Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-08-30
Views of Catholic Bishop on the In.
fuence of our For sign Population

Views of Catholic Bishop on the In.
fuence of our For sign Population.
We have had placed on our table for re.
view, a beautiful copy of the Miscellanea o
BISHOP SPALDING of Louisville, but have no
: yet had time t. read it. 1t consists Of lee
lures and essays on historical and theological
subjects, and is distinguished, as VIC infer from
an occasional DIP, by elegant composition and
extensive learning In glsncing over the In
troductory Address, we met with some passa-
ges bearing on the most interesting topic OF
the day, and containing so much trish and
bishop,) that we cannot forbear presenting
them to our readers.
What is said of the conservative influence
Of the Catholic clergy is also true, as far as
We know, of the ministry of the Episcopal
church. While the Methodist and presbyte-
rian clergymen have in so many instances
degraded their soly calling by making them
selves busy at elections. happy . be
able TO zlate' thsf ths Priesthood of the Pro-
testant Episcopal Church Of America have
kept their robes unstained by the dust of the
political Arena.
We referred, few days since, to the census
to show the numerical inferiority of our cathO-
lie population. not being more than million
and half, when BY natural increase it ought
| tA lxo - laoef toY,r ,.ill;op
The same fact may be shsvn by contrast
ing the progress Of Catholicism with that of
other denominations.
Maryland, the fut State whore the Roman
Catholic Church gained a footing, now con-
tsins eight hundred and seven Protestant
churches, and only sixty-fve Catholic con-
gregations. In Florida the Catholics early
made settlement Now there are Que hun
dred and seventy Protestant and only FIVE
Catholic churches Louisiana was settled by
the Catholics, who now have ffty-ive church
es in the State, while the Protestants have
two hundred and forty-seven congregations.
In Texas, the Catholics were the first sect in
point of time; they now have thirteen church
es, but the Protestanis report three hundred
and seven societies in the State. The num-
ber of Episcopal, Lutheran, and Roman
Catholic churches are very nearly the same
throughout the country, but each of these
denominations have about oss-clevsnth of the
number of the Methodists, scarcely one-eiglth
that of the Baptists, and not rse,fovth that
of the Presbyterians
"But Catholics, especially those of foreign
BIRTH vote together and vote for particular poll
teal party: the liberties of our country there
fore endangered from this constantly augment
ing foreign influence. This charge Is ground
less both in its facts and its inferences. In the
first place, our native born Catholics have been
heretofore divided; almost equally between the
two leading political parties of the country; in
the second place though the large majority Of the
Catholics Of foreign birth have been In the habit
of voting with the Democrats, yet they have
I been far from unanimous the subject; in the
third place, the number of Catholics in this
country is now, and is likely 20 continue to be,
much TOO insignificant to rule the country in one
way or another, either for good or for evil
/ 'Thc following candid and sensible remarks
from the Boston Post, political print of sorse
standing, contains so much sound reasoning on
! this subject, based upon facts tending TO snow
the glariug absurdity of the charge that foreign
ers are taking the country that we will be par
doned for republshing them entire:
'it is said that We shall be oFerrun with for
eigners; that they will rise upon native citizens
and overpower them; that Catholicism will pre-
vail and deprive America Of its liberties. These
assertions have been reiterated 50 often that
thousands really fear such. results. Take the
former apprehension, and let facts, 50 far they
bear on the question of physical force. say how
groundless that fear Is. In the first place, for
the whole time we have been a nation, it IL q
fact that no such attempt has been made; and
If it ever should be made, such Is the admirable
working of our institutions. that the rule of a
mob is utterly out of the question. Permanent
success, even where the foreign population out
weighs the native population, Is an impossibiii-
ty; for the whole force of the country would at
once be invoked to suppress such a rule. In
the next place. consider the utter folly, want of
foresight, aud suicidal policy of such an attempt.
, if il should ever be made. Of our now thirty
millions OF population, one million (the number
is probably greater; but this does affect the
argument) only are from Ireland: of the thirty
eight thousand churches that the census of 1850
shows as being in the country, the Catholic are
set down at one thousand two hundred and
twenty-one; aud of the eighty-seven millions
of church property, the Catholics have nine
millions. Now, cannot this immense prepon-
derance of Projestantism and of Amerlcanism
take care of itself? Is it not perfectly prepos-
ferrous to suppose for a moment that the Irish
Catholics will ever attempt TO rise, the phrase
is, with such an enormous disparity against
, then2 1t is due, 1t is but bare Justice, to our
foreign population 10 say, that not only has
there been no attempt at rising. but their con-
I, duct-save only in cases when heated by liquor
) or otherwise excited-has been almost invariably
? that of peaceable citizens, submissive to the
ldws. They haze right to have such a certi-
ficae as to the past TO stand in their favor; and
when We consider their position among us, We
believe there is no more danger of their rising
than there is of the falling OF the stars
: Much has been said and written of late years
, about the foreign vote. Both parties, on the
eve of elections, have been in the habit of court
ing foreigners who have Tins against their
: own choice and will, been singled out from the
rest of the community, and placed in false and
odious position, by political demagogues for
: their own vile purposes. That they have been
thus severed from their fellow citizens, and IN
suited with the compliment Of their influence
:. as separate body, has not been 30 much their
fault, as il has been their misfortune. From the
: successful party they have generally received
!. with afew honorable exceptIons-little but cold
ness after the election; while from the party de-
feated. they have invariably received nothing
but abuse and calumny. So they have been
g without their own agency, placed between tive
fires, and have been caressed and outraged by
turns. Any appeal made to them by politicians
in their character of religionists or foreigners
and not in that of American citizens, is mani
festly an insult, whether so intended or not; anC
= we trust that Catholics will always view sucl
) appeals in this light. Whenever it is question
: of State policy, they can have no interests diff
= ferent from those of their fellow citizens. Tn,
y laws which will be good for the latter, will b.
e good for them; at least they can live under any
r system Of equal legislation which will suit th'
e Protestant majority, with whom they cheerful,
t share all the burdens of the country.
The Catholic bishops and clergy Of the coua
r try have disereetly stood aloof, and wisely ab
! stained from exercising any influence IN the ex
: citing political contests which have successivel,
y arisen. We ourselves, though TO the mano
IS born, have never even voted on political quss
s tion. and hcliorn n,nst o,r hrl,t he