The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-01-27


The bill for the relief of Samuel A. Beden 1 Co. was
reee,ed--yeas 81, nays 49,
The House then resumed as in Committee of the Whole
the consideration of French spoliaon BILL and amend
men were seyerally submitted and explained by Messrs
Lecher Smith of Virginia. Seward and Wright OF Misss
sipp which were rejected
On motion the committee then rose and the House adj
journed at o'clock
THE DECAY OF RELIGION.
The French revolution, which began IN l7ss ana
conyused France for than ten years with It's alternate
horrors wholesome and healthy as were some OF us re-
suits left TO posierty volume full OF grave and impress
sye lessons Let take the page that records the COM
bined assault upon the Catholic church. and lei us trace
that assault to its startling and bloody results we are
forcby reminded while perusng this record Of human
NINETY and shame of the thrilling and Impressive pas
sage in the speech of Hon Joseph r. Chandler delivered
in the House of Representatives of the United Staeson
the 10th of January, which we quote as follows; M
the warnings expressed here and the nervous appre
tensions expressed abroad that the o. 'ne
lie religion will dangerous TO the country have only 70
say that Of this country are IN no aanger
tv Episcopacy Cavinsm, Lutheransm, or other forms OF
Cbr;st;anity Sir Christianity in any form is better than
nddey and Atheism. And Atheism is now at work, as II
has been busy against the Christian faith ana Chrsan
1t aSsaS the roman SabnoHC HSe' DS~"'
that creed is more extensive and without considering the
evil which each is doing religion Christian men are yield
ING themselves unconscousy co-workers with inhdety p
their active hostility to each other
f this country is to fall by any other means han
aecav or local commissions it not Christianity not the
Christianity of Geneva Rome, Scotland, or England, that
will produce the ruin The mischief will be wrought by ini-
dety-sappng first the confidence OF the people IN each
other undermining the foundations of Christian charity,
breaking the bonds of social fe relaxing the ties oil moral
in hostile attitudes, tall there Is
nothing left for hostility and bringing down the whole scheme
&c domestic social and political feto the plans and ends OF
at the existence Of God
1t when the clergy deserted their voo-~
part in the bitter of those bloody days and
nights that the image of just and forgivng God faded
away from the minds Of the French people 1t was when
abandoned demagogues reekng with the fumes Of mid
night and cabas and reeing under the weight Of
shame sought and succeeded in putting down prevailing
sect that n6delity, with all its train of evils and all its
concourse Of crimes social and POLITICAL reared its hdeous
front The accomplished historian Allison speaks of this
period Of the French revolution as follows:
The services of religion universally abandoned
The pups deserted throughout the revolutionary dis
trcs baptisms ceased the burial service longer
heard the sick received communion the dying
ISOLATION. The village bells silent. Sunday was oblit-
Grated Infancy entered the world without blessing age
quilted without a hope J"
people of France they advanced to the climax of ndel
y The prescription of the clergy was inaugurated and
sgnazed by the most avowals and the most
scandaous orgies. Let quote the words of Thiers
Ths example given, it difficult matter to ex
cite all the sections of Paris and all of the re-
public to follow it, The sections met one after
another declare that they the of super
ston and that they acknowledged other worship than
that of The section of LHomme- declared
that il acknowledged other M
and other fanacsm than that of liberty and
equality other doctrine than that Of fraternity and of
republican laws decreed since the 3lst of May The
section of La Re union ntnated that would bonfire
of all the confessona and OF all the books used by the Cath
olics and that it would shut up the church of St. Merry
That of William Tell renounced forever the worship error
and imposture That of Mutus Scvoa abured the Catholic
religion and declared that next Decade it should celebrate
the high altar Of ST. Supce the the busts
Of Marat Lepeleter, and Mutius Scavoa that Of Les
Pques that would adore other God than the God
Liberty and Equality; and that of the Arsenal also re-
nounced the Catholic religion.
Thus the sections taking the initiative abiured the Cath
lie faith the established religion, seized its edfces
md its treasures pertaining to the communa domains
The deputies mission in the departments bad already in
ted great number Of communes to seza the unrahls
property of the churches, which, they sad wss
AIRY for religion and which, moreover like all public prom
ry, belonged to the State and might therefore applied
its wants fouche had sent several chests of plate
he department OF the Aliier greater quantity had
ars and the envrons brought piles of wealth 10 the
Of the Convention All the churches were stripped and
be sent Populations with the gold and silver ac
umuated in the shrines Of saints places
ancient devotion They in procession to the Con-
enton and the rabbe indugg their ondness for the bur
sque carcatured in the most udcrous manner the cere
ones Of religion and took much delight In profanng
they had formerly done in celebrating them Men, wear
x surpces and ccpes singing Haleuahs and dancing
Carmagnoe the bar Of the Convention there they
rposted the host the boxes in which 1t kept and
OF gold and silver they made burlesque speeches.
nd sometimes addressed the most singular sposrophes
,e saints themselves your exclaimed a deputaton
ST Denis, o you instruments Of fanatcm, blessed
Of all kinds be at length patriots rise nosse,
country by going the mint 10 be melted give US
this world that felicity which you wanted obtain for
the other These OF merrment followed all
BY of and devotion The per-
ms who ramped under foot the Christianity
awning the curtains thrown back and pointing TO
busts of Marat and Lepelleter These said they,
gods made by but the images OF worthy
ssnsted by the slaves of kings They filed off be- u
the Convention again singing Haleuahs and dancing
Carmagnoe carried the rich spols Of the affairs to the
int aud placed the revered busts OF Ma and Lepsileter
the churches which heneeorth became the temples Of
new worship.
At the requson Of Chsumee, II resolved that the