True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-01-11
a%The present great American mov,

mere monentary impulse of the American
masses. American principles are no other
than the great principles of civil and reli-
gious freedom These principles were in
corporated in our Government at its es-
tablishment-they have grown with our
growth as nation. The People love them.
Hence, when Romanism began its crafty
measures, when they attacked our School
system in prominent cities and States
when their crosiered Bishops declared their
resolution to have their measures and plans
triumphant-when they interfered in our
political canvasses--when they exhibited
hostility to all freedom of speech in the
discussion of the history, principles and
practices of their c Church-when mobs be-
came their logic, to silence opposition
Then American freemen determined that
the system that had kept in abeyance the
liberties Of some European Countries for
centuries, should not ''lord IL over us,
Besides political sycophants and dema-
gogues, destitute of moral principle, pan
dered to the craft and insidious, influence
of Romanism. They were willing to sell
the birthright of their inheritance of free
dom for a mess Of Popish pottage. Either
ignorant of, or wilfully blind, to the fact,
that Romanism had been the curse of ev-
cry land over which it had gained tempo
raj power and influence, and that its cs-
tablishment, is the establishment of sys-
tenn of religious tyranny, they courted the
favor of the Catholic masses through Bish-
ops, Priests and Jesuits, who WELD the
immense political influence over that great
politico-ecclesiastical body-the Roman
Catholic Church,
Besides, men forget that "vigilance is
the price of liberty" hence the frequent
cry, Don't agitate, don't excite the Cath
olics, don't persecute them" Such peace
men are willing TO barter truth for peace
too often. They forget that free discus
sion, free Press, and an open Bible, are
the ruin of the power of Popery. They
forget that the great Reformation of the
sixteenth century was efectuated by wal
of controversy, and that truth and liberty
will exterminate error and despotism.
Let us not dread controversy. Truth
and justice--freedom, civil and religious,
need not fear the weapons of reason and
a-gument, whenever and wherever used
Let freemen unite to maintain freedom Of
speech, of the Press, of private opinion
aad from all personal assaults.
Catholics have the same opportunities al
others. If their claims be just, let then
be PROVED so, not by mobs, not by VIC
lence, not by treacherous attacks upon our
free institutions, not by denunciations o
civil and religious liberty, not by defama
tion of the private character of American!
who oppose their system, but fair, manly
course Of controversy-by argument, rea
son and facts.
But, alas 1--we do not expect this. Ar
guments, reason and facts, are strange wea
pons to the Romanist clergy. Threats
insinuation, abuse, virulence, misrepresen
tation, sophistry, issue from the shacklec
Press of Romanism, like broods of serpent
from their dens. Popish Bishops, PRIEST
and Jesuits have been accustomed to pow
er--"blind obedience" on the part of tn,
masses of their people in this and othe
lands. To be without opposition in thi
country, is with them the life of their &c
clesiastical and political trade The wca
pom Of the pen is slow instrument to d
the work they long to accomplish. The
want and need the secular arm-the glc
rious Inquisition, with which to silence al
political and anti-Papal heresies. But a
that orthodox and merciful institution ca
not be conveniently, comfortably and sue
cessfully brought into operation here; the
must do the best they can without it, an
we have seen the results.
The efforts of Americans thus far ar
only inceptive. They have began to vii
dicate themselves from the contemptuou
opinion Of foreign hierarchy, and defen
their native land from more destructiv
invasion than that of arms. The host
are marshalled for the perpetuity of fret
dom. They desire to transmit our institr
tons, unimpaired, to the latest generation
They combat foe within the countr,
whose cry is POWER, as well as oppose a
interference of foreigners in our intern'
policy.
THE REAL SLAVERY THAT Is OF
CURsE-The real Slavery that is our curs
is Political Romanism. There is nothin
ike that which so vitiates, drags us dowl
cripplep and be-ruins us. 1t is the lal
guage of all great Statesmen, that if eve
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