Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1855-08-14
rFro,n .he Richmond Enquirer ]
Er,hn Americnn Platform.

ROW crl attention TO the 9Th article Of this re-
Tnarkabe plRtiorm-that which strlSes at lle Foos
of religious liberty, and degradeS me H''s'',ii-
ctfyrn TO the level of the free negro. IL fetQS tuus
VITI.-resistance to tic aggressive pollcy anu
corrupt tendencies Of The Roman Cnglic . ~
our cnuntrT By the advancement o. an ,iiitlc1' '
tions-cxccut;rc legislative. judicial or CIEloHlaue
of those rulr vino do not held civil a!eAiaaCei OK
recIy or indirectly, to ituy foreign power
civil ecclesiastical aRd who are Ar's. t!.
BIRTH education and trdinng-t.'ss i"tht.'i!5 az
maxim Americans only shall govern AInsile3.
The protection Of al citizens IN the leSas aut
proper exercise Of their civil and rsl-ioGs
rights and privileges the maintenance % tNs
riGht Of every man 10 the fall unrestI'snet at'i
1e,IiII eoT,ne1li Of lis oyi reli gOus opinions and
Worship and Jealous resistance OF all "tieHis "y
any sect, denomination orcharcn 20 9Dl.'L a. -
Cendaucy over any other N the So'''lei ~ 80 -
special privileges or exemption. ~ any poii'ir t
IinatiOu OF It's members or by q dlElstoh OF tAt't
civil allegiance with any foreign power Pc %
eccesiastG." III
as foreign born is 70 lie utterly eNcl'4"ei TO-
cNiru Federal or State2 Is 1t because he ptleHe5
IN the existence of God Is 1t becituse NC Ssg; .
in the advent suffering death, atoheil!eLS iu- s ~
itv of Christ? Is it that he believes IN Tue
ton of the body tie judgement, and the eternity ~
future rewards and puuishrnents iuis ca,inot ne
so: for this is the common faith OF all or'ii9HoA pro
;esiaut seCts Such prescription Woull DC Al ",'i
,itb every priDc;ule of religious freedom fatal 10 Jb
ert and in positive ioation of the constitution Oh
the Z. States and the constitution OF almost ever!
State in the Union. ....,.-.,-a o,,v
ions to the orthodox Protestant sectS, or more otn
gerous to the spread Of true rcs or l9te itos''
TO it, than Mahomedauism, JUDAISM nun l, M
ism UnyersalisIn and various ot9er 1'mS Wi i
have sprung mp in these days; ana !et my u tS'
are admitted into fellowship with tlS party C"l'"
lie orhnlding Office; and this party does lot propose
10 cvcIufn either of them. While do not doupt
tb the real oiiecr of the selfish, bigOted aud anh-
tous gIutters-up of this crusade against Caho!icS'
is to overthrow and destroy II nE the io"e''" ARIA
Of government, yet the avo"ai oil sGc' Il inG''
,y0ri be too hold for the enlightened ana -hoS!.h
rbIir sentiment of the present and they nave re
sorted to the naciueycl and utt-rcIUtcd charge tit
the Roman Catholics OF the United St&tfS owe 70
and acknowledge political allegiance to the Pope OF
Rome. paramount TO that which they owe to the l..
States This charge, as often and rs pcTStyer.ngly
"a il has been made, is not true, and cannot De true
No native born citizen owe tcnlpcrH ileeii'"S
n, TN. Pore Of Rome or any other power. While he re-
mains citizen of the United States until he has REIN
CuisLcI all allegiance 10 an foreign power and IN that
there is no reservation Of any paramount "tieSilce
to the Pope any one else. bF the laws OF h;siuS'
nor any other law human or divine does ti!S uoa0lH
allegiance ex; II this were true, The rope o. -1!e
would he the most powerful temporal monarch that
ever sat on q th;oue France Germany. LAZY, Spain,
PORTUGAL and Ireland would Re the ucrc provinces
of his mi htY empire he rei mass Of the pco !c
always having b,cn- aaI still being Catholics we
have seen, however, that these powers frequent
j. LcCn ENGAGED in wars, one VITA AhothcF anu
araiue. The P0rc himself. How is II that the men
Who engage in ard conduct these vars were MOI eN-
ecutcd for treason gninst the Popc2 NifT did he
not command the be gercn,s into peace: by his ai-
;re~iiv rs supreme monarch? The Simple reason
was he knew that the people OF these kingdoms
did not owe him temporal allegiance, paramount
or othcrw isc beyond his domain, and Gd not cii'iiA
:. The history CiH.l these governments "c'i!I' ~
,.o. or in rcicc rows that they recognize no sucl
,,ars ,.!nf or uintr temporal al egI"ncS Inc Ls'-
Lsrr,.,clt OF lile luiei safes rcr2EnE2s no sW!I
unrihUuUt allegiance 10 me rope ny lte tutu''l
here; and no Catholic, eHhsr ~ the authority OF
Ne ,-e or the ai;lG9gi,y-of any other power, can