American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-08-16
Rsligioas Toler.ailon.

Pronpts with rsmsnbrareso Of sprssept God.
RsiiE iOus TOier-afioR.
Whatever of disrelish We may have foT
the Roman Catholic religion, has been pro,
duced by the intolerance of is professors.
We have no objection TO am IN belieyia,
what he pleases, but when he undertakes
TO denounre because We wIfcxrcisc h.
right OF thipking ior ourselves. W .s,'.
hiSaSsamed authofii y % con rbl aAl
his power. The very assalnp ion u /.
tate in u mater oil ooas-ience proves tnl
he Is unworthy 10 nc ra ,ed wl.h au.ho,f
g ty. ProIestants do nei IN Ike wag up1n
Catholics. excepting in self-lelrnce. The
whole religious his.ory Of this counry has
shown this 10 be true. There MY have
been some individual ex'ep ions; bat they
do not inralida.c the general assertion
In Marylanl both classes have lived in
harmony until within roeent perio l--aDd
we venture to assert, that this harmony
would have remlnel undislurbed. hal il
not been for the inlisereet zeal OF fore IN
Catholics. AT the organization Of the gen
eral school system of the State, Pro.es ANTS
and Catholics were alike zealous in pro
mo!iag the object--nor was IL once sug
pested, that separate schools should be pro-
vided at the public expense for each class.
1t was supposed that the children Of A.
merican cilzens should associate anl suly
together. evon though they differed in
their religious faith. Il was not thought
that the public schools were 10 be conver:-
ed into theological engines 10 be wielled
for sectarian purposes; and they were ire-
quented, by pupils OF every religious de-
nomination. Elch, it was supposed, you'd
have an interest in the (u ure welfare Of
the nation. aud early assoca ions might
,prolucea patriotic unity OF feeling which
would advance The sreas su ,j'c, which
every American citlzen should have IN
view. Religious distractions were almos
unknown in !he public schools; in sori,
intercourse; and in the bestowaI Of publ,
patronage. The Protestant and Catholic
q were placed on the same ticket; eleuied 10
gether. and served in the public counril
together; probably without knowing 'ha
they differed in religious belief. Thi
happy state Of things was NJ last dis,urbc,
and by whom? We believe by Arch
Bishop Hughes. of New York. H. cpm
binel politics with rrhgIou-struck for
separa ion Of Catholics from Protestant
in the public schools-anl his exampl
was soon followed in Maryland. and else
D., where. In Tact almost everywhere, Gail
olics becnme suddenly arlaycd again
Pro:os,an,s on this public school quastitl
Tho work wis done by foreign Catholhr
who wished 10 inlrolure here that srprri
lion and bitter sectarhin feeling which pr,
walls in other countries San when The
founl u al portion Of The public press ha
the resolution To oppose their tpmp'c
innovation, these foreign priests prosrrit
ed such independent journals, and Il,
nounced them AZ enemies AMI perseculoi
Of tbs Catholic Charch. A more impt
dent AMI pllpahls ralsehood WAS nov er u
tered. The public scho system was
great and beneficial nstilu ion, erected (,
the advantage of youths Of every relgio,
denomination; and because the press wuuI
not remain silent AMI see thi' inSli IL
dcstroyed'foT sectarian purposes, the W ~
OF these priests against he opp 'ltn
their schemes, knew nu bunli Il. The
saw that American Cthoh's We e ;olr
O. ant aud hberal-aud htt ,hcy VIZ. o. +
otic standing ready 10 defend their 't1p'r
against all asSailanrs--and tiu'y thou
etfeo, change In the diIpa,, IONS u 4
rising generation by a system Of tx 'l,R
educaiion which would sep,ra'e ih,m to,
their soung Protestant asSotilcs ta4 Il
still ino their young min f'tlGS4 rn
principles equ'lIy AZ wlr wiu h,.nopop
social in;eronatSs anI ,l'e nerd $ .llir
They Were the aggresSurs, AND stoi n,
complain at having "the war carried inl
Africa" II they suffer consequences ,
their mischievous and bigotted folly, the
have themselves only to blame.
Nethingi further from our dispositio
than to prescribe a man because Of b
faith. We acknowledge tho right Of eveI
man TO worship God according to the di
tates OF his own conscience; but ifany ma
under the garb of religion, teach that
mericans owe superior allegiance 70
foreign power to that which is due to the
own country, We consider ourselves full
justified in not trusting that man with u
thoriiy which he can abuse to the injury
our common country.
We would not quarrel with the,immo
doctrines Of the Mormonits iftbry W.
preached only--but society has tbc ri.
70 prevent their being reduced to plac i
IN order to secure public morality. Ba,
= more Clipper.
A LUCKY EscAPE.-The Memphis
- tl.uk n. -.