The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-01-30

impioas the principle thatt lawful murder destroy
@ any WIS., lare any person Shsoesss 'o y Inss sas
God that believe ~ iissf Wejaa aAord ttck
coior Aos doas either fer The good Of As eANgoA Or -
obedience 10 aug seoestRstieai psuey chatsoerer.
Us We further declare tsa We hold IL as uaohrtan and
mpious ID principle that no faith kept with here
tics This doctrine detes and fepro5ae, not only ss
e9rr'y y eur tssioa, "a, = ~ n tis
that Doth made any person not Of the Catholic religion
Is equally binsng were made 70 any Catholic what
ga We have been charged with holding article Of
our belief that the Pcpe With or without general council
that ecclesiastical powers aoqat absove
before God from oaths Of allegiance, or even from The
just oaths or contracts entered into between and
Now we utterly renounce abjare aud deny that hold
maintain aeh belief being contrary to the peace
and happiness Of society with morality and
above all, rspHgaat 1s pirit Of ne Catholic re
g.oa.h
Here then Is another clear, explicit dsavowal the
part OF Pope and his cardinals OF the doctrine imputed
to the church. and another fall and complete response 70
the challenge Of the gentleman from Massachusetts,.
Mr. Chairman the Roman Catholic Church neither holds
inenlcates doctrine of power In its head 10 interfere
In the affairs Of temporal governments 10 disturb the
arch release the subject II has held any such
doctrine Ii never has taught that its professors TO
be influenced by its doctrines to combine against the gov
enment and Catholic citizens have been faithful 10 the
government under which they lived those Of any other
denomination Of Christians In this country Mr. Chair
man where BY the nature Of institutions creed is
allowed to be molesed and where, by constitutional pro-
vision, advantage be allowed the professors of
creed account OF that profession how unjust it TO the
public how cruel the of creed create and
keep alive excitement which involves 10 obloquy large
class at citizens invested with every right that any Amer
citizen eim who able by their talents char
acter attanmens and patriotism, to do honor TO the e
zenshp which they not allowed to enjoy. must not
be told that fall the rights Of citizenship open 70 Cath
olies when Office is denied The who asserts that Is
ignorant of the first impulse OF republicansm
venture say, OF the strongest motives OF his action
The right Of suffrage connected with the right OF Of
fee; and the freemans privilege OF voting for the
whom he would elect would be worth the exercise ii il
did not include the right Of presenting himself for votes
for any office whose functions not beyond his faculties
Form class Of citizens sir in this country, with any
disability not imposed upon Others and you create dam
gerous party in the Commonwealth Inequality Of pot-
cal condition only be maintained in republic where
there is inequality OF mind, talents, aud attainment Al
low any class in this country the rights OF education
of wealth. the right Of social equality, Of
suffrage and it viii not be long before that class win de-
mand the boon that freemen seek and denial will be u
n safe.
or of that, in combining TO exclude all
Catholics from Office they do than exercise the
right vote for individuals, which is as clear as the
i right vote for them.
Sir if the opposition and felt abroad, and heard
here, in this ball. means anything more than miserable
i beggary appeal low prejudices with view of holding
office, that Catholics ought 10 be excluded from
all office and If they are because they Catholics incl
gb place then those who assert it bound to change
the constitution, openly violate its provisions. Will
that be done2 viii they have courage to do iti They
must be consistent They forbear to be hon
est--a much difficult effort
VIII that be done and the question of the constitutional
rights settled shall the Catholic Christian hear himself
nsulted he has been than once here with the Of
fensve imputation which have endeavored refue
Shall the heart OF the American Catholics be wounded with
stale revived for party actonuncredited
tales their dshonor Hypothetical charges of concealed
treason which, while it ventures upon specification
dsbs the public mind, awaken sumbering prejudices,
sharpens religious animose and gives occasion Tor the
mean the ignorant and the vulgar ambitious TO rise into
power by the combination of their class with those
who, falling in other combinations hide their disgrace and
avenge ter former defeat by such associations as make
miuortes contemplate In themselves and render MAORI
ties dangerous TO the republics
fairly and fully met the accusations made by the honorable
gentleman from Massachusetts, against the church of which
am member Step after step be rereaed, until he had
planted himself the Bishop Of Rome; and there he cha
enged the citation of single dsavowa the part of the
Pont that he claimed temporal power the subjects
other governments. Step By step have followed him, and
concluded the array OF disavowals by
this committee OF explicit denial the part of the Pope
that any such authority or right claimed by the church
or by hlm.
Mr.. Chairman to the warnings expressed here and the
nervous apprehensons expressed abroad that the preva
enec Of the Catholic religion will be dangerous the
country have only say that of this country in
danger from Catholicity Episcopacy Cavinism, Luz
theranism other OF Christianity Sir Christian
i in any form is better than lndeity and Atheism. And
theis now u work. as IT ever has been busy against
the Christian faith aud Christian prohibitions Ii assa
the Roman Catholic first because that creed is extern
sive and without considering the evil which each doing
to religion Christian yielding themselves
sctousy coworkers with ndeiy by their active hostility
TO each other.
Mr. Chairman if this country fall by any other means
tanity, not the Christianity of Geneva, Rome Scotland
or England that will produce the ruin The mischief win
be wrought by infdety-sappug first the confidence Of
the people in each other undermining the foundations of
Christian charity breaking the bonds Of social life relax
ing the ties of moral obligations setting creeds in hostile
attitudes till there s nothing left for hostility, and bring
ing down the whole scheme of domestic social and po
cal life TO the plans and ends OF socialists and atheists
who laugh at the existence of God and seek their tr-
umphs in the obteraon OF the doctrines and teachings
| of Christ.
Mr.. Chairman have forborne to-day all retaliaory inn
putaons all irritating comparisons and confined myself
TO reutaton OF charge made against OF the Roman
Catholic creed have sought this contest but for
sake of honor of truth of myself and my eo-regions
for the sake OF the institutions and the constitution
country could not decline it. ! have evaded point
nor attempted to darken counsel have the charge
fairly, candidly, and t~uthnlly. have dealt in street
rumors have conided 10 idle gossip. have adduced
no testimony not OF my knowledge, from those who
authorized to speak the question ISSUE and with
reference thereto, with hand upon my heart and
eye Heaven, cali this House, and CT speak with
erence call God witness the truth Of all The
tons made from my convictions and knowledge, and
my entire confidence in the crediby Of all the testimony
which have adduced from Others.
NoTEThe object OF this speech being TO defend any
church and its members from the charge holding
nce OF faith, what part OF the Catholic
been deemed appropriate copy the following from Prayer
/ Book in much use among the Catholics
" This (the Popcs) commission regards only the Kingdom
OF Heaven, that the society which Christ
EARTH 10 be fold under shepherd be brought
practice ct virtue and the power of His institutions through
Il