Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-05-04
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CATHOLIC ALLEGIANCE,


Mcssrs. Eii.nrg-As there sro,ns 10 be misun-
dcrstsrGas a4 regards the allegiance due tho Pope
By tGthoch oi this country, ihiIa il can bc rusIiy
corrected by comparing spiritual and temporal ch-
CATIONS with the Obligations which bind Us 10 the
Fedora! Government and 10 the particular State OF
which We are citizens.
':!.r allegiance we owc Ia the Union cannot con
Tic; with Hal duo Ia the Sta" because the sphere Of
federal power is different from ;!e sphere Of State nu-
t!lnrity. Tie federal power declare war, max"
treaties regulate commerce. Sc The STATE hn" -
such power In such matters my allegiance tue To
the federal government. But rs H." 7:H.c has the
pnwer 10 regulate lis domestic ,"""er.s, :.'n bound
10 obey the laws "f III" >;u:c n such matters.
The subject icc. npan which the tw" powers aci
being din iu uh.Lirmca duo tc ;l:o OIL" caunUl
,oy.l;, with uur DEFY to he G"e:, ana III spiritual nj
ni:S nc;tiicr HE Fedora. Government CnG the Stat"
II Virginia l::.I rny authority - establish, by law.
any r,,i,i' consequently am Tree IL adopt any
l,;,ou prGs".
The subject "fr"giun Is no; within ,hc phcrc al ci
vii power, hence ;i, spiritual uyiSdIc1E - which
submit myself i'll spiritual nna:J .i.a uY 10 means
conflict with nr "hetce En the civil ah:horitics, Ia
which ! ~" IA! .lsblc only in civil inacrs. II has
MS t,2r .a:.!. !har the Pnpo has The power 10 al
solve and dispense w!ih The ne.aiin>is of oas.--
Upon this subject need "ny call the attention III
every candid and reasonable man In the ,'iowin..--
This sub cct attracted the attecn :, nc British Gov
crnincnt, pcdln9 the d,",-oi. Of Catholic cmanci-
patton; and TO- t'.e purpose at obtaining authoritative
information, Mr. PIT, ii lS., pr"poundcd the follow
iug queries, Ia the principal Catholic uniYcrs!lcS ui
France md Spain:
lsr. Has the Pope OF Ceg ,ais o. any holy oi
mc,r or any Individual OF the Church ui Rome, any
civil nu.hGii,y, power, Jurisdiction or prr-erninrnce
, .9n.; scrvrr w.,lI;n The rculn.. Of England!
3D. Can the Pope or Cardinals oruUy hnLy nf men,
or any ndividaaot the Church "t kcnc, nheoive Or
dispense his maiCs'y Eaniag;o rom their oath ale
glance under any prct"at whatever!
The EacGlT Of Divinity of the University oi Paris
answered as follows:
lat. Neither the Pope nor the Cardinals, nor anY
other person o: lie Church al R0Er hath any civil
power, nor civil jurisdiction, nor nu'h"fIy, nor pre-
eniucncc whatsoever, in ANY iagduIn--couscQucntly
none in Ensiand-hy reason or virtue of any nuiho-
rity. power: Gr pre-enncHcc OF Divine institution.
Inherent in or granted by any other belong
ing to the Church OF Rome or thn Pope
I'd Nor can the Pope o. ,lGv'l;;ials. nor any body
Of mcn nor G.,y ne-go.! of the Church of Rome BY
y;;;.e o. TIE cyS atsolyc rccasc the subiacis of
.ha Sing OF England from their n:;i OF alrgiuncc
The Univ yrars Of l4t;Inay, i."nvnnI, Salamanca,
and NGl!cdolit. Iciaarred with the French Umivcr-
atty.
In 1885, the Catholic Bishops Of Great Britain mado
the following declaration:
"No power in any Pope or Council, o. in any ind;-
vdual or body OF men, invested with authority in the
Catholic Church, can make il lawful for Catholic to
confirm any fs!aehn0d hy oath, dispense with til
oath, hy which Catholic lls confirmed his nll"G
to his sovereign, or ny obligation Of duty TO T.
third person"
might add more testimony, but .,cem This suli-
cien for the cause OF al oppressed people. We know
Catholics peri!rd their lives and fortunes in the cause
of freedom No Catholic has preached scditou from
the pulpit. No Catholic clergyman was an"ng .h:
3,GNG who demonstrated against the passage Of the
Nebraska bill
As there hus been 10 di .u.t,o.. nadc by our Con-
stitution between CG...i., and other denominations
there shorIa, 20 none. We should remember that
the i:.aat Catholic settlement Of Maryland in lbi9
fist proclaimed TO the world religious olcrati"H: ard
there it WINS first established by law. Celaicism was
ever the friend of civil lib"rY Of Whit faith was
William Ten Whnt m..DcTt Bruce! What Marco
Bozzaris! VIA. William Wallace! For fourteen
hrrf,, years pcrchcd high above the clouds OF the
Annanint.,, the little Republic Of san Mari"o. found
cd by n Catholic Monk, and ponUGtei exclusively by
Catholics, Ind continued 10 live, and lived yet, a
monument air It as Old as the Church ITSELF oil her
comnp.ilility with the most ultra Democracy
LioYps, Va, May lst. "A fkolEslAA'.