The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-08-24
THE REVENGE OF THE PROSECUTED.

Tweny-sx years ago the ustrous Dr. Chalmers in his
memorable speech Edinburgh Scotland, denounced the
spirit intolerance the worst enemy which Protestant
ism had encountered The sight of abandoned and
reckless politicians of anaca priests and preudced lay
men, ensng their energies under the banner OF the pro-
scrpon of the Catholics was too much tor his pure and
liberal nature and in the agony and shame which this
spectacle inspired he cried out to his followers to hold their
hands His warning, clothed in the earnest language OF
the heart piece of splendid eoquencc, and has been
repeatedly published with great effect Speaking OF the
disabilities imposed upon Catholics by the British laws, he
exclaimed;
The truth is that these disabilities have hung like dead
weight around the Protestant for than century
They have enlisted in opposition TO 1t some OF the most I'M
copquerabe principles of because OF IN
Jury and the pride adherence suffering They
given side the hateful aspect Of yranny while
on theirs we behold generous and hghninded resistance
what they deem oppression. They hare rdnyormcd d
zion of heretics into nation Of heroes.
Leaving the application of such terms "herecs' TO
the polemcs of the church. is impossible to conceal from
ourselves how much applicable this fine passage is
to our own day and portion of people In this
country religion and opinion should be free the unfe
tered winds Our affairs should be equally safe in the
desert and in the wilderness the shore of the and
on the top of the mountain in the crowded city and the
Protestant genius Our republic is free to ALL from the
wanderer who bearing the stripes of desposm, TO
the presented refugee who flies from the enemies of his
lgion. 1t is, indeed, of those
'Shrines to code creed confined
The Delphian wales, the Palestnes,
The Meccas of the mind"
These the idle trusms of The poet but the proved
and practical realities of experience The lesson they teach
is impressed upon every page of revolutionary his
tory is written all satutebooks, and beahes
from the record of every great mans who fought
fell for liberties Not alone has Chalmers spoken, but
every statesman that has the popular heart has
held his place in that high esteem by earlessly
proclaming his of religious persecution. The
words of Paey in his Moral Philosophy the words Of
patriotism less than of true piety Persecution he
says produces sincere conviction any real change
of opinion On the contrary, vates the public morals
by driving prevarcaton and commonly ends in
general though secret infdeity, by imposing, under
the name of revealed religion, systems of doctrine
which cannot believe and will not examine. Finally
dsgraces The character and grounds The reputation Of Chris
tany self By making ii the author Of oppression cruelty
andJlOodShedn
Such is the lesson of experience and of truth. Has it
been regarded We might well ask if the invocation
of the Man of Sorrows who exclaimed to His prosecutors
'Father, forgive them they know not what they do !f
this solemn appeal against intolerance to all the of
has been obeyed Boosting Of our unequaled cond
ton in all the temporal blessings resulting from perfect
peace genial laws generous SOIL and high advancement
in the arts of refined civilization there those among
who live alone to dishonor this inspiring pic
ture by reyivng the fell barbaries Of the dark ages
and by asserting, in the midst of the triumphs of
free government the supremacy of those evil passions
which have deuged the world in blood from the catasro
phe Calvary down to the present hour. We turn with
horror from the bloody Bartholomew of France the secret
inquisons of Span the burnngs and torturngs of Eng
land under both Protestant and Catholic and then
template with guilty compacency the rude and remorseess
prosecutions of boosted and unchalenged era
SO much have profted by the past So much have
obeyed the njunctions of wisdom and of law
But the prophecies and the teachings of the good men
of other days realized in another respect Those who
have borne the contumely of anacsm have waited for
time to do them justice. Patiently have they submitted to
the SCOTS and the stripes of the prosecutor; calmly have
they heard his oahs and his threats; uncomplaningy
have they stood by while the cry of havoc gave their roo
to the flames and their flesh to the eagles"
At last the hour for their revenge has come and deeply
have they resented the wrongs done to them After the
plague of persecution the Of the pesence The
old the young, high and low, stricken down by the
hand of invisible death The boldes blench before the
conflict with such foe The Preside is deserted the hum
of industry is hushed the minister who yesterday
said to his neighbour hoer than thou flies from
the post Of duty And while the dying cry for
TO quench their thirst to assuage the fever which
them and the dead lie unbured almost the streets
where those who loudly detained of their superior
virtue and their exclusive Americanism2 Their brothers
perishng for aid and they not to be found Hid
den distant cities safe in the refuge their helpless
companions cannot find, they look out unabashed and
joyous from their selfish retreat
But there some whom the devastating angel cannot
keep away and who with steps soft and voices
If they came commissioned from on highhe Catholic
Sisters of Charittake the places left vacant by the de-
serted dead and the departed living They come on no
GRAND to and only their persuasion By
the pesenal bedside of their prosecutor they sit through
the sitting day and night, smoothing his pillow tanning
his hot brow, and cooling his parched lips They assist
bury the dead cheer such Of the living dare to re-
MAIN and TO risk their lives in the effort TO
Others from the remoreless grave And such is the Re
yenge Of the Prosecuted
There is something in this sublime commentary the
persistent prosecutions of the secret party far touch
ing than the oupourngs Of eoquence, however lofty
While of tho pupits ring with preudiced appeals
tha nd pre rush into