Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-09-13

1ists, North and South, in the year 1883 own
ID 5000, the presby,erians, Old aud Ne,
School, 1000; the Baptists, l25,0oo; tn
| Episcopa aians,s 80 900; the Disciples, ,or Camp
bellites, 100000; other denominations, 60,
O0O-making, in all, 663,oOO slaves. held b.
the ministers and members of the Protestan n
churches Of this country! And the American
Tract Society, the American Sunday Schoo
Union, the American Board of Foreign Mis-
1ions, and, in short, all the grand instrument
alities which these churches employ for tn,
spread of knowledge and religion through
| out the world, are controlled by the Slave In
terest. In this particular they seem to fil
the Know Nothing measure, for they are com
pletey "Americanised' They expurgate
The religious literature Of the country, with
Sfudions reference to the feelings of the
stakeholder. They even plunder and dehle
the school books ofaour youth. in order. to
propitiate their Southern membership. They
prefer denomnational sway to the propaga.
ton of pure faith The most popular and
Influential clergymen of these churches unit.
ed with Castle Garden patriots in 1860 in
Saving the Union," and inundating the land
viii ower-!aw sermons. These religious
bodies may have made some progress during
| the past few years; but they are essentially
on the side of the oppressor to-day, They
are the right arm OF the Slave Power. In
the language of Albert Barnes, SO often quot
ed, "there is no power ost of the American
church that could sustain Slavery an hour, if
it were not sustained In it!'
Mr.. Chairman, if Christianity teaches the
brotherhood of all men, and the breaking OF
every yoke, what sort OF a God do these
churches worship, and what sort of a religion
inspires them! How much better. in the
light of these facts, is our boasted Protestant
ism, than the Romanism we are SO eager to
destroy! How much worse is the Catholic
priest of our country, or even the Pope him
self, than our Protestant clergyman, who
could send his own mother or brother into
Slavery, in testimony of his allegiance to
the lower law, or write such book as "1he
South Side Vie,o of American Slauery" And
how is it, sir, that the zeal of our Northern
Know Nothings wakes so strong against
"Babylonian aoomnations," whilst here we
have Native American Babylon, upheld by
our Protestant sects, whose internal sway
over three illions and half of human be-
ings, for whom Christ died, makes the cor
ruptions Of Rome dwindle into perfect In
significance, whilst it strengthens the arm Of
Despotism, and stiles the voice Of Ere esdom,
throughout the world! t.r sfa..
Sir, submit that our Protestantism should
perform lustration, to purify itself from this
transcendent wickedness, before it attempts
any new assault upon an outward foe. 1t
should be ashamed to raise the alarm at the
spread of Popery and false doctrine, whilst it
outrages Heaven by its impious denial of the
first lesson of Christianity. 1t should slacken
its zela in bull ling up its power, until it
ceases to fill the ranks of iniaelity, ard turn
religion itself into scorn, by its revolving
espousal of "the vlest system of oppression
that ever saw the sun" 1t should not strain
a. the gnat of American, Catholicism, whilst
it swallows down at one gulp the huge camel
of American Slavery. In word, it should
speedily enter upon the work of thorough
repentance, by faithfully applying its own
professed principles in the cure of its own
sins; and It's example, as have already in.
sisted, will radiate an influence far more
potent, in checking the power of Jesuitism
than any organized secret machinery can pcs
sibly WELD.
In the next place, oppose this new Ord
er, on accouE. of its prescription OF foreign
ers. The whole number of these now in the
United States is only about 100000; and
the whole number of foreigners and their
descendants, from the year 1890 to 1880, is
only about 100000. The entire foreign
vote of 1850 was only 270,43O. This po-
litca and social element among US, so alarm
ing to many, is mingled with our nalive po-
pulation, now numbering, say 20 900, and
s,readIng over territory reachirg from the
Atlantic to the Pacific. Experience has
shown that we need the help of cur emigren's
ia developing the physical resources ot the
country, and building up the interest OF Free
dom and Free Labor, whilst they need the
opportunity we tender them OF becoming
owners OF the soil, and valuable citizens OF
the Repu bile, instoad Of the starving vassals
OF foreign despots. Let them come. Trod'
den down Oy kingy- Puwer, and hnngerinl
and tbirsting after righteousness OF our free
institutions, let them have a welcome or
these shores. Their motive is very natura
and at the same time an honorable one, thai
of bettering their lot. They prefer our coun
tr, and its Government to every other how
ever poorly enlightened that preference may
be. "The forei gner," says Gerrit Smith
"has given US one great proof of possessing
an Amerc IN heart, which our native coulc
not give; for whilst our native became al
American by accident Of birth, the em'gran
became ne by choice; whilst our native may
be an American, not from any preference fo
America, the emigrant has proved that hi
prefers our country to every other" To pro-
scribe him on account of his birthplace is al
mean and cowardly as to prescribe him fo
his religious faith or the color of his skim
1t is the rankest injustice, the most downright
inhumanity. and can only be defended by tht
most dwelling sophistry The celebrated
DR.. Leber, in late letter, commenting oi
the f,lacy that adopted citizens are less A
| merican in feeling than our natives, uses thi
language: ...
"Among the most eminent or most widel.
I