Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-28
NUMBER ll3.
roR TIE AMERIcAN onaAn.

Il 4 e
| II Is astonishing with what perseverance, the en-
emies Of the American party reiterate the slander
| that we persecute Roman Catholics ON account of
their religion. The charge has been so often de-
MED and reuted that those who continue to repeat
1t must either belong 10 the class ofmen mentioned
in the above-quoted text Of Holy Writ or be guilty
Of an Intentional and malicious libel Perhaps /
should except few persons Of integrity who, from
4 Want Of information, which they might however,
easily obtain, thus msrepresent the objects and
principles OF party which Is laboring for the good
OF the country, and which has already been en-
/ dorsed by an educated and patriotic people, "
| The American party utterly denies, repudiates,
and condemns any intention TO interfere with any
l set Of men, be they known by whatsoever name
In the free and uncontrolled exercise of their rel-
4 gious faith, opinions, or form Of worship. They
viii be the last to lay sacrlegious hand upon the
altar or to cast down that column in the temple OF
American liberty which was erected to religious
freedom. IL Is that religion may be preserved in
her purity, that her garments may not be stained
by the filth Of earth, or her limbs manacled by po.
4 litical power, that the members of the American
party have banded themselves together.
/ But what is religion? II is "virtue, as founded
on reverence Of God and an expectation Of fti-
ture state of rewards and punishmentsp or 1t is ga
system ofDivine faith and worship In what way
do the principles of the American party interfere
with the practice Of this virtue" or with any sys-
Il uoHi VI ihtu IN oou Ut WOrbIlp VI uOuf call
upon the most obstinate of our defamcrs to answer
Let the Catholic bow before the elevated Host let
the clouds of incense arise from his gorgeous altars
and the solemn peal of the organ rcsound through
the arches OF his sublime cathedral, and let him
adore his Lord in the consecated wafer, If by all
this he feels his soul brought nearer to God and
his nature elevated above the dust with il we have
| naught to do. Let the more primitive Methodist
choose the sublime temple Of nature for his place
OF worship, and the Presbyterian his simple edfce
destitute of all appeal 10 the senses let them be-
leve disbeleve any doctrines they may IL Is not
for man to step between their faith or their wor-
ship and the God to whom they are offered. Let
the jew incarnadine his affairs with the blood of It's
| smoking victim, and the Mahometan cry Allah!
Allah There is but one God, and Mahornet Is his
prophet The broad egis Of the constitution will
| protect them all.
There is but one religious denomination in this
country which acknowledges as its head foreign
power. The Episcopal church, the only other
which ever did stand in such position, broke off
It's relations with the Crown of England, within u
short period of the dissolution of the political con-
nexion between that nation and the United States
This single exception is the Roman Catholic church.
That the nature of this relationship between large
and important portion Of the community, and
| foreign potentate should become matter of dis
| cusson among an intelligent and educated people,
jealous of their liberties cannot be matter of sur
present itself to the thinking mind of the nation,
Is; Does the nature of this connexon or allegiance
| involve danger TO our free institutions
Another question which grows out of this, viz
| Does the Pope OF Rome claim temporal as well as
spiritual power2 has been Of late much discussed
1 by eloquent speakers and able writers. On the
one hand, II has been vehemently denied by mem-
bers of the Romish communion that the wearer of
the Triple Crown has ever asserted such a right
On the other hand, history has been appealed to,
the bulls of Popes have been quoted and even
modern instances, occurring within few years,
and on the American continent, hava been held
up to the light, TO show that the claim TO temporal
power, if not always acknowledged by govern
ments has been steadily asserted by the Pontiffs
OF Rome through many centuries, and down 70 the
present time. II is not intended to argue this
question here. Let those who wish information
! in regard TO ii, read the able speeches Of Messrs
| Chandler and Smith, delivered In the House of
Representatives, and other discussions by prominent
mon, now before the public; but let them read
both sides.
propose (for the sake of the argument) 20 grant
that the power claimed by the Pope Is confned
entirely to spiritual matters, as be understands
that limitation, and to the government Of the
church.
| have before me the Allocution Of our most
Holy Father Pope Plus TX, pronounced in the
Secret Consistory, December 0, 1884, before tho
| huQ nrCnDi6DOpd oil the churcn
collected in solemn conclave from all parts Of tho
world, as il is given in the Metropolitan, Catholic
magazine published in Baltimore.
His Holiness says:
Amongst those who have 20 direct public OF.
fairs there are many who pretend 10 favor and pro-
fess religion, who lavish their eulogiums upon H.
who proclaim II useful and perfectly appropriate TO
human society, nevertheless they wish to restrain
its dicplne TO govern its sacred minister's TO med
H. a.. IaI., Al.
they cndeavor 10 confne the church within the
limits Of the State, to have the mastery OF
her, who is, however, Independent and Who
according 10 the order Of her Divine Founder
cannot be contained within the limits Of any en-.
pire for she Is obliged 10 extend herself even 10
the ertremities Of the earth, and embrace In her
bosom all peoples and all nations, 70 show them
the way Of eternal happiness.
"And, alas whilst We speak thus TO you. ven.
cradle brethren, law has Just been proposed IN
the Sandman States 1.-THE laws granting religious
| federation and aboshing the nuuneries which de-
stroys the religious aud Ecclesiastical institutions
which completely tramplcs undsr foot the rights Of
the Church, and, az far possible, Abolishes them
But we will have TO recur another time TO this i'm
portant affair Heaven grant that those who
opposed 70 the liberty Of the Catholic religion may
recognise mt last bow much she contributes to the
public veal in ezacfing from eUeyy citizen the oJ-
| serVancs Of the duties that abe makes knovn 10
them, according TO the heavenly doctrine that sbo
has receivedi Heaven grant that they may come
TO persuade themselves Of that which ST. Felix our
predecessor wrote in former days TO the Emperor
Zeno, that nothing is more useful 10 princes than
70 leave the Church the free action Of her laws
for it Is salutary to them when the question is Of
the things of God, 10 study 10 submit the royal piH
to Tie priests Of Christ, instead Of seeking to bend
them 70 theirs !"
And again:
"By this you see, venerable brethren, how much
we stand in need Of seminaries governed by bish.
ops exclusively and not by the civil power in order
to have worthy ministers Of Christ"
This, then, Is the spiritual power this the au.
thority which is claimed by the Holy See Itisa
spiritual power over an Independent church, and
20 which kings are TO bow their royal wiIl and OF
course all governments and people must submit.
IL an absolute power 70 exact from every citi-
zen the observance ofthe duties tbat church makes
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