The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-08-15
Relations of the Pope to the Civil
Power, Letter from o. A. Brown

son.
o. A. BRowNsoN is high Roman
Catholic authority. He is, indeed, the
mouth. piece of the Church, in this coun-
try,spcaking by official appointment. He
has lately written a Letter upon the
Temporal Power Of the Pope of Rome
and of the Church, which enunciates sen.
timcnts that should startle every Amor.
iran We quote some important pas
sagcs, which are deserving of serious at.
tenton -
Thus far, all Catholics. whether the So
called ultra Montancs, or tho so.called
Gallicaus, are agreed The dispute lies
not here. All agree that the State is
supreme and Independent ip its own of.
der-that is TO say, in the temporal or
der. But what | maintain is, that the
temporal order is not supreme aud indie
pendent, but, in the very nature of things,
subordinate to tho spiritual, since the
end of man--the end for which God
made him, directs and governs him, by
bia providenre-lios in the spiritual, not
in the temporal. Every man who be.
lcves any religion at all whether Catho-
lie or non Catholic, does, and must ad.
nit this for it is only saying that we
must obey God rather than man, and
live for the Creator rather than the crea-
turo. This promised, think can
state to you, in few words, the doctrine
do really hold.
lnasmuch as the temporal order is
subotdnated to the spiritual, it follows
IL Al, =. l..
ticc. consequently the prince holds his
powers as u trust, not as an indceeasible
right.and therefore foifeits them when lie
abuses them, aud loses his right to reign
This is the common doctrine held hy all
of US Americans aud all Catholic doctors
teach and always have taught it. 1t lies
at the foundation of all true liberty and
is the only doctrine that ever can justify
resistance to the temporal powers. This
right of resistance of power. when il be.
comes tyranncal and oppressive take
it for granted is held 10y every American.
But here is difficulty. The Church,
following the Holy Scriptures, makes
civil allegiance religious duty, aud says
with St. Paul, Romans viii, l-2: let
every soul be subject to the higher pow
crs. for there is no power but from G d.
Therefore, he that rcsisteih the power re-
sistcth the ordinance Of God, and they
that resist purchase Gannatiou to them.
selves" Here you see ! am forbidden
by the law of God to resist tho power,
and commanded, on Peril of damna,ion
to obey. Here is fny conscience bound
to obedience, and my conscience as a
Catholic can be released Only by de-
clorntion of my Church. as the divinoH
appointed director Of conscience. that
the prince of tyranny and oppression has
forfeited his right fallen from bis dignity
and ceased to reign. Es-- What |
claim for the Pope. as visible head of
the Church, is the power to release my
conscience from this religious bond, and
to place me at liberty to resist the prince
become tyrant. This is all under
stand by the deposipg power -E1
The power itself. every body not ty.
rant or a slave, asserts. The American
Congress of l776 asserted it, and dcpos-
cd George Ill The only difference is,
some give it to the people, some to the
/ iDui'luuH anu CidIHI ~ luT 'Hc tuuICl,
and the Pope as head of the Church.
The Pope does not in this exercise
civil power or jurisdiction, and it is call
ed his temporal power only because it is
n power exercised over temporal sover.
cigns, or in relation to the obligation of
the subject to obey the prince. But even
here the Popo does not relieve from civil
allegiance. for that the prince had for
feitcd by his tyranny lie releases the
subject only from the spiritual or rcli,
gious obligation, supcradded by Chris.
fianity to the civil, and this only in case
Of the Catholics conscience.
THE Pope as the proper authority to
decide for me uhether The Constitution
ofMis country rs o, is not repusnant
10 The lars of God. If he decides that
it is not as he has decided, then l am
bound in conscience to obey every law
made in accordance with IT; aud under no
circumstances can lie absolve me from
my obligation to obey or interfere with
the administration of government under
II, for the civil government is free to do
according to its constitution whatever il
IIV"sVe, 'hat 10 NV icIuBntnt to tuc laws
of God or to national Justice. That it is
FREQ to do more than that presume no
man in this country will pretend.
have made these remarks to aid you
to understand the doctrine Of the arti-
cles to which / have called your atten.
tion.
You are stranger 10 me, but l take
you TO be a scrious-minded man, and a
iovor of truth and justice as such have
addressed you. have no doctrines or
opinions that wish to conceal. anna
Catholic As such aim to be truo to
my God, and to my fellow mon.
| have the honor to be your obedicnt
servant.
o. A BRowNsoS.
iUGH G. DAVIS, Esq, Warrenton, NC
A VOICE FROM TIE PREsIDENTs-A-
gainst the inSidious wilcs Of Foreign IN
fence, conjure you to believe me, fel-