The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1855-07-21
GEneral l]ilSrlnrlsss+,TWO
From the ~: O: chrisfsdn f0oeaie,
Rensisas Tests- Cafhoils Dh baatss

= From the " O: CArisfsdn f0oeaie.
Re1sisas Tea. cafhsns d $Issne.s
The sphere Of our DISCUSSIONS is &oral, relig-
GUS and ecclesiastical Beyond tthiAwe do not
propose to extend our remarks upon fhk Eighth
Article of the "1American Platform. vs11kle
presenting our readers witla summary of events
ma king up the current history of the day, and
which it beooves them to know, we have steadi- t
ly recognized an IMPLIED covenant towards I
them not to meddle With their politics. to east |
not feathers weight Oh either side of questions
dividing them as citizens Of the State. II on
our part this covenant las not been faithfully
kent. this we can say, with good sctyhsGepce, |
| we have tried to keep it, and are ignorant Of!
any infraction Aud VIC shall keep it to the end
No mawkish sensitivcness, however, shall
with q poIiticai compIexion, 1aHsug within our
! sphere. The proceedings OF the CONVENTION
! lately assembled in Philadelphia, whose plat
form is published in another coi"ln"' Ne'e
watched hv MS with great interest Ecc'esias-
teal matters were early introduced. An at
ton,nt was made. principally by Southern men.
~ tbrow them out. But the Catholic test
was affirmed. apd finally reaffrmed. The ko-
man Catholic Church" is named distinctly.
"Resistance' to it is propoun"ed among s a"9
tb;rms creleuda and the ogenda. Ii we read
corract,y. every Catholic is prescribed lie
nav he an American-native, good and patr-
otc: he may stoutly and practically deny the
mower of the Pope in civil matters as an 'nicr-
teence from the ecclesiastical. Yet, Tor his re,
,icion's sake, lc is barred "advancement 10 an
nolitical stations-cxecutive, legislative, judi
cc;,I ar ,pIomatic" This is Il test to which our
rel;yious principles and republican instincts, the
n;r;t Of our institutions and the liberty OF con
: science. as interpreted by the age, are all op
posed No party holding it, however cNce'
! lent be other principles held III como,ha''oh
NAV cxuect to pass before the conservative pco
| I tod States eSDeclalIV or lu(
South. 1t cannot bulge a step-lt cahho
stand with this milestone about It's neck
There are thousands of the best men OF TN
+ old parties who sympathse III the movement :. ~
~ an essential modification OF our naturaiiza!lo
u laws who see danger III the llhmlSral'o" VI ie
IF ons and paupers, ana ''ie lo"e. l -. -. sl,a ~
- lied persons by voting i'll Territories, 10 snal
= tbe character of States; but they viii nelthe
=, inursue nor accept it upon conditions lmpaifih
;, relrous liberty If the two be disjolned, the
-, co for the former; and in their ranks many :,
~, Them of the naturaliZed. Former party attacl
in ments would be sacrificed to th's emu, ou' rH, W
s rous liberty never. We are glad IT is so. w
. rejoice to believe this sentiment is ihhedded
~ the heart of the country. 1t proves our civ'i
is zaton ii thoroughly Protestant one. r
IL No ono suspects us of Popsh athnit'es ~
"corrupting tendencies" OF the Roman oa'''o' VI
no Church W. take every occasion to expose al
". counteract The Pope is q king as wcil as
w. ~, nriest. having his soldiers and his jails. II
~ cardinals are ministers of state, OF war,
"a finance The orgauiza tion has ever shown
m tendency to political interference, and present
no. q difficulty in the application OF religious toief
~ ~ tion Rut the difficulty has been solved, al
en this is the solution:
"a .srhc maintenance of the right Of every M
M to the full. unrcstrained and peaceful enJf
~, ment of his own religious opinions and worsh
.d and a Jealous resistance Of all attempts ny a
denomination or church, to obtain an ascendi
t,o,. in he State nv means OF Il
,r, snecial privileges or exemption by any pollti
M combination of its members
tn, An open Bible public schools and II
sh. press are good defences against Cathohcs 4
,m Protestants; for all men love ascenda"cv tnoo
ow all denominations have not equal Instincts
~, Il IF the Methodsts ever so far forget tn
ny hiyh callin, and wander away from Their 10
dation as to intrigue for special privileges,
form their members into political complha'o
the we hope they'll encounter "a Jealous resistahe
,+ So of any other sect, denomination or ch"f
'', IF in their ccclesiastic character they st;
and l, ~ 'nol' ,',Il. hov 81 tho call Of the hgl
c of bidder. mark him that bids and apply 10
t in sect so prostituting its influence Hofai
leri- local remedy.
,oo Heretofore the religious element of the OF
: of was doubtful; in some places aeknowieoseo'
hum Others repuliated. UP to this t"'hor,'Fe
and I,ratioa of the Convention the case did not
ain drass itself to U.S. Had the religions feat
.e it been left out of the platform, VIC shoula
d as have nothing to say: There are principles
t in forth in it, challenging respect and assent
tiful doing honor to those boldly avowlng them
n all the cultivation of national and Amer
mes spirit. the faith of compromise, reverchtia,
due dience to the laws, the Bible in common sen
,,l,er land the uncquivocal ground taken upon
3 he nstitutional rights and institutions o'
or an South. -, .ho,o
2g,he Beyond the principles involved, there
eide crave considerations of expedlency A m
. are ltnne has befallen the controversy as pet'
tain, Catholics and Protestants- Our oppo'
ave,l. have suddenly been put at immense adsah
ok off1f The esynlpathies of a powerful party are
np&of tarodabiy with them. Public speakers
!, 4fer snfc6ists. rs Invidious comparisons are q
!, life Ebetween Catholics ard Protesta"ts, III o'
rcnelr ,.reu,cnt Of the latter, and by those who
hitherto thought and acted otherwise
A comparatively feeble sect has neeh
" NJ ted into undue Importance. According q
Mad representation of the census IN le3o, 'he
n..Ier man Catholic Church has but l,llZ eh'
& nor which can accommodate only 52l wv nc
lime Not one-elercnh of the number OF chufc'
,babIy LONGING to the Methodist, scarcely more
: ;lt | .es,;ahfh of the number OF tue bap.'s'