Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-22
AMERICAN ORGAN.
FOR THE AMERICAN ORGAN.
MIR. ChandIerss Sueech.

| foh THE AMERICAN ORGAN.
Mr.. ChandIer's Speech.
have read the speech Of Mr.. Chandler o
Pennsylvania, delivered few days since in th,
House of Representatives, in reply to Mr. Banks
and cannot find language strong enough to ex
press the astonishment which felt at some of th
| positions assumed by him. i have not the pleas
ure Of personal acquaintance with Mr.. Chandler
but have always regarded him scholar and gen
tleman and perhaps would be as willing to tax,
his word as to the truth or falsity of any matter
depending entirely upon his own personal knowl
edge, as that of any man (; yet, when what he as
serts to be true or false, matter entirely of de
| duction, or conclusion Of process of reasonin.
| from historicala facts, as assumed premises / mus
claim the privilege Of exercising some little shar,
OF the right OF private Judgment, and treat hin
as descendant Of Adam, and therefore talliJle
In this country we have a right to doubt the cor
rectness of judges opinion, even after il has
been announced from the bench--and we have
not yet been deprived Of the privilege Of speak.
ing what VIC think, and not only saying in express
terms-it is not law--but appealing to higher
tribunal to correct the error, and reverse the udg
ments below.
must beg leave to dissent from both the rea
soning and conclusions OF Mr. Chandler. If fwhat
he says be true, then the adherents of the Roman
Catholic Church are playing game, which is well
calculated to destroy all confidence in their sin
cerity. They either do not agree amongst them
selves as to what are the doctrines of their
Church, and have in their own bosom two par
ties directly antagonistic, or they are furnishing
the most striking Illustration Of the pecuiarites
OF Jesuitism to be found on record. They arc
blowing hot and cold at the same time and
would have us believe either is their proper
element They are gazing on US with two faces,
and entreatng us to believe either to be the
sincere and true one though they differ as widely
as that of an Ethiopian from a Saxon's. If the
priests and bishops of the Roman Catholic Church
sOiH n3ey the game of "open and shut" can they
| expect to acquire reputation for fairness and
candor, as to what are the true doctrines of their
Church? take it that no man, unless he be a
bigot or fanatic, wishes to interfere between the
conscience of Roman Catholic and his God--to
deny him the privilege of worshpping that God as
he wishes-or to call up the spirit of the DAYS of
persecution for opinions sake against him for en-
tertaning and acting upon his religious faith
But presume, it will not be denied that, in this
country, every man, be he Papst or Heretc, jew
or Gentle, has the right to inquire into and pass
judgment upon the opinions, principles, doctrines,
or tenets---religious or polltical--of his neghbor
and IL thought dangerous to tho freedom of the
State, or the stability of the governments to ,ote
against him, for any office within the gift Of the
people. Ifnot then our whole political system is
based upon error and deception. Does any man
believe that IL the Roman Catholics had the
jority of voters in this country, they would ever
elevate Protestant TO the Presidency, or Vice
Presidency? Would they not under such circum-
stancea have the political, the constitutional right
to select men Of their own persuasion to govern
the countrys Would they not be the first TO
laugh at any Protestant who might play the simple
ton, to the extent of denying them the right TO
vote for whom they pleased, for such Offices !?
But proceed to consider the material issues rails
ed by the speech Of Mr.. Chandler. It may bc
gathered from the following passage:
"Mr. Chairman, / deny that the Bishop of
Rome has, or that he claims for himself the right
to interfere with the political relations OF any other
country than that ofwhch he Is himself the soyer.
Il Il
any point, VI mean that l deny TO the Bishop Of
Rome the right resulting from his divine Office, to
interfere In the relations between subjects and their
sovereigns or between citizens and their govern
ments."
| This presents the whole issue, and IL Is not my
purpose to rely on Protestant history or any pro
cess of reasoning, which they may have adopted,
to controvert the position Of Mr.. Chandler ; but
propose TO use weapons taken from the armory o.
his own church. There is, permit me to say in ad
vance, marked difference between denying thai
the Pope has, rightfully, such power, and denying
that he has erercised, and still claims Il by Dyin,
right. Now, ask attention to few facts which
will not be controverted by Roman Catholic.
themselves. N ls49 the Archbishops and Bishops
of the Church in the United States, in council al
Baltimore, addressed letter Of appreciation and
encouragement" to Brownson, the editor of the
Roman Catholic Review, published in Boston,
rendering their "infuence to enable him TO con.
tnue his labors in defence Of the faith, Of which
he had proved an able aud intrepid advocate
This letter is dated May l3, ls49, and is signeC
by tcenty-fue Bishops and Archbishops amongs
whom are Kenrick, Hughes, Reynolds, Samuel
Fitzpatrick, &c. This letter of appreciation snc
encouragement has been appended to, and pub
lished with each numberof the Review for year.
past.
| 1t has been used thus publicly by the editor
not only as a recommendation TO extend the circu
lation Of his Review, but as an endorsement Of th
orthodoxy Of the doctrines he has advocated.
have before me the entire numbers for 1884 to eacl
Of which, this letter Of credit" is appended will
the names Of the twenty-five Bishops and Arch
bishops signed thereto. Now, il win hardly b.
pretended by Mr.. Chandler, or any other friend o
the Roman Catholic Church, that these twenty-five
dgnitaries have suffered their names to be used 4
give force and efficacy to doctrines which th'
church repudiates erroneous, and, in this partic
uar instance injurious to her prosperity ant
growth in tbis country | must assume, then, II
justice to the high character Of those who signed
It, that the "letter Of credit" is sufficient to con
stitute Brownson's Review, faithful and correc
cxpositor-an organ--of the doctrines Of the Ro