Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-10
FROM the Baltimore Clipper.
Abolition Of Monastic Establishmen,


In Spain and Sardinia the governments have dc
creed the abolition OF monastares and the sales
Of estates belonging to the church. They seen
to consider it impoltic and unjust to permit SCI
Of idle men, who contribute nothing to the pro
ductive industry ofthe country to accumulate large
estates to be used for actious corrupt purposes
and therefore these two Catholic governments have
resolved to adopt radical remedy for the evil
by applying such property to the necessities of the
State, and to purposes of public benefit These
acts have excited the indignation of the Pope Of
Rome who has demonstrated against them in
strong terms; and would, were he possessed oil
the power Of some of his predecessors, visit both
Spain and Sardinia with the scourge of an inter
Dict and thus destroy the ties of civil society,"
But he is shorn of his power by the enlightenment
of mankind, and can now only sood where Others
brought offenders on their knees for pardon. Men
of every country are becoming too intelligent to
be longer humbugged by the pretensions of one
man to universal spiritual and temporal authority
and, even in Rome, were not public sentiment kept
down by foreign bayonets, the temporal power OF
the Pope would be tramped under foot, and the
example of Spain and Sardinia would be followed
Indeed we look for such results at no very distant
day. II is impossible that the human mind can
much longer remain in darkness whilst light is
shining all around. The Italians will yet have
their day when despotism will be overthrown and
freedom be established.
But, whilst the Pope of Rome is losing his tenn.
poral power in Europe, and his priesthood is be-
ing reduced within more reasonable limits, he is
seeking to augment his authority elsewhere--and
in the United States particularly. II was with this
view that he sent Bedni as a special agent to our
government; but the antecedents of the man
were such that it with difficulty he could make
his escape fom some Of his enraged countrymen,
and his mission failed. 1t is with this view that
the number Of archbishops and bishops is multi
piled here and that foreigners are advanced TO
these stations in preference to native Americans.
1t is with the same object that these foreign
bishops are instructed to procure the titles to all
church property, and to hold it subject alone to
the authority of Rome-and it was for this pur-
pose that n simultaneous effort was essayed in va
rious States TO destroy public schools. 1t was
flncied that the order had obtained foothold
sufficiently strong to enable them to carry out
their measures. They thought that they could
break up our public schools and Danish the Protes-
tant Biblc-and thus, by having the rising genera
ton prepare them for submission to the emissaries
of Rome, who are ever ready to improve all such
occasions to enslave and debase the people. But
they miscalculated their strength, and erred in
their Judgment of tho American people. The
blow which they attempted to strike against public
liberty, has recoilcd upon themselves
A free press could not be intimidated or bribed,
aud spoke out boldly and public sentiment rallied
in vndication of our free institutions and the pub
lie school system--and new, instead of having
augmented the power Of Rome by their assaults,
the priestly agents of that power find themselves
exposed TO "a fire in the rear" which threatens
to send them back bootless TO their employer Jes-
uitism can no longer worm itself into the conf
dence OF the American people, nor sap secretly
the foundations of our government. The Amer-
can people are thoroughly aroused as to the de-
signs Of Rome and henceforth those who owe
civil allegiance TO the Pope, win be looked upon
enemies, and be universally distrusted. And that
this course viii be iusti6able cannot be denied,
since It appears that even in the countries which
have heretofore been most devoted to the interests
of Rome, it has been found necessary for the pub
lie safety, that the priesty order shall be stripped
of its ilgotten wealth and power, and reduced to
harmless condition. We may attain by precau-
tionary measures what force has been employed to
obtain In other countries.