Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-05-15

the estimation Of the now Nothing and answtssifr
acquisitions of hs creed unless it is combined with
the other iwo qualities OF Davrism and Anti-Catho
clsn; and therefore, rs have sa, ifhe only oppo-
nent ni Il. B thncy was one of the persons whom
hav" dcscrbrd, the creed Of the Know Nohngs led
hy Air. Flournoy, would require them To elect that
person or provo themselves tO be unworthy OF any
privilege by violating the oath which thew have tax ken
10 maintnn the principles and obligations of their or
der
Ihht there may he no misunderstanding misap-
prchepslon about Mr.. Flournoy's sentiments, will
read 'hnt part o his letter, which is in the FLOWING
iniSnaSc' Intimately connected with this question
of foreign immigration il the gr,wih of the Ronan
CWhoc Cnufch IN this country De-potc, prnscrip-
tive and intoierant its ascendnncv, as ali hist )ry
teaches has beetI destructive of freedom OF opinion;
ana WIN" would nncnmpronsingly oppose any in
teriorance with the rights Of its members ctzena
by any legislaliYe enactment vet by full and indie
pendent exercise OF suffrage, and the appointing
power they shouehs excluded from tho offices Of
the government, in al its departments"
do not th3reftse msrepresent Mr.. Flnurnoy
when | say, that according to his creed no Roman
Catholic can he allowed 10 fill any office, and when
You connect that with his declaration thul tho uatu-
raizaton laws should either be repealed or 40 modi-
tied and such restrictions imposed as IN avert th,.
evils which he depicts from foreign immar,tnn il
will be found that the conclusions which have an.
nouted are necessary truthful results of his prnci
plies.
confess that read this letter. coming IA il iocs
pleasure of knowing him, in high personal re-
-pec for his personal honor ard his ir'rlli-
genc" with anaz"mcnt, and ! cHn only '-.ard
II ns the most fenrlul evidence mud significant
warning of the terrible effects "f tha combination OF
religious hnd political fanutcism for if such things
can proceed from such man, what may we not cx-
pect from mo VICIOUS md the more ignorant pOr
ton of the community confess therefore, that it
has filled me with surprise and with aarn not for the
result OF au election, but for society and the country
Ii That si,II IA,
be made by the leader of II large party, without c1-
citing burst Of Indignation from one end OF tie
country to the other.
Trillustntr, more the terrible and worse than
despotic enOrmy Of this doctrine, let me suppose
that Mr.. Flournoy himself nfcr he should be elcCtvd
il lie should be, Ia the Office Of Governor of this Com
msnweati should ne touched Saul was, nni il
should please tiod To convert him from hi. present
faith to the Catholic faith that he should he convnr.
od that his duty u hnIiselt and his God required him
to avow, sharnclessly supprcssing knowledge ui
H. 10 appear before the public as an anti Catholic,
when he was in creed, n Cathulic-whai Il spectacle
would il be 10 see him coming forward 10 resign and
lay down the office of Governor of the common
wealth Of Virginia. rs n place for which he wa, diy-
qualified by the omnp";cn power of his Creator, be-
cause he hud become con. nccd that it wts his duty
to worship ~ II Catholic Would you. nv country
men aay to TINT man who had been elevated to the high
Office your t because Of his VIRTUE his pictv his
intelligence, his experience, he forfeited all claims 10
Your confidence, and ccHsed to be trustworthy, be-
cause I0 Ind become convert 20 the Catholic tnith'
Ney, let Inc suppose some man to be elected Ia high
office by the people Of Virginia who does profess
Ia lavp any religion, who belongs 10 no sact, who
leaves his future the chances from which he him
nef Sprang according TO the belief OF him, il there bc
any such who s without religion aud after he had
been elected Ia Office he should become Il convert 20
christianity md convert IN that particular school nr
class Of christians, who are called Roman Catholics;
would you be prepared tu sny that Fiat man is
longer fitted for office, qualified T" Serve the poo
pie. because h. has been cnnvcFcd from state OF III
hdc!l'y ar pcisln, TO that of Catholicism In other
words. becsu-e he has been converted by IL"
power Of the Almighty acting through some minister
"t his holy religion, christianity, SIMPLY because he
did not adopt your precis" view nt christianity,
and yet call yourselves aud cali lin free. and
call this Tree government and still proclaim thni
ho Aulerrnn party -ignazd itself first by its resist
nhc" l" rri3!o"s persecution and Intolerance, aud
ds d%np pf",nlIl",i"h I ~ glad tdng- of religious free
line Tim, nj. men Tr you is it that Is unw!-
HIS chi! ir":h The horrors "f ptiI.uce ar hi. conn.,
,ry ir9hi 'h' power Of foreign invader bv n Cathn
nc. net ms rnpISss that You were ,,p"sScona t;n.
