The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-05-16
Religious federation.


b. The Nashville Union, one of the ablest
Democratic Journals Of the country, in an
article upon religious freedom uses the fol-
lowing impressive and eloquent language,
which we commend to the candid considera-
tion of our readers:
ain tines OF ignorance and blindness
(the Know NOTHING times of the dark ages,
for example) it &as an easy matter for the
few, who monopolzed learning and knowl-
edge, to enslave the conscience and faith of
the masses. Ignorance is always credu-
lous apd superstitous But these times are
passing away. Their victims have fled to
these shores and built up government OF
Regulated Liberty, that has become the
hope of the world. They still come here
by thousands. Many Of them, doubtless,
may mistake the nature of our institutions.
But have we no confidence in our forms of
education; in the power of our liberal prn-
ciples; in the superior light of OUT truly Pro-
testant Churches and Philanthropic organi-
zations, that we must crush the powerless,
and victimize the already victims of priestly
dcspotism; For ourselves we should be
ashamed of our Professionalism with such a
thought. What! sending missionaries and
expending millions tc convert the "Poor
Catholics Of Spain, Italy and France, and
when Providence invites them to our doors,
and where no government can prescribe US
in the spread of our divine faith, interpose
barriers and seek to drive back the very
hearts we pay, pray and preach to open!-
Can q Catholic be converted in Catholic
country? If not, Protestant Missionary So
cieties are hypocritical nuisance. And if
they can, under every disadvantage, in the
name of honesty, cannot the work 90 on
better in free country and at our own
doors. Shame! Shame on our hypocriti-
cal pretentions, while calling on the peo'
pie to give us thousands to convert "poor
Catholics abroad, while we are striving al
home to disfranchise them and prevent their
coming to our affairs of Liberty and Relig-
ion!
Rather, every humane heart would say
Let them come, in the misery of their most
miserable condition! Let them breathe the
air of Liberal Principles and feel the i'm.
pulses of men! Let the privileges of our
own free institutions invite them to the du-
ties end responsibilities of Freemen! They
will correct their superstitious idolatry and
learn to loathe the decaying despotisms, from
which they have fled, for bread and breath,
into our heaevn-favored land! Their chill
dren, if not themselves, will grow up Amer
icanized, and add strength and beauty to the
fair fabric of government and progress that
dignifes our land! They have human hearts.
and will learn to love and honor human
kindness, and the nobIest privileges of their
kind!
But make them enemies--enemies in our
bosom,-for no power under Heaven can
winds and waves of the Atlantic--deprive
them of their rights as men; prescribe them
for their inherited religion; and you turn
their powers of progress and elevation into
powers of hatred, snimosity and self defense
you nourish the fendish hate of an ever in.
creasing enemy, whose power is swelled by
annual thousands; you deaden the hearts o.
hopeful freemen to the manor born; and the
very evils you would prevent, are upon you
with ten-fold power. You make them for.
cgners indeed, with no possible change o.
hcart--not foreign enemy, with the ocear
between the seat OF enmity and device
against you, but an enemy in the very vitali
Of the Republic and made deadly by the un
natural wrongs we will have heaped upol
them! Can any truly American heart fai
70 see the fatal policy that this manifes
distinction reveals!
Would we be free ourselves, we must trea
our equals as ireemeDI Would we perpe
trate our institutions we must preserve thei
spirit and purpose. Would we not be cor
demned for opinions sake, let US be carefr
not to trespass upon the religious opinions c
Others, Ard ii we believe that our religio
is true, and the security of truth, what nee
we but fair field for it's operation, and VIII;
should we desire more, than its contact wit
the minds of those we desire to conver
where none dare hinder OF make US afrai(
Let noble hearted and liberty loving Amer
cans pause ere they take the step that a
tempts to place the heel Of oppression VI
on the neck Of millions, who. though Of 70
,sign birth, have shown love of freedom !
leaving their homes and seeking refuge ar
liberty upon our shores. Deception may
turned into hatred, Suferings, forsaken |
homs. end contiaued in the name Of Libe
ty in the land of their adoption. may naou
into cursss. Let it never be said that .
tive Americans, the bipsa Of whese fathe
consecrates the sltars Of Religious Ere