Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-07-15
From the y. o. Christian Advocate of June 30, 1855.
RELIGIOUS TESTS-CATHOLIC DISA-
BILITY.

Evils--Practical Effects Dsastr, us
The sphere of our discussions is moral
religious and ecclesiastical Beyond this
we do not purpose to extend our remarks
upon the Eighth Article of the "Ameri-
can Platform" While presenting ouI
readers with summary of events max
ing up the current history of the day, and
which it behoOves them to know, we have
steadily recognized an implied covenant
toward them, not to meddIe with their
politics; to cast not feathers weight on
either side of questions dividing them as
citizens Of the State. If on our part
this covenant has not been faithfully
kept, this we can say, with a good con
science, we have tried to keep it, and are
ignorant of any infraction. And we shall
keep it to the end.
No mawllish sensitiveness, however.
shall prevent US from speaking out on a
subject even with political complexion,
falling within our sphere.
The proceedings of the Convention
lately assembled in Philadelphia, whose
platform is published in another column,
were watched by us with great interest
Ecclesiastical matters were early intro
duced. An attempt was made, princi-
pally by Southern men, to throw them
out. But the Catholic test'' was affirm
ed, and finally reaffirmed. "The Roman
Catholic Church is named distinctly
Resistance" to it is prOpounded among
the things crcdeRda and the things agen-
da. If we read correctly, every Catholic
is prescribed. He may be an American
native, good and patriotic he may
stouty and practically deny the power
OF the Pope in civil matters as an infer
eRce from the ecclesiastical. Yet for his
religions sake, he is barred advance
ment TO all political statiOns-cXecutive
legislative judicial or diplomatic" This
is test to which our religious principles
and republican instincts, the spirit of our
institutions and the liberty of conscience,
as interpreted by the age, are all opposed.
No party holding it, however excellent
be other principles held in combination,
may expect to pass before the conserva-
live people of the United States, espe-
cially Of the South. 1t cannot bulge a
step--it cannot stand, with this milestone
about its neck
There are thousands of the best men
Of the old parties who sympathise in the
movement for an essential modification
of our naturalization laws, who see dan
ger in the immigration of felOns and pau
pers, and the power Of unnaturalized
persons by voting in Territories, to shape
the character Of States; but they will
neither pur ne or accept it upon cOndi-
tiOns impairing religious liberty. If the
two be di>joined, they go for the former;
and in their ranks many of the natural
lied. Former party attachments would
be sacrificed to this end, but religious lib
er,y never. We are glad it is so. We
rejoice 10 believe this sentiment is i'm
bedded in the heart of the country. 1t
proves our civilization a thoroughly Pro-
testant one.
No one suspects us of Popish a6inities
The "corrupting tendencies" of the RO-
man Catholic Church we take every oc-
casion to expose and cOunteract. The
Pope is a king as well as a priest, having
his soldiers and his jails. His cardinals
are ministers of state, of war, of finance
The organization has ever shown ten
dency to political interference, and pre-,
scented difficulty in the application of
religious toleratjon. But the difficulty
has been solved, and this is the solution
The maintenance Of the right of ev-
crv man 10 the full, unrestrained and
uraceful enjoyment Of his own religious
opinions and worship, and jealous re-
sistance of all attempts by any sect, de-
nomination or church to obtain an as
ccudancy over any other in the State, by
means Of any special privileges or eX-
emPtion, by any political combination Of
its members"
An open Bible, public schools and
free press are good defences against
Catholics and Protestants; for all men
love ascendancy, though all denomina-
tions have not equal instincts for it. If
the Mcthodists ever so far forget their
high calling and wander away from their
foundation as TO intrigue for special pri-
yiigcs, or folm their members into pO-
!itical combinations, we hope they may
encounter "a Jealous resistance So of
any other sect, denomination or church.
If i'm their ecclesiastical character they
stand about the ballot box at the call of
the highest bidder. mark him that bids,
ana Apply 10 llt SECT 81 pIuStltutillS lIH
influence a moral and local remedy.
Heretofore the religious element of the
order was doubtful in some places ac-
knowledgcd, in others repudiated Up
10 this authoritative declaration of the
Convention the case did not address itself
TO Us. Had the religious feature been
left out of the platform we should now
have nothing 10 say. There are princi-
plps set forth in it challenging respect
and assent, and doing honor to those
boldly avowiug them-as, the cultivation
of a national and American spirit, the
faith of compromise, reverential obedi
cnce Ia the laws, the Bible in common
schools, aud the unequlvocaI ground ia
ken uDon the constitutional rights and
institutions of the South.
Beyond the principle involved, there
are grave considerations Of eXPcdiency.
misfortune has betalien the conuoyer-
sv as between Catholics and Protestants.
Our opponents have suddenly been put
at immense advantage.