The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-04-27
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS

The Penny Post says that in these days
when Roman Catholicism finds such unblush.
ing ard open apologists in this Republican
and Pr .'-stant State, in the press and orators
OF the l. a..ocratic party, it supposes that il
will not be considered fair for Protestant au.
thority to be introduced. For the first time
in the annals of this country, a Protestant
minister IL without weight, when speaking on
the auabforbing theme of the Romish
| Church. But, despite this alarming fact, it
produces . sermon of the Rev. B. Smith, of
the Theological Seminary of Priuce Ed
ward, to show how completely the Catholics
are under the control of priests, who are the
ministers of a tyrannical, intolerant, perse-
cutting and bigoted religion. In another arti-
Gle, 1t gives the answer of Mr.. FlournOy to a
question propounded by Mr.. A. A. Banks, in
| which he declares that he regards the Co.
vington and Ohio railroad as one of the lead
ing lines OF the State and desires its success
as much as that of any other.
The Enquirer quotes the letter of Mr. VIM
Baldwin, who affirms that he positively did
hear MIR. Flournoy denounce slavery at Char
lotfe Court House, in 1876, as the cause of
the degeneraey of the State of Virginia. It
calls On Messrs. Joseph Mayo and Mr.. Gift
ford, who were there, to give their recoIlec-
ton of the matter 1t also has an article on
the sympathy of the London Times with the
Know Nothing party, and says it wants no
better evidence of the Ant. American char
acter OF Know Nothingism. Itsays it
would not be difficult to show that the principles
OF Known othiDgsm, illustrated in the secrecy of
Ito organiz atlon In lie religious Intolerance and In
Its selfish jealousy of foreign immigration, are re.
pugnsnt not only to the institutions Of this country,
but to the essential spirit of republican govern
ment. The American continent was coonized By
people of various races and religions, who I'D
hith.r for security from civil and ecclesiastical
tyranny. The American government is bulwark
OF hberty-liberty of conduct, liberty of speech,
and liberty of conscience Its institutions const.
tute an impres1able guarantee of civil and reli.
glous freedom. Yetthe party which would repel
the exile ofoppression from our shores. and would
break dcwn the safeguards of religious liberty,
claims to be the american party"
The IPhig alludes to the miserable at
tempt made by the Wise party in this can
vass, to convict Mr. Flournoy of unsound
ness ON the slavery question. No man will
believe it, and the base charge can do him
no harm. He has never faltered in his devo-
tion to the interests of his section, and never
will. 1t gives letter from Mr.. Flournoy
upon the subject, of which the following is
an extract:
Our lamented friend Tunstal advocated the
Railroad, and urged as an evidence of the superb.
orfy OF Railroads, their success In many of the
Northern States. l replied to him. and insisted
that the illustration was not applicable to this sec
tlon of country; that the population of the Nor-
thern States free white population; that ours
was comparatively asparse population, and nearly
or quite half of 1t slsvef, and that consequently
the profits to be derived from travel. would bear
no comparison. This idea inferred by the STATIC
tics OF tho different sections OF country. What
language used, am unable to say, after lapse
OF about nine years, having notes of the speech
to refer to, the discussion being off hand and
premeditated. l certainly did not use the Ian.
gusge attributed to me by the correspondent Of the
Enquirer, for never entertained such an opinion