The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-06-14
RICHMOND PALLADIUM.
The Supremacy of the Pope.

The Supremacy of the Pope.
Our soc nix neighbor has recently become
very Jealous in defence of foreigners, and Ro-
maj, Catlolics in particular. This is all right.
When a man swears 'by the Virgin Mary"
and particularly since so many hundred years
has determined the truth Of the immaculate
conception,'' he should fulfil his oath. Hi S
hot zeal should be rewarded. and we expect
TO see our neighbor with his head shaved. and
dressed in the black robe of Dominican friar.
But does the Pope claim supremacy over all
his adherents, wherever located? That he
does, is fact SO well settled in the minds Of
all ,ntelliqsnf men, that it seems superfluous
to attempt 10 prove it. But for the benefit of
our neighbor, who is DESTROYS Of distinguish
ing himself in defence Of the "naother church."
we will cali his attention to a few facts in re-
gard TO il.
Il, is claimed by the Catholic, that the Ro-
man Catholic is the only true cAurchk-that
tie Pope is the head Of this church. and as
such he is the holy representative Of God on
earth. His spiritual power is acknowledged
By the fact that he is the source Of all church
goyernment--that the higher order Of chIrch
officers receive their commissions directly from
him, and that he can revoke them at pleasure
In short. no one pretends to deny his spirit
nal poacer in this and all other countries wher-
ever Catholic may be found
Afew years since the Pope Plus TX found
his immediate subjects little clamorous for
cha Of A 6
Of free thought, and free speech. got among
them. and to pacify them. lie made some hol.
low-hearted professions, and appealed to them
to sustain him. In proclamation issued on
the 10th Of February. l848. he says:
We the head and sovereign OF the Most
Holy Catholic religion should we not hare in
or defence, if we were unjustlE attacked. in
numerah sons who would defend the centre
of the Clthoiic unity like the house of their
fathers? 1t is indeed true that scarce 3. O0O,-
600 Of our subjects have 100000, 600 in every
nation and Of every tongue. This. was in
more dangerous times, the safeguard Of Rome.
II is for this the ruin of Italy WAS never COM
plete. THIS wiH be her defence SO long as the
Apostolic See shall reside in her centre
In another ecclesiastical letter, of later
date. the Pope says:
The spiritual power could not be separa-
ted, nor do without the temporal dominion. it
being necessary to keep them united in order
to maintain the splendor and grandeur Of the
Catholic Church.
When he had been driven from his throne,
and republic proclaimed. he appealed ito
oil Catholics upon the earth to re-establish
him in power. How would it comport with
the consistency of an American, either by
armed or moral power, to attempt to re estab
lish despotism against republic such as the
people Of Italy had proclaimed. Yet everys
Roman Catholic in this land was in favor of
the restoration of the Pope. Were they not?
He said il was essential 'to maintain the splen-
dorand grandeur Of the Catholic Church. -
His word is the law to them--what he thinks
they believe---what he bids, they would like
TO do. The Church is an unit, tie world
over. Every effort that human reason can de-
wise. and untold wealth execute, is devised
and done TO spread its influence. Among the
earliest emgrants to this country. were Ro-
man Catholic missionaries. What did these
come for? Was it to establish free govern
ment. 10 be sustained by free thought free
speech and free press? Or, was it not to
establish here the Church of Rome as the re-
ligion of the country. and finally to unite.
Church and State? Who so foolish as to be-
lieye that if the Catholics had the power. they
would not place the Pope above the highest
political and civil power in this country This
claim Of supremacy is the dstn gushing fea-
ture Of the Roman Catholic and the natural
sequence Of their religion. If the Pope is the
Holy Representative of God-if he is inspired
OF God, and rules and governs his people by
COD 5 uIctauon, who so we'll as he is qualified
to rule people. If we were Catholic, we
would. as they do. feel that the Pope was
higher than any earthly power-next to God
himself and believing thus. we would labor to
extend his temporal AS well as his spiritual in
iuence and power. 1t is this spirit of suprem
acv which has disturbed the peace and drench-
ed almost the world in blood. 1t was this
same spirit that quenched the flame of liberty
in Italy, and everywhere else where it pos
seSsed the power. 1t is this same spirit Of
supremacy which is now sending an army of
100000 strong to this country every year
dividing country into ecclesiss,ic districts.
under the direction of foreign civil power
the King of Italy. the Pope of Rome-who
rules more than 600 900 of his subjects now
in this country They submit with religious
devotion. This is the result of their eduea-
ton. They may be excused. But what can
be said of the man who claims to be an Amer
lean. and who defend this Roman Catholic re-
hgion--the burning of the Protestant bible
the denunciation of our free common schools
the freedom of the press-oI free thought.