The true Democrat., 1855-07-24
The Catholic Test.


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 The Catholic Test.
 This is a sore point to the Know Nothings of the south. In another column will be found the strictures of the Delta, upon Capt. Pikes course in regard to the Catholic test, and his reply.
 It will be seen that Capt. Pike bitterly be- walls the introduction of this test into the Know Nothing ritual, but that he intends to swallow it all However bitter the pill, he is determin- ed to "grin and bear it." He admits that it is wrong-unjust to portion of our people, and says that in the National Council, he "heard or- gnets and appeals Here that seemed to hima better fitted to De addressed to co,ave,aticle of Scotch Presbyter1ans, looking upon tue Pope as anti- Christ, Hian to an assembly cf American gentle
 en, met to discuss matters o political co7asiaera- ion only."
 And yet notwithstanding these arguments and appeals, '.ft only tor conventicle cf Scotch Presbyterians," and not for "an assembly ot American gentlemen" were heard, considered and granted, and the intolerant Catholic test adopted he is determined to adhere to the or der. This is spirit of subserviency to which, we venture, the American mind is a stranger.
 And again Capt. Pike says, "Aat Ae had tore- seen that aohat aoas at first opposition to the ed temporal posoer cfe church of Rome aoosM de- generate into Hostility to tue CatAozc CurcA, cs c church, and become religious quarrel."
 And so it is, as Capt Pike admits; the whole controversy has degenerated, as itwas we'll call culated to do, into religious quarrel-an at tempt to prescribe portion of our fellow citi- zens for their religious beef-an attempt to de- ny to American gentlemen THE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE. It took. no prophet to foresee such result-a result that even Know Moth ngs themselves will bitterly bitterly lament
 He says that he intends yet to strive for the rejection of this religious test from the order But what grounds he has to hope for success we cannot divine. He has once tried, he says and failed. What more propitous moment will he ever have? The council me- at Phila- delphia for the avowed purpose of making a platform. They deliberated long time-then was the moment. Why did he then fail? We will answer him in his own worlds he failed be- cause the objects of the order had "degenerated into c religious qua1rel" No better cause could be assigned for his failure, and the same cause will operate again when he tries, only with ten fold more force.
 Religious quarrels all history proves, are not to be easily allayed. The power that originated and produced them, is now powerless to quiet and soothe them. Every day adds fuel to the hame-adds bitterness to the controversy.
 No, no, Capt. Pike, you Know Nothings have raised storm in these United States-in this quiet peaceful country, that you yourselves do not possess the power to allay You may we'll pause now and look back upon the effects it has already produced, before you turn to the future Its course has already been marked with blood. What is next to come? Our political contro- versies have degenerated into religious quar- rels," and those quarrels have already been, upon occasions, bloody ones. Is this the end sought to be attained by Know Nottingham? Well may patriots, and the patriotic democratic party, refuse to join in with it-well may they decline the crusade against their fellow country men.
 It is left now to the democratic party, and what remains of the old whig party, to save this Union from the horrors of religious quar- rel" In the democratic creed, we have no bit ter pills to swallow. Democratic principles the constitution-freedom of speech and free dom of conscience, are all pleasant to take. There is no bitter doses to make faces over. There is nothing,in the democratic creed which is not worthy of an American gentleman" and an American patriot
 Let the democratic party then remain true and firm. A great, glorious mission is theirs. It Is for them to rid their country of the hor- TOTS of the religious quarrel' that now threat ems 1t.