Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-09-04


sonlns compares with one that has late
y appeared in the columns Of the Pres
byterian Critic. This paper being on,
OF the leading journals of the Presbyte
Ran denomination and hence entirely
free from all partisan or political bias
tie article derives additional importance
and recommends itself to tho thinking
men of all political parties. Being un
able TO give the entire article, IN conse
quence of its length, we present a few
extracts, as follows :-Democratic Com
panion.
THE AMERICAN PARTY.
TnERE is no demand whatever for q
great national movement against the
Catholic Church. The recent excite.
ment in the community has been IN the
main, the result of a corrupt movemen,
Of unprinciplel politicians, to excite
the Protestant feeling Of the people aud
to ride into power on the tide. They
have run foul Of the maxim, which they
have SO copiously set forward among
their principles, as If for the purpose OF
expressing the proAigacy Of tho whole
movement, by violating ia practice what
they praise in theory. 1t is absured to
deny that making the mere religious sen
liments Of man the reason for refusing
to vote for him, is a violation of the
great principle Of religious liberty
1t is allowing principle Of dscrimin.
aling the political aspect O. a vote 10 be
sound and just; which would be wick
ed and uaPrincipled, if embodied in
law. If our neighbors make their dis.
like 10 our Presbyterian sentiments the
ground OF their refusing to vote for US, it
is perfectly useless to disguise that we
are under political responsibility for re-.
ligious opinions-,hat, quoad hoe. we
are suffering for them. The objection.
able features in this view Of the case is,
making religious opinion unattended by
any viclousness Of action growing out
Of it, ground for universal discrim
alton in political affairs, affecting per.
manen,Iy large masses Of cilizens.-
This is our first great objection to the
American OF Know Nothing party; it is
violating the very principle Of religious
liberty, which it PROCESSES TO conserve {;
and has adopted construction Of that
principle which strips it of all practical
force, leaving it dead letter in the stat.
ute book, and abandoning its control
over the political action Of the people.
We object again to the American par.
ty, that it is condensing the Catholic
and Foreign element in our populatio n
into political body distinct from the
mass OF our citizens, armed with all
their power TO do mischief, and anima.
mated by all that hostility which is nat.
ural to men suffering an ostracism OF
their religion and bi'lh, provoked by an
attempt to diminish their full equality
with other citizens-u Now what does
Know 'Notbingism propose to do for the
remedy Of this evil which it has created? ?
1t only propose 10 render Catholic and
Foreigner citizens ineligible to Office 1t
leaves them the power to vote, and the
right of unlimited emigration in the
luture-the two great means Of mischief,
if they are pleased 10 use them. There
can be no remedy for the Pope's con.
troll Of the Catholic vote, excep in tax
ing away the elective franchise alto.
gether. Nor it is, to say the least of it,
the most manly and honest policy to
prohibit the entry Of Catholic and a
Foreign altogether into the country, and
to the rights of citizenship, rather tina
invite them to come and then begin to
annoy them by whole series of polit.
ical disabilities, which are assumed to
be essential to defence Of the Know.
Nothing creed, on both the issues it h as
raised, is logical and practical blum.
der from its own premises. 1t assumes
in the strongest sense Of an existing fact
not as logical inference from the Cath
olic creed, the absolute ncompatibility
Of the Catholic Church and the free in
stitutions Of this country. This is it.
promise, its inference is to render the
individual Catholic ineligible 10 Office
the true inference from The premise a.
they construe it is, that the Catholi,
Church ought not to be tolerated at all
On the other issue, the premise is, tina
the element in our population is dan
gerous to the government, the inferenc,
is, the reduction Of part ookhe right
OF citizenship-the ineligibility to office
in the foreigners already here and an ex
, tension Of the term Of naturalization.-
The true inference is, the prohibation q
e all the foreign emigration for the future
r and the avoidance Of everything woul
!. exasperate the foreign element alread
r in the midst Of US; the careful observ
;. ance Of everything which would tend t
strengthen their attachment to the inst
!, !, tutions Of the county. These are tn
n n results which logically issue from til
q premises Of the Know.N Nothing cree,
!. and which they are logically required /
assume.
I'll But they dare not do it; the measu
le they propose TO adopt-the exclusic
10 from oaice--is ridiculousIy incomple
1t as practical expedient it is a mo
at impotent and lame conclusion, as
Of logical inference. 1t is absolutely ne
N essary, either TO cease this polite
II crusade against large masses of our pc
pie, or to make it effectual to &C pills
not only the ends it holds in view, b
"a nravart ,ho &, c;Joct nv;l. al. = CY. =.