Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-07-20
Religious Tests-Catholie Disability.


readers with summary of events making up the
current history of the day, and which it behooves
them TO know, we have steadily recognized an ina
pleo covenant towards them, not to medde with
their politics, to cast not feathers weight either
side OF questions dividing them as citizens of the
Sta!e II on our part this covenant has not been
1a!'hIuily Kept, this we can say, with good con-
science. We have tried to keep il, and ignorant
OF any lntraction And shall keep il to the end.
no maWkish senstveness, however, shall prevent
US from speaking out subje with polit-
1caI complexion, falling within sphere. The pro-
ceedlngs OF the Convention lately assembled in Phil
adelphla, whose platform is published in another col
umn, were watched by with great interest. Ec
ceslasucal matters were early introduced An
attempt vas made principally by Southern men, to
throw them out. But the ''Catholic test af-
iirmed, sd finally reafirmed ''The Roman Catho-
tc Chulch" is named distinctly. "Resistance to 1t
is propounded among the things cJedendG and the
ogenda If we read correctly, every Catholic is pro-
scrlbed. He may be an American-native, good and
patriotic; he may stoutly and practically deny the
power of the Pope in civil matters inference
from the ecclesiastical Ye for his religions sake,
he is barred advancement to all political stations
executive legislative, judicial or diplomatic" This
is test TO which our religious principles and repubi
can instincts, the spirit of our institutions and the b
crty of conscience, interpreted by the age, are all
opposed No party hodingiit, however excellent be
other principles held in combination, may expect to
pass before the conservative people of the United
States, especially of the South 1t cannot bulge a
step-it cannot stand with this milestone about It's
neck
There are thousands of the best Of the old
parties who sympathise in the movement for an es-
sental modification of naturalization laws, who
danger in the immigration Of felons and paupers,
and the power OF unnaturalzed persons by voting IN
Territories, TO shape the character of States; but
they will neither pursue accept it upon condl-
tlons impairng religious liberty If the two be DIS
Joined, they go for the former; and in their ranks
(f Of Yaf
tachments would be sacrificed to this end, but rel-
gous liberty never We are glad it is so. We re-
Jolce to believe this s'nment is Embedded in the
heart of the country. 1t proves civilization a
thoroughly Protestant
No one suspects us of Poplsh atfinties. The 'cor
rupting tendencies" Of the Roman Catholic Church
We take every occasion TO expose and counterac
The Pope is a king as well as a priest, having his
soldiers and his jas. His cardinals ministers of
state of war, of finance. The organization has ever
shown tendency to political interference and pre-
sented difficulty in the application of religious tol-
GRAFTON. But the difficulty has been solved, and this
is the solution:
The maintenance of the right of every man 10
the full unreStrained and peaceful enjoyment of his
own religious opinions and worship, and Jealous
slstance OF all attempts by any sect denomination or
church, TO obtain all ascendancy over any other in
! the State, by means Of any special privileges
emptIon by any political combination Of its members
! An open Bible. public schools and free press
gooG GefenCes against Catholics and Protestants; for
all men love asCendancy, though all denominations
have not equal instincts for it, If the Methodists
ever so far forget their high calling and wander
away from their foundation to intrigue for special
privileges, form their members into political
binations, we hope they'll encounter ''a Jealous re-
sstance" SO of any other Sect denomination or
church. If in their ecclesiastical character they
stand about the balotbox the call Of the highest
bidder, mark him that bids, and apply to the sect SO
prostituting its influence moral and local remedy.
! q Teiip eln n
douhttuI i'll some places acknowledged in others re-
pu,ated. Up TO this authOritiye declaration of the
Convention the did not address itself to Had
the religious features been left out of the platform,
we should now have nothing 10 say. There prin-
cpes set forth in IT, challenging respect and assent
and doing honor TO those boldly avowng them as,
the cultivation of national and American spirit, the
faith Of compromise, reYerenial obedience to the
laws, the Bible in common schools, and the unequi-
vocal ground taken upon the constitutional rights and
institutions of the South
! Beyond the principle involved, there grave
siderations of expediencY. misfortune has befal-
len the controversy between Catholics and Pro
tesants Our opponents have suddenly been put at
immense advantage.
The sympahies of a powerful party are unavoid-
ably with them Public speakers and journalists
are becoming their apolOgist ard eulogsts. lnvdous
comparisons are drawn between Catholics and Pro
testans, in dspaagenent of the latter, and by those
who have hitherto thought and acted otherwise.
| A comparatively feeble sect has been elevated in.
to undue Importance. According to the representa-
tion of the census, in 1850, the Roman Catholic
Church has but IL u churches which can accommo
date only G2l,G0O hearers Not One-eerenh Of th
number of churches belonging TO the Methodist
scarcely than one eighth of the number of h
Baptists, not 0aetourM the number of the Presby
terians. 1t has not one-thaty-th1rd of the whole
G number reported, while Methodist have more athar
d one Mird, and the Baptist nearly onejourth.
And this handful, party aspiring TO natlonah
: proposes to resist
II the General of Jesuits himself had been in coun
Gil he could not more eFectualIy have devised pla
to weaken the Protestant and aggrandiZc the Catho
lie cause.
k Should this platform succeed to the government
we shall be put back where England was before tn
: act Of Catholic emanci patton This is taking step
Observation-Disclosures of ourselves.
1t gives Catholics the tremendous benefit of perse
cution The cry vii! rally to any sect hosts OF no
BILE spirits, who otherwise would hold 1t in religion
d abhOrranCe
y Many who were hanging loosely by the skirts
K Catholicism, and being gradually but surely dslnte
r grated from its cummunon, are fired with new yea
It and com pacted by the sense OF oppression
Il The weapons of this warfare net carnal. w
" acknowledge the kind intentions, but edecllne the
: lance of politicians 1t is burdensome. lhs COZ
troversy belongs to us-Protestant Christians Pro
testant Churches. Protestant journals and societies
as such We want no direct indirect aid frol
Government in managing it, believing that if let alon
with truth on our side, bring it forth to VII
&c tory.-N o. Christian AdUocate.
X X Col. VIM H. Polk brother of The late Presider
e; Polk former member of Congress, and who has bel
diplomatic appointment abroad, is the America
Eknow nothing candidate for Congress in the dstri
in which he lives in Tennessee.
of Baltimore american.
There IS about as much truth in the above stat
r. ment as there is in the mpudent assertion so e!
id Sensively circulated by the know nothing organs h