The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-05-18
WHOLE NUMBER 1906.

Catholic religion. And cannot think that
we are true to ourselves, to our institutions,
and to our destiny, ifyou please, to oppose =
party having for its principal objectth DEATH
of Popery in the United States. It is
true, the party makes the show Of a list of
principles; but when properly surveyed and
investigated,t it will be perceived that they
merely tend to subserve the one great end:
the overthrow of the Roman Catholic in.
flucnce in this government.
Our Constitution, it is true, abjures alIire
ligious interference; but what if it can, be
shown that papists are neither christians nor
citizens. The former proposition spurn.
to debate; but the latter, however, l will
proceed at once to show. To become cit
izen of this republic foreign immigrant is
compelled, amongst other things, to suear'
his unolteradle allegiance to this govern
ment, and to be true to that oath of allegi-
ance, SO long as lie remains under it, or
until lie makes himself the legal citizen of
some other government. I say, he mast
s'ccar his allegiance to THIS government, and
in swearing that, hc is in no way engaged in
the vague foolcrics of school-boys play,
But suppose lie stands s,corn to the irrefrag-
ible aicta of the Pope of Rome2 Of what
merit, l ask, is his oath of allegiance to our
constitution, when he can at word be ab--
solved from it by the Popea The oath of
allegiance to this government, in the requi-
sitions of American citizenship, is by far.
above all other obligations but his Holi-
ness, the Pope, has convinced his subjects
Aerc as elsewhere, Of his utter intallibility,
and of the M0ioladility of the Catholic
oath of allegiance to the Pope, and that all
oatlls outside of the Roman Catholic reli-
gIon are at once nugatory and worthless.
And have not the least doubt, myself; if
they are perfectly worthless so far as ooH.-
Germs their fealty to this government.
We'll, then, with what sort of face oan, q
Catholic immigrant take the oath of allegi-
ancc to this government Isit not at once
apparent that he wears upon his face the
stain of perjury as big as the moon? And
of what, let me ask, is such citizen ,oapa-
ble Z?
"1reason. stratagcms and .poilI"'
Let us, in this connection, allow ourselves
a slight squint at the Pope's last bull to the
Bishops and Priests of the United States,
and we can Mt once determine how far thev
are affected by the charms of this republi-
can governmcnt.-1Ie says: "General edp~
cation promotes infideIity, and checks the. ]
progress of Catholicity; bible societies are
engines of mischief; the freedom Of the
press is most foul plague; liberty Of con-
science a prolific source of heresy and crime.
Demolish these, and Catholicism has no.
thing to fear in the United states:" Yes,
demolish these, and the Americans govern
mcnt is demolished, and the republican,
guarantees Of its constitution are blown to-
the winds. Without making any very lu-
minous professions Of the faculty ofvaEcina-
ton, will, for this once, offer you theprog-
nostic that, unless the American people op-s
pose to the death by all and every meaus
in the world, not only the doctrines contain
ed in that bull, but even the sect BY whfci,
such doctrines, in this country, are enter
tanned, the glories Of this republic, in less
than fifty years, "wil be seen through that.
medium thatlends enchantment to the view.r'
1t is curious to me that we should bug
toour bosoms, and cndow with equal poft-
lcal privileges, a great sect who, under the
guise Of a christian denomination, are 90
cretly striking at the very foundation Of oar
institulions--a sect who have saSos7, eternal
allegiance to tho most arbitrary and despot-!s
,ic ipse dixits oftthe Pope-who are ssuorS,
and believe, from. the very strongest prejudi-
ces Of educationS that the Popsis tie yice-
gergent Of Goa on this earth, and The o1ly
medium through whiclrthe mandates, az. I
crees, and will ofhigh heaven can be Visited
upon any of the whole human race.-a sect
who, in an time past, in the history efths. s
world, have been most cruel, atiodious ana
unfincbing enemies to civilization, te shsliss,
tianity, and to constitutional freedom siraS,
the time has arrived whsn onr .ropab balieant!A
ism should make the moss sugass and soata
vinciDg deinonsssatioans of the superior ana
'traaseeHdeht rpat - fof which h eonar,s
posed. ,5SS. StA-.,e. s,i,;; Sfy In