The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-09-07
PRESCRIPTION BECAUSE OF RELl-
GION.

I
GION.
The following, from the N. Y. Express, i
an admirable answer to those who are con
stantly talking about the principles of tn,
American party having tendency to pro
scribe aman on account Of his religion. Un
der the head we have placed above the Ex
press says:
This is the cuckoo cry of a great man,
unthinking, but echoing men against the
American party, which is warning with Papa
cy, not Catholicism. Papacy, that is allie gi
ance to the Pope of Rome, is one thing, and
Catholicism is altogether another.
What a man thinks of @Coniession," ""Tran.
substantiation," "Purgatory," "Nunneres.'
"Monasteries," is his own business, not ours
nay, what he thinks of the Pope of Rome is
also his business, and not ours-until he
wishes to become IN American citizen, and
to share with US in the partnership of this
Government-when it does become our bust
ness to know, whether he, our partner in this
government, owes allegiance to the Roman
Potentate, or to the Government of the State
OF New York and the United States of Amer
lea Partners in Government, thus divided,
owing double aIegiances to conflicting SOW
ereigns, cannot, it is certain, transact business
in Government together-aud hence, they had
better never begin to try.
Everybody assents to all this shut" SAYS
the Roman Catholic, 81 owe nothing but
'sPlRITUAn ALLEGIANCE to the Pope" This
has ever been Greek to us, and we could read
Greek too, in our earlier days, with some fa-
cilty, but the more weread this Papal Greek,
the olderwe grow, and the harder becomes
the understanding of such an absuriity.-
"The Pope" says the Roman Catholic, in
substance, "has my spirit, my soul. but not
my body" Now, ifthe Catholic would only
give his spirit to his his own country, as the
rest of us do, the Pope might have his tenn
poraitics and his body in welcome, the spirit
of man, in our estimate, being of far more
Importance to have, than any of his Temporal
ry possessions, or even his body. Indeed the
Pope may have anyman's temporal allegiance,
if he will only give his spiritual allegiance
to his country. He who owns the mind, the
spirit, the soul of man, owns all man
hath. e.+.
Papacy, then, Papal allegiance, not Cath
olicism, is what we quarrel with. Man or
woman may worship the Virgin Mary till
doomsday, or believe in the immaculate Con-
ception," or confess wives or husbands Sc
crets to the priest-il they choose-and we
can vote for, elect to office, and consent to be
governed by such men. We may have in
them that sort of confidence, and love, by
which we can trust them in anything and
everything, when they act of their own free
Wills under the inspiration of their own CON
sciences, ard by the conclusion Of their own
jndgment but if conscience in Rome, 1000
miles off, is to rule them--f Roman judg-
ment is to be our jud dgment-and Roman
will the will over us--we demur to the
and to the subserviency. The
allegiance of Americans to a Roman Poten-
tate is not the allegiance of an American
citizen.
TO priests--Catholic priests--to their
crremonies-their burning
Latin masses-their rosares
and breviaries-we may not object. The
dashing magnificence of their ceremonies may
be useful, may be necessary, perhaps, 20 over
ave. and elevate the unthinkng mind of Irish,
Spanish, or Italian mutitudes. But to a
priest sent from Rome, Independent of us all
not of us, nor knowing us, nay-owing
and spiritual allegiance in all mat
ters of faith and practice to Roman Poten-
tate, we do demur. That stupendous HER
archy, Of which the Holy Father is the head,
and which die tates priest from Austria to
the United States, from Spain to Chill, from
the East Indies to the West Indies, is des-
potism we will not, If we can help it submit
to. We may so love our own self.chosen |
hnt hf. M;
daughters shall enter his confessional, almost
lip to lip,and breatheinto his attentive and lux
urious ear, the consecrated secrets of our be-
loved homes and famiIies-but we are not
willing to have that priest forced in upon
and dictated to us from Rome, 1000 miles off
The Monarchy of Rome that stretches over
us, Americans here, its authority, is of that |
sort and class, that in l776 provoked re-
beIion, and in 1855 is provoking rebellion
now.
Now then let it be understood, it is not
upon mans religion, or his forms Of relig- |
on that the American party wars, but upon
American Papal Allegiance, and Papal Gov
,rnment in America. Professionalism is, in
Catholic countries,"a crime" we know, and |
punished as "a crime" in Italy and Spain; but
Catholicism is no crime here, dsquaities no
one for office, and deprives no one of citizen
ship. Nay, absolute Papal allegiance is no
crime here; every man that pleases can be as
much of a Papist as he pleases. All the
blessings and privileges Of our country, and
Of our Government are recognized as his,
even in the American party, save only that
with this man thus owing Papal allegiance,
The American declines to share the part
1ership of the Government of this coun-
Try. Let us hear no more, then, of this
cuckoo cry, "Proscripton because Of Reli-
gion."
ss5- A printer not long ago being "Aung"
by his sweetheart, went to the Office and tried
10 commit suicide with the shooting stick
out the thing wouldn't "go off," The "devil"
wishing to paciy him told him to peep into
he sanctum where the editor was writing
iuns to delinquent subscribers. He did so,
md the effect was magical. He says that pic,
ure of despair reconcilcd hun to his fate
~ A dispatch from st. Louis, dated the
95th inst, says;
awe are in receipt of dates from the Great