Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-08-07
For Tie Enquirer.
THE AMERICAN pLATFORM.-NO 3.

n"', }" io'hiuaule and sn threatening, as 10 en-
danger American freedom American institutions!
What 10 excite the jealousy or arouse the fears of this
ncw'iansir'! party Of intensely American feeling!
lhe f"pe "i l:nine - sovereign of little mgdom
in Italy, continuing about l7OUO square miles, with
population OF 26'EI,O0O. We extend over Il territory
of l,210,OOO square miles, with population OF
2,O0O0GO. With this disparity in area and populn-
tl"n in our favor it Is con.rmpiby ridiculous to talk
about danger from the Pope as foreign power-
When wc were weak and the Pope comparatively
strong, hr made no attempts upon u., either in his
own strength nr with the aid OF any nthsr power
much less would he attempt it nor, tina, he is COM
PEELED to employ $4,000 French troops to keep his
own subjects in suHcctinn The only attempt ever
made upon our iidcpendcnce from Europe, WINS by a
Protestant power. What iudiceinent has the Catho-
lie population here to attempt the disruption Of the
Union and the subvcrson OF our republican system!
Their number Of all classes and descriptions, accord
ing To the last CELSIUS, caEn"t nnw exceed 2u0uOu0,
while the Protestant population, exclusive o slaves
and tree negroes Is ABOUT 1000 OOo. What prospect
uf success could thev possibly entertain, even with
all the ai, which the Pope could afford them Not
the slightest. lutHtra!ion .tseI,' n'o" o :" ~,
Is;ed would not embark III 70 rash and so b"ptss ma
enterprise. The Catholic population i'll the United
States when they were comparatively more tUrmIdH-
bic, lnaGe such attempt, and they have no motive
under the heavens TO attelnptit no" that they sre
weak. They have as deep stake in the preserva-
ton of our system Of government Us the Protcstans
have The idea OF danger from this source is merely
cigncd, to concea! other objects. There s no reality
in it,
Is there any langer that the Catholic will overturn
and supplant the Protestant religion IN the United
States There is about ~ little danger to the Pro-
tcs,an, from tho Catholic religion u- there is from the
tcinpora! power of thu Pope to the republican gov
crnmcnt OF the United States. The statistics OF the
last census will quiet This apprehension of power. If
the next 20 years be like tho past 20 OF thus govern
hind Professionalism. BY these statistics, the church.
attending population Of tho United States is
1920, 49, Of which G!5,72l are Catholics. Differ
cnce in favor of the Protrstnnts, l3,59i,4lS. The
number OF churchcs in the United States are 3S,l
of which 2227 are Observation-Disclosures in favor OF
the Pro:csrnnts 3G9j6. The value OF church proper
ty is SS7 iib,Nl Of which the Catholic church pro-
perty il 81 2j6 5S-diitrrenco in favor Of the Protest
ant, s7S, 1868. The ministers are 27nC9, of which
Sl2 nre Observation-Disclosures in favor of the Protest
ants 2G 81, and the church membership is oo,, ,b52,
Of which ,l13700 are Observation-Disclosures in favor
of the Protcstants 3.s5g52. Out of the whole popu
iatiou tho Catholics number out Of every lOU cav-
ing n difference OF ~ against them This is the re-
suit OF the progress nf ~ years OF our government,
during all which time the ratio Of increase mas been
in favor Of professionalism. Now, i'll a sober serious
ness, with thia immense disparity of population,
wealth, churches, ministers, members and worship
ers-al in favor of the Protestants and constantly in.
crcasng-what danger is there TO our republican in.
sttutiona, or the Protestant religion, from Roman
Catholicism
But, this il not the halt. With these advantages
which arr iInlncasurable, have the freedom Of the
press and the freedom Of speech, with which Protes'
tanli-n may if true, combat the errors OF Roman Ca
tholicsm. With the Bible, with tracts, periodicals
and newspapers, ALL with few exceptions. in the
hands of the Prucsants, day by day spreading over
the whole country, il seems to Inc, Roman Caihuc-
ism must fall unless sustained by power higher than
man. In every community, where there Ii freedom
OF speech aud Ot the press, aud church mem
bershiv ia voluntary, Professionalism has hourisheI,
aud if OF Cod must and will flourish Nearly every
school and college, in the United States, is in the
hands uf Prot.s.ans. IT, with all these advantages,
Professionalism cannot keep EOmanisn III check, nm
very certain that penalties, prescriptions anu d's
Embellishments never will. lhey are not spiritual
but carnu weapons. ,
But why is it, that the Catholics, whether thell
system be herecal not, are not entitled 10 tntli
faith as well Pro;cstnnts WHAT error Is there IN
Catholicism more dangerous to true Christianity
than there is in Judaism, Mahomcdanlsm, UNIVERSAL
ism CnitarianisIn, SwedembOurgsG or Mormonsm
that these should all be admitted into this motley as
.Jcia,ion, and Cathocs alone excluded Catholic.
ism is lrsss obnoxious 10 true Christianity than amy o
them or all Of them put together.