from the war "f 1912, in whi' -. 1'in sec"nH 'i'
you had grappled successfully WIN Inc r'ts i"n' OF
from TINT Viii, rnGcd IN the c"nqucSt"! M"xc"'
and one Of your gallant ;ownsn"ii ai ieiurhsdto you
covered with aureIr and with sears, disabled perhaps
from tho maintenance of himscf and hi- family bvac
tive eycrons. for the balance nf his c by the ball. sH
bre or lance ri tho Mexican, and yielding I" that 20
ucrOus impulse which has always marked you. a. II
transports thun with gratitude you should b" about
to confer honor aud distinction upon him; y"n
were about in this moment OF gratitude. Ge-
nerosy aud Justice too, to bcstow upon him.
not merely some mark Of your favor but some
lttl. Office when w"uld give n pirtancc Of sup
port to him and 10 hi. family for iha remainder
Of his wears or, suppose the election OF lSlD wat
just about TO take place, and that venerable vete-
run and patriot, who led yonr armies 10 victory on
the plains of Rcsnca, Pau Alto, and Buena Vista,
h.u IN 81 nd
crown which would be dearer and more precious
tllan tara 0i gems, and, in the net of confer
ring the little office upon the wounded subaltsrn,
or tho great prize of the Presidency upon ZnCha-
ry Taylor because they had breasted nobly the storm
which threatened their own native land-yOu should
discover in tho breast of one or bnh lying near the
heart, little crucifX-fhe emblem of his faith and
hope his religion and his devotion TO his God m his
wounded person and battered sword was the emblem
of his devotion 10 you and TO lis country would you
recoil from him and -ay-"No, YOU not worthy Of
these honors, Of this gratitude and regard because
YOU do no, think I'D do and worship God atter my
fasbonl" II YOU would, Giier winch of the fashions,
them would you require that he should worship, You
are not all agreed among yourselves as 10 Gnv partlc
lar FORM AID differ almost IA much in respect 10 each
other US you do in respect to the Catholic. By what
rule and according Ia what ritual would you rcqur"
him To wOrshp, III order that he shall be received as
n true follower of one who proclaimed "prhce on
earth and good will to all rncn-love charity md for
hcarance!" Would you require ihnt he shall be
Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian. Qunkcr. Episcopa-
liam or what! All ho could not be. Like each, he
woudbe shrislian-iike each, he would dltier from
the other in the forms Of his worship and some of the
doctrines of his creed. Why should he not like oach
of the rest be received member of thc holy church,
instead Of being expelled from iu holy precincts
while each OF tho others differing all from each other
ars admitted cluster around r altar and 10 knee
in pence and safety, IN ervd pety, in alteration OF
their God and Saviour!
Oh, my countrymcn! can you contemplate such n
scene Can YOU look upon such creed Can you
think of the consequence, that must result fin:n such
principles without horror without feeling that you
nrc Offering an insult to Him to whom you profess to
offer incense lnd alteration, for whose snke' ana III
whose behalf ostcnsibly this war is 10 be raiscd'--
Have YOU forgotten the history of the past thar you
are willing uga to light up the fires OF religious war;
10 re- establish the stnkc md nggot tn consume It's VIII
,h;nr victims for religions sake Have you forgotten
th. rssons of history the history Of your own as well II"
NJ other countries And are heyto be excused jas
tiiicd by their ignorance, il they shall ead that are
,Ley cnued the better to take care o ihs grea' nato
and To- govern because they are kno"-No'hmS'! an"
when YOU appeal 10 them to take warning py tie cS
SONS and history of the past like the ltaiia "iieSs
upon the trial of the Queen, who could oh'y claur
the truth by utiering an indirect tasehoo' eAc'.hG
,yhen urrsacd by the question "nor ne ffo'do -
now Nothing or if this he not the answcr then theF
do know what upon this subjec; history tenchcs! IS
their sin not greater! Are they the more qHh'itu anu
, thry establish better claim 10 yonr co'aece on"
tba control of tho government and the country, pe
n,,s lnox;np they disregard, the lessons OF history
and wiliuly seek 10 c'nbro their country m ,nI
scenes OF religious dseord which hnTr aTT%Sa'S" !"
.hn mot know that il is historical proverb that oi
I'll aney n" H and of all dssensons tho religious wars and
rrIiyous d;srensons have been the most violent and
bitter on earth! How came it that the smv%sr o;
mankind was crucifed Why was lie crur'neu
W. :, for my crime! Was il not because OF his
r.lr"us opinions the proclamation by his lips OF
this very maxim which this war Of ssrt upon sect =
Soutes repudates DO these men f%pRT,g 1 Pr ,n% n III
'',e ~ ", W M f against the Catholics, that It s TO
.tSn ,berc DO they they not know The eonrn5y they
stop srv,u Of the history of the past that when
the Catholic ods down. WINE. o,sd 's to 'i". @ rr"unG TrS
:, sec'n.uu ";rt that committed these outraYes will