Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-25

to entertain towards the Papal SYSTEM towards
Professionalism, and especially towards Romish
priests.
If he exulted in the temporary overthrow OF
your clerical corporation, because OF ito disastrous
influence all the best interests OF society; be-
cause of its Unsuitable avarice and extortion; be-
cause of its outrageous intolerance because OF
its brutal disregard of all the natural and beneyo-
lent instincts Of humanity, and SO perseveringly
labored for the destruction of your corporation
if against this bitter and sanguinary intolerance
of Romanism, he urged, and with success, in a
country where your corporation for centuries had
uncontrolled sway, the rights OF Protestants TO a
civil equality with Catholic priests; If it can be
shown that he commended to France the superb
GRITTY OF the Protestant religion, as displayed IN
its benign influence in the United States and as In
contrast with the Romsh religion; If In short, he
denounced Romish priests in terms as severe as
those contained in the motto; then Sir, VIII the
conclusion which you have drawn against the gem
uineness of the motto, because you have chosen
to call Lafayette Catholic, be proved utterly
faliacions. l4a
Turn, then, sir, to the volumes Of the Memoirs
of Lafayette and lif your edition is the same with
that which consulted in the Aston Library,) you
will find the original Of the following translation in
vol. 2, p. 6SG. In speech delivered in 1921 in
the Chambers, animadverting on the conduct OF
the old government, whose overthrow some MEM
beers had affected to regret Lafayette says in an
swering the selfproposed question, What have we
to regrctY "Then disappeared that clerical cor
porafion, which, while it exercised every species
ofinfuence, and refused to pay any share of pub
lie contributions was necessarily increased. No
part of It's immense wealth was ever alenated, but
all was distributed In its class in an inverse
ratio to labor. The law was party, in the erac-
lion ofeo@s too often compulsory, and France was
covered with moadstic orders denoted to foreign
chiefs.~ The clergy levied at once contributions
from the rich and the poor, and its secular organ
ization Uas so nholiy given oper to poridly indo-
ience that the laboring ministers were but an in
significant portion Of ,chat ~as called The first or
der Of the State.
What then are we to regret
Have we to regret the religious intolerance which
doomed a great portion of the population to state
Of legal conembinage, to bastardism and dsinheri.
lance or that violation Of all the laws Of nature
and morality which Louis XIV established, and
which the iustrious preate Bossuet styled the
work worthy Of his reign, the most assured sign
~ well as the finest enactment OF authority '
The Bishops in 1851 and 1862 demanded its exc
cution by the judgment of the Commandant, or
Intendant, Without the form or snblance of a
trial. Such was the legal doctrine from the peri
cd Of the decree Of the council Of 1854, which de-
barred all private persons from recsiving into their
houses any sick person Of the Protestant re-
igion, under the pretert of charity, down to the
decision of the Council Of Louis XVI, when, in OPP
position to the advice of Turgot and Malsherbes,
the oath was taken TO erterninate the heriticS.
The condition of the Professionals was ameliorated
by the edict of the King in 1888. remember it
the more distinctly, because, in the preceding
year, had the honor Of seeing adopted in the
mittes, ut which the brother Of the King presided
the first official admission, Of their cipil rights
but even this half tolerance was considered rev.
olutionary innovation"
Thus, sir as early as 1888, Lafayette incurred
the enmity Of your corporation, while obtaining
the proud distinction of striking the first blow for
religious liberty in France. For him was reserved
the noble qualification of connecting the measures
for rescung Protestant Christianity from the
bloody prescription and brutal rule of an over
bearing and corrupt priesthood. In resisting the
"intolerant spirit Of the times" sir, do you find
Lafayette In league with your corporation, or in
open hostility to itg Was he Catholic lin your
application Of the term or Protestant in the best
sense Of that termg
Let US pass over period Of forty years, and see
If the ilustrious man had become less Protestant
in his feelings and views in that time.
You will find, sir, at page 400, vol 9, Of his
Memoirs his speech delivered june 28d, 1928,
rum WuCu L1uhe tue IOiiOWlng extract.
Amidst the attacks Of pretended defenders Of
the altar, am sorry to observe that fanaticism
which represents hostile to the rights and sen.
timents of nations the Ohristiarity Of chieh so
eidl equality Is the principal basis; thus provok-
Ing sort Of reprisal Of animadversion against
opinions and practices which, in themselves, have
nothing In common with worldly ambition. II /
ssek solution Of this most perple1ing combina-
ton OF the duties Of the priesf, speaking both IN
the name Of Heaven, and as the paid officer of
he State, shall find II (at least in my own opin.
ion) only In country where religious sentiment
!, more general than in France; where the minis
tiers Of The gospel receiye more respect; where all
sscts Zee IN peace where their rites and cereno-
Hies inspire no alarm; but where they are total
strangers to the civil government, and where re-.
lgous societios, freely formed have ministers of
their own CHOICE (-<sFe -
And what, sir, was the Chrssanity he here com.
mends TO Frances Was II that misnamed Chris
tanity which knows not the name Of equality a
Christianity monopolized In close corporation and
despotically organized In the interest Of the most
Unsuitable avarics and worldly ambition Of the
few against the manyf Or was Il tho expansive
Protestant Christianity ofthe United States found
cd truly on the primitive basis OF soiid equality,
and Of whose benevolent effects he had had such
recent experience in his intercourse with Wash.
MI tAPSffchSt WHiCut hS nc bhiu W thI
venerable DR.. Vanpelt, "opened his eyes, not only
70 the inherent bigotry ofthat system of religion in
which he was educated, but TO the contrasted tole
rance and humanizing influences Of that which
prevailed hereY
IL appears then, that from 1888 TO 1928, a period
Of forty years 10 within few months ut farthest,
(bo II rcmarked,) Of the general date, 1929, (the
date Of that pretended letter Of Lafayette, which
you have quoted from Mr.. Old Line) General La
Gyette maintained, uniformly and consistently,
sentiments Of opposition and course Of action in
accord with them, against the Romish priesthood,
as class dangerous 70 the peace and welfare Of
society. And you, sir, seriously contend that in
1929 be wrote letter In direct and marked contrast
TO the sentiments and action he had ill then man
tanned that he then changed his views Of deter
mined opposition 10 the Papacy, and all Of a sud.
den became It's defender and apologtl
Wen, sir, let us see then how long he remained
q convert TO the harmless and benefcient infiu.
ence Of Romsh priests. Only two years after 500,
that 10 10 say on the Goth Of September, 1881, in
speech before the Chambers, he says, Italy
apircs 10 lis regeneration in full integrity. This Is
the object our armies sought to accomplish, and
they successfully accomplishments The formation Of
the Cisalpine republic and subsequently OF the
kingdom Of Italy was Us result.
Behold the success with which we abolished the
n