That Catholicism, from the Apostolic age, for many
hundred years, IA. the oaly Christian Church, is
fac: un,eailb!c. Thnt the Bible, embracing the Old
and new Testament scriptures, were preserved and
handed down To- the modern Christian Church, by the
Catholic Church, for fifteen hundred years 49, also
an admitted frct and yet, while Christianity ID m
iebted SO much Catholicism, il is gravey proposed
0y grave Council, to exclude from every oifice in
the country high low, federal or Sate, every mem
ber OF the Catholic Church, "iiie the mcnbers 0!
any other Church, however heretcnl, may I'LL any OF
lhese offices. Ia not this viulative OF the express
provision Of the Constitution against religious test.'
and viialy at war with the great principle OF reli-
giou5 liberty.
That Catholicism, in the hands Of ambitious aspi.
the bi.tcre.t prosecutions, devastating wars, bloody
tragedies, aud heart-rending cructes, which dis
grace the annals uf history IL certainly true ana ~
be regretted. That Professionalism, although not so
extensively. stands branded with the gum ot ths
same enormities, is aisn true. There is ~ sect OF
Christians, i'll Stac, where the Government ana the
Church were connected that has not felt the power
and the cruelty ot prrsccn:nn. Here, happn!' ior
religion there has hccn religious persecution oc-
cause Conscience is free, and are not Responsible
for the ,usderLs Of Catholics or Protesants, under
the dcspo,sms ut Europe, no more ln Religion than
in putrs. As long conscience Is lett tree, sn long
will religion flourish and give strength ana nhuence
TO free institutions. In Europe, bgory anu intoler'
ance are rapidly giving way anu treeuon OF con
science and religious tolerance are takg their place.
This has been tic result Of the power OF truth aud
the force Of reason, and noi OF persecution.
1t is insisted, however by this Council, that this
exclusion from office Is not persecution or lntoler.
ance, bur, entirely compatible with the most liberal
notion Of freedom Of conscience aoout WHICH 'hey
pratc so handsomely.
In this country all men who nre cItlzens are equals
and if in the estimation Of the people, are worthy
are rGuaily eligible ill the otlin-s OF government.
The eligibility 10 10 sO one oi the greatest st!mu-
limit. To our people 10 improve and conduct them.
seIvcs as 10 I'LL those Offices. To he ineligible, us
ulaciug them upon tOptlng with the free negro ana
ihe convict is not only deeply morlifying, but cacu-
lated 10 damp the arur and subdue the energy OF Tie
n.Iule who are thus proscribed-ths, too, 10 body
of peoplc many of whom are native born Americana.
ThisIs not ouly intolerance, but persecution OF the
b;tterrst Sort and at war with tho genius OF our in
sttutuns, because it degrades this class OF citizens
merely on account Of their religious opinions. 1t il
true these people neither gbbeted imprisoned or
burnt but, what is worse tu free born, noble sprt
he is degraded below the level OF his telows The
spir; which does This would do the other II II had
the power
fl seems to me marvellous, TINT n system OF pro-
scrip,iou which pabc sentiment in Europe nau com
n-l.d thu governments of Europe To abandon, with
bur Two or three EXCEPTIONS should be resumed IN the
United Suites, where, by the federal and almost every
State constitution, religious freedom IS provided ior
end public sentiment has sustained, untll this OIL
.orch party mad. its appearances So bitter s their
hatred 10 Catholicism, that II part OF theif rua,
tha, no native born American, who hos married
Catholic wife, the o! Catholic ia'ner' can
be member of their order, while eny oher class OF
relicinnists may be, however heretlca MOI only
this, but il this purity shall get into power they are
under solemn oath to remove every CathoEc IN
cumbent from office for no other cause than being q
Catholic This is the religion Of this party winch pro-
fesses such deep reverence for Goa ane ueYooon "
christianity-such an intense American feeling.
But it seems that there shades OF difference IN
the opinions of this party as to this exclusion. In
Louisiana, Catholics are so 'nuch oe'ter tnai any
where else. that they admit Catholics, and particu.
lar exemption is extended to the candidate tor Gov
crnor in kentucky who has Catholic wife; Per
haps if the interest of the order required It, other ex
ceptions would be allowed.
am not surprised at this proscrPtiVe ettcmpt oi
when see how many clergymep are eagerly and in.
dustriousy tanning the flames of discord. The world
has often been scourged by hypocri,cal, domineer
ing, and tyrannica priesthood and may be again il
the Providence Of God. Ihe recovery OF !o't ono
from Christ, they have abandoned :or political cru
sade against Catholics Fur the mild, the benevo
lent and charitable spirit Of Christ, they have i'm
bibed the spirit Of the fiery dragon Instead OF Of
srannr eyev nerve 70 convert TO The doctrines o. tne