The true Democrat., 1855-09-18
ttO I7 Another Document"

DOlOIC l WOulil COuuCluu d WuOlC CLASS Ol my fellow citizens, among whom are some of the best men in the land, as being unworthy of the conf dence that should be placed in Ame- ricans, and, by so doing doom them to certain degree of nfamy, I would take some time in "huating for proof" Much more would I want proof of their guilt, before 1 took upon myself the fearful responsibility of arousng against them, the passions of the most reckless part of the community, by making all sorts of inflammatory appeals to their prejudices. l must be uery certain that 1 was right before l would do Htat; because, when those passions are once aroused, I cannot control them or tell where they will end; and to do that, without having a good deal to show in my justification, 1 must feel myself very wicked man.
 It will not do to charge living Catholics with antquated practices, which, by being more the attributes of an age than of any particular prin. ciples, have long since ceased to exist; for such charge would not only be unjust and cruel, in almost any country, at the present day, but in these United States the attempt to make the ignorant believe that the Catholics of this country can be guilty of such practices is mon- strous and inhuman; it is especially so because both Catholics and Protestants have been, ill aU other countries, guilty of many of the same unnatural errors, and because the people of the United States, have, ever since they became a people, preserved themselves clear of this foul blotch upon humanity, as they most snlemnly pledged to keep themselves, from the begin ming.
 As have said before, and 1t is doubtless true, that many of the measures of policy now so objected to, that have emanated both from the Church and State governments, should be imputed to the age rather than as being the na- tural consequences of any particular principles and have become gradually obsolete as society changed its condition, or became improved in civilization and ntellgence-oJsozete from the same causes that gives us steam engines in place of wagons, etc., that is, by being in possession of larger amount of facts-from the same cause that makes a man of fifty years observe more prudence and humanity in his conduct than he did at twenty. Any man, tolerably acquainted with the history of the nations of Christendom, must, upon reflection, know this to be so. They may discover the difference ir this respect even between Catholic countries according to the degree of progress in intell gence peculiar to each. He will zee, too, tha aN Cathohc Christendom has, within the las hundred years, dropped prodgious amount of its prosecuting spirit. It is monstrous in justice to squeeze Catholic of eighteen hun dred and fifty into the measure of a Catholic O sirteen hundred and fifty, rule, that if ever Protestanism was tried by, would make it cut very ugly figure; and it is equally unjust tt measuse an American Catholic by Spanis1 standard.
 Some men among us, with the old English prejudces of hundred years ago, are requir. ing that native American Catholics shall talk, an oath of allegiance to hear oaon government Now, if these men (know nothngs) are rgh in their suspicious and charges against Catho lies, Catholics cannot take the oath; but if they are wrong, they can; and in this case would i not be pretty spectacle in these free United States to witness the administration of sucl degrading and insulting tests?
 In Great Britain, at one time, previous, believe, to the year 1793, Catholics were pro scribed from all offices-lor the reason offered