The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-10-12
THE SAME OLD ROME.
[From the New YORK Mirror.

The Papal Hierarchy Is actua'eu 'o""! ~
the same sanguinary spirit which sent Jon"
IIuss to the stake, put Calico to the torture
,.c,nse he would not recant his prnbicin OF
the earlh's revolution, presented Luther ana
hi. co.martyrs ~ the death, and led to Span
ish Inquisition, the massacre OF 81. b"'h"'o'
r,sw. and all the blood. stained prosecutions
of the Middle Ages. 1t changes not. It's
ruling passion is cruelty and death to all
d;.s.pters and hrretirs, all who dare To OPP
ma, the inEllibiiy of the Holy See. The
onIy difference between Por'ry in the nine
teenth and P1prry in the fifteenth century,
!, merely difference of power. The Her
prhv is rs blood thirsty as ever, but II has
lost the ascrndancy that cnablcd it TO dictate
TO chrslendom in past ages. Like Samson,
II has been shorn of the locks of lis strength
The liberal spirit of Protestant christianity
has taken this giant from his dreadful throne
md FRUSTRATED linn TO the level of other men.
The Pope of Rome is no longer the terrible,
y,nrrlul successor of St. Peter, who made
kings aud people ,rcrnbe during so many
centuries, but was unable 20 Withstand the
simple energy of Luther aud Mciancihon,
armed with the potency Of truth. His power
i, vastly abatrd, but the spirit of the Church,
over which he prcsidrs, is the same as 1t
ever was, and ever will be, while the Papacy
cndurcs
One simple illustration of this fact, which
we select from hundreds of daily occurrence,
IL to be found in the recent attempt of the
Holy See to deepen the cowardly vassaage
Of Spain to the sauguinary spirit of Rome
Spain has ever been the Obseqnious tool of
tie Pope--has always enj ryed, from the days
of the Inqui,ilion, the right 10 lie considered
the most persistent defender Of the Faith"
among the Catholic Powers of Europe. But
even Spain has failed to meet the wishes of
Rome, and has been liercrly attacked by the
latter. The contest has recently assumed
formidable shape, and called forth from the
Spanish Government IN elaborate defence,
from which we make the following extract:
"rhough ibis is not the first time that the
Holy See has given to its merely economic
and administrative affairs purely religious
character, md thus disturbed the public con
science; aud though it is well known that
Spain has never ceased to be necessary to
descend to the reiutatiun OF so uniound"d
charge. They regret that the present lIIhe
should b. chosen for such an act " hch lsIIkeY
to be turned to account by the enemies "i
! Al .
public order and of the established throne 10
excite disturbance III Spain, aud thus "dd 10
the complications which already exist IN the
west OF Europe. The Government deny, IN
the most formal mannrr, that the ronc"rddt
aIud I'd to by the Nuurio has been violated by
them, aud they quote, in proof ct the r','he
second basis at the new constitution, ~ Nlr-
tines of which the nation ubIMs llse'i I"
uaintiin and protect the worship ana the
ministers of the Catholic religion as profess
cd hy the Spanish people; bat that Il" span
lard nor stranger can be prosecuted for his
opinions or faith, SO long ny he does not rX-
press them by means Of public acts contrary
TO religion 1t is evident that the cause Of
offence 10 the Papll Government is this de-
rlaratiun of non pcrS, cuil"n for mere orln'
IONS not betrayed by external acts; but the
government deny that they deserve to he
considered otherwise than Catholic, merely
because they ARE tolerant. Other Catholic
governments, to whom the Holy See is even
more indebted than Spain, do more than
this, and yet are not pronounced "ntl-Catho-
lic"
Is il not remarkable proof Of the tolrr-
mt spirit of Protestant nations, that while
Rome still persists in prosecuting Christians,
and even stirs up well.disposed Catholic
countries like Spin, TO forbid, under severe
penalties, not only the free worship of God
but the entertainings of mere opinions not
BETRAYED by external arts'-in all countries
where the Protestant religion is dominant,
Roman Catholics enjoy the utmost liberty OF
conscience II is time that Independent ma
tons demanded from. the Papal See, the
liuht of their citizens, whether residing III
Rome, or in AIRY country under the domIna'
ton of the Pope, to worship God according
to their own conscience and free from Papal
interference, whatever their religion may he.
We rejoice to find the Spanish Government
asserting its Independence Of Rome, and pro-
ccrdng to destroy the prcrogatives oil the
Romsh Priests and Converts on the ques
ton OF church property. Spain has been the
victim of the Hierarchy from the earliest
times, and her present attitude is entitled to
the sympathy of the world One by one IN
quick succession, the bulwarks of the Pa
pacy give way; the detection of priest rid
den Spain is not least among the signs OF the
times.
.SY"The Ohio state journal notices the
peach crop of Mr. Loughry, whose farm is on