Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-03-29


ton to any Office or public trust under the
United States" Our fathers intended TO Sc
cure the liberties of the citizen-that the
church and State should be separate - and
that the church should not control the State,
nor the State corrupt the church. No test
can be made by law, whereby one class of
men shall be promoted 10 Office, and another
class deprived Of Office, because Of their reli-
gion-the constitution prohibits it. for the rea-
son that such thing ought not to be done.
Does the constitution address the conscience
and bind the citizen ? And ought each man.
as good citizen, to respect and be obedient
to its requirements, and 10 carry out its pro-
visions in their spirit and meaning How
then can men unite together, and by oaths
become bound 10 exclude Others from Office
because of their religion 1t is doing that
which the constitution intended to prevent,
and defeating its most important provisions.
The most miserable pretext of Know Moth
ingism is that it is to preserve Professionalism
and the liberties of the people from the en-
croachments of Popery. When did Protest
antism become so weak that it must be sus-
tanned by a secret oath bound organization
When Martin Luther contested the field of
Europe with the Pope he appeared before the
Councils of the Church, and the assembled
thousands Of his counttrymen, and, with the
Bible in his hand, and reason upon his tongue,
he accomplished the Reformation. The
preachers of the gospel, Of this day, who dis
trust the sufficiency of the Pulpit the Bible
and Reason, and 60 about the country organi-
zing lodges, and swearing the people TO obey
the decisions of councils find no example in
the conduct of this great Reformer.
The census of 1850, shows that in the Uni
ted States and territories, the Catholics have
/ l,22l churches the Presbyterians 1924; the
! MethOdists 1920; the Baptists 1876 and
while the Catholics have but 1,22l churches,
the Protestants, leaving out Jews, Swee-
denborgians Uniyersalists and Others, have
34,973. Much concern has been expressed
because of the vast wealth of the Catholic
church under the control Of the Bishop. The
census Of 1850 shows the value Of all the
Catholic church property in the United States
TO be Sc, 255, 758-less than that owned by
Stephen Girard or John Jacob Astor less
than is under the control of several citizens Of
the United States less than is owned by sew
eral corporations; but little more than is own
ed by a single Protestant church in the city Of
New York. In the United States and terito-
ries, the Presbyterian church owns S14, 543,-
7S9 the Methodist S14,S 1922, $40; the Epis-
copalian Sl1, 375, 010; the Baptist $1l, 60
S55-greater in each case than is owned by
the Catholic church. While the Catholic
church owns in the States and Territories
church property valued at 1926, 758 the
Protestant churches together own $50, 1884,
60 l refer to these facts TO show that il is
not fear of foreign influence or of Catholicism,
/ that iDauoucas tha Kro,,, Notb;no laa1ar,
But if we would know the real purpose Of
the Know Nothing leaAlers, We must turn to
the local elections that are taking place. In
Washington City, within two months they
have driven Gen. Scott, Whittlesey and their
associates from the management of the Wash
ington monument and supplied the places
with men unknown to the country. The old
managers had the entire confidence of the
people, but were displaced that Know Moth
ings might obtain the control of the funds,
and drive from their places the stone cutters,
and laborers, Wings, Democrats, natives, for
: eigners, Protestant and Catholics, to give
place for the sworn members OF the onder.
Turn to all the city and town elections, and
not principle but prescription governs their
conduct from the highest officer down to the
humblest laborer upon the streets-proscrip-
ton governs, without regard to place Of birth
or religion, and men of the order are provided
for. Our country has never known such pro-
scription as this oath bound order has intro
duced. Relentless prescription governs eve
~ movement. have not time TO speak fur
ther upon this subject. Again, my neighbour
and countrymen, allow me to express pro-
foundest gratitude for the honor you have
done me this evening.