The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-02-08

il is lawful to murder, or destroy, or snywiss
injnre any person Whatsoever, Cor or undet
The prelense of being hersiics and we dos
clare solumnly before God, that we believe
no act in itself unjust, immoial, or wicked,
can never be justified or excused by or un-
der the prelense or color that it was done
either for the good of the church, or in obe-
dience 10 any ecclesiastical power whaiso,
ever.
| 3 We further declare, that we hold Il
as uncbris,ian and impious principle, that
no faith is 10 be kept With hereiics.' This
doctrine we delesl and reproba,e. no, only
as contrary TO our religion, but as desttuc.
live Of morality, or society, and even of CON,
mon honesty and il is out firm belief that
an oath made 10 any person not of the Cath.
ofic religion, is equally binding as If i, were
made 10 any Catholic whatsoever
Il. We have been charged with holdins,
as an article of our belief, that the Pope,
with or without a general couLcil, or that
certain ecclesiastical powers, can acquii OF
absolve US before God from our oaihs Of al.
leeiance, o: even from the just oa,hs or con-,
| tracts entered into between man and man.
'Now we utterly renounce, attjure, and
deny tha, We hold or maintain any suoh
belief, as being contrary TO the peace and
happiness of society, inconsistent with
morality, and above all, repugnant TO the true
spirit Of The Catholie ,eligion.'
Here, then, is another clear, explicit disa.
vowal on the part of the Pope and his CAT
dinals Of the doctrine imputed 10 The church,
and another full and complete response TO
The challenge o! the gentleman from Massa-
| chuset,s.
Mr.. Cbairman,the RomIn Catholic church
| neither holds nor ipculcaes a doctrine Of
power in it's head TO interfere in the affairs
of temporal Governments, to disturb the
monarch, or release the subject I. never
has taught that IFS professors were TO be in-
| fuenced by its doctrines. 10 combine against
the Government and Catholic citizens have
been as faithful 10 tie Government under
which they lived as those of any other de-
nomination OF Christians. Ia this couhIy,
DIR. Chairman, where, by the nature of our
institutions, no creed is allowed TO be mo-
lested, and where by constitutional provis.
ion, no advantage can be allowed the pro-
tessors OF creed on account of tha, profe..
sion, how unjust is i, to the public, how
cruel 10 Ike confessors OF creed, to create
and keep alive an excitement which involves
10 obiequy large class Of citizens inves sted
with every right that any American citizen
can claim, who are able, by their talents.
character aaainmenls and patriotism, 10 do
honor to the citizenship which they are not
allowed 20 enjoy must not he told lha,
all The rights Of citizenship are opea to
Catholics when Office is denied The man
who asserts thai, is ignorant of the first im-
pulse Of republicanism--ignorant, venture
| to say, OF the strongest motives of his own
action.
The right Of suffrage 10 connected with
the right TO Office, and the ireemen's privi.
ege oi voting for the man whom he would
elect, would not be worth the exercise, if
did not include the right Of presenting him.
self for voles for any Office whose functions
are not beyond his faculties.
From class of citizens, sir, in this couu.
try, with any disability not imposed upon
I others, and sou create a dangerous party in
the commonwealth. inequality Of political
condition can only be maintained in Re
public where there is inequality of mind
talents, and attainment Allow 10 any class
in This country the rights of educa iion, the
attainment of wealth, the righ, Of social
equality, OF suffrage, ard it will not be long
before that class will demand the boon thai
freemen seek, and denial will be unsafe.
1t is mean, il is cowardly, as we'll as false,
| for any man, or set Of men, 10 assert that
in combining to exclude all Catholics from
office, they do no more than exercise the
right not to vote for individuals, which is as
clear as :he righ, to vote for them.
Sir if the opposition seen and felt abroad,
| and heard here, in this Hall, means any
thing more than miserable, besgardy APP
peal to low prejudices, with view of hold
ing office, it means that Catholics ought 10
be excluded from all offices; and it they are
because they are Catholics, ineligible 10
place, then, those who assert It are bound
to change The Constitution, or openly vio.
late It's provisions. Will that be done!--
Will they have courage 10 do it! They
must do II 10 be consistent. They must for.
bear 10 be honesi--a much more difficult
effort.
Will.,hat be done, and the question Of the
| constitutional rights seuleds or shall the
Catholic Christian hear himself insulted, as
he has been more than once here, with the
offensive imputa,ion which have endeavor.
ed TO refu,e? Shall the heart OF the Ameri.
can Catholics be wounded with stale rumors
--rumors revived for party scion-uncred'
tied tales 10 their dishonor, or hypotheticai
charges Of concealed treason, which, while
it ventures upon no specification, disturos
the public mind, awakens slumbering pref
udices. shsrpens religious animosiiiss, aud
gives occasion for the. mean, the ignorant.
and the vulgar ambitious TO rise in power,
by the combination of their own class with
those who, failing in other combinations,
hide their disgrace, and avenge their formsr