cannot be accomplished by bulls and anathemas IL
done at all IL must be by the ballot box.
Church aggrandizement side by side with foreign
influence, working upon the corruptions Of polti-
cal partisans, have been steadily perfectng their
aggressons upon our system, and throwing down,
one. by one, the ancient landmarks of republic.
This Is found in the successive mutations Of tho
organic law. The Senator from the 3lst has quot
ed the 9sth and seth sections Of the original
sttution Of this State, and quote them again for
a further illustration.
88. And whereas we are required by the benero-
lent principles OF rational liberty not only to cx-
pei civil tyranny, but also TO guard against that
spiritual oppression and intolerance wherewith the
bIgotry and ambition of weak and wicked priests
and princes have scourgcd mankind, this convcn-
ton doth, &C. declaration Of free exercise Of re-
ligion, here foows)
SO. And whereas the ministers Of the gospel are
by their profession dedicated TO the service Of God
and the cure Of souls and ought not TO be diverted
from the great duties Of their Junction. therefore
minister, &c, concludes with declaration Of their
ineHgibility TO any civil or military oficc)
will now quote another section which treats Of
both ccclesiastical and tho subject of naturaliza-
ton.
SEC. A. "And this convention doth further in
the name and by the authority Of the good people
Of this State ordain, determine, and declare, that
Il shall be in the discretion Of the Legislature to
naturalize all such persons, and in such manner
they shall think proper, provide all such Of those
persons TO be by them naturalized, as being born
In parts beyond the sea, and out Of the United
States Of America, shall como TO settle in, and be-
come the subjects Of this State, shall take
oath Of allegiance TO this State and abure and re-
nouncc all allegiance and subsection to all and
every foreign king prince, potentate and State, in
| all matters ecclesiastical as well as civil"
Yet one more quotation
ART. 3, Sec. 2, reads: mo person except
tive citizen Of the United States shall be eligible TO
| the Office Of Governor
Here is the agis which the fathers Of this State
deemed necessary TO fling around the free institu-
tons which they gave us, to guard against ecclesi-
sstical encroachments and foreign influence.
| BY these provisions two principles are set forth,
the one rciterating the anttchurch and State poll
| cy, and the other maintaining the cardinal doe
| trine Of the present Constitution Of the United
States, that foreigners should not be ntrusted with
| executive powers BY the one we find the church
dignifed with an independent supremacy in mat
tiers Of spiritual, apart from the gross contamina
ton Of secular affairs. We find in It the maxim of
tho Saviour Of man: Render unto Cesar the
things which are Cesar's and unto God the things
which Gods The entire alienation of religion
! and politics. A double principle enunciatcd by
the Son Of God, and first practsed as feature of
State policy by the United States Of North Ameri-
ca Under Il, the poison of political priestcrait,