Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-04-26


o. A. BRowssos ON rHr DESTINY OF rHr Usrrxp
STATES. s.-0restcs A. Brownson lectured at New
Orleans few days since. The Creole Of the l4tl
gives the following abstract oftbe concluding por-
ton Of his lecture;
He aiirms the majority has no right to rule
Who, then, is TO be the arbiter In political mat
terss What agency Is 70 direct the action Of the
State, and stay the movement Of the individual
Religion, What religion The Catholic religion
the Church.
For, said the speaker, Professionalism cannot do
IL. II Is the creature Of the State, or Of the indi
yidual. III It be arcgon Of the State IL Is is as
sistant performs its commands, allies itself with
power 20 oppress and crush the individual. If il
be not recognised by the State ia the creature of
public opinion, and changes with the popular
breath. It s the creature Of man, and is changed
whenever II suits his convenience In most parish
es IL Is the expression Of few wealthy men and
old spnsters who grind out Of their ministers, as
from hand-organ, tunes 70 suit their tastes
If he refuse, he Is bid TO 60 and another II call
ed but there IL rarely independence Of this kind,
for all have families and would stand all day idle
in the market places, with one 10 employ them.
He had been Protestant minister, and spoke
from personal experience. Professionalism cannot
speak with the voice of authority. IL comes from
below up, instead Of ofdescending from above. The
Catholic religion, universally adopted and believed,
IL, then, necessary TO the accomplishment Of the
mission ofthe United States a't
IL must become the arbiter between the State
and the subject. IL must guard the man by inter
posing its flaming sword as a defence. II must
construe constitutions and expound laws, deciding
where Is the limit OF centralized power, and what
is Its absolute duty to perform. Est
For the individual II must decide what is the
higher law" giving license TO obey one civil re
qurement or declaring II snunot 10 resist another
To learn the bearing Of all this We need only ask
Who constitutes the church that Mr.. Brownson
clothes with such power The clergy. And
above them, 10 whom they are subject, stands the
Pope, claiming allegiance, and debating their con-
duct
The lecture Of DR.. Browuson is, therefore, q
clear, bold, and specific snnunciation Of the right
Of the Pope to exercise political power--particu-
larry In this country, which is emphaticsy chosen
in these latter days TO fulfil mission which the
effete nations Of Europe have been unworthy 70
perform.
We admire the boldncss with which the annun-
citation is made coupled as i was with the assur'
| snce that the time was not far distant when the
cross would line streets and the vesper bell be
| heard from all our valleys and bill tops.
1 We ask our Creole Catholics " this Ia their idea
| Of the power and province of the Church
Il there an American 80 blind as not to see that
this mission" Ia to bind continent now free,
in the bonds ofa spiritual and civil despotisms
1 The denial Of Mr.. Chandler IN Washington OF
| the claim Of the Church TO temporal power Is re
| pudisted by Or. Brownson in New Orleans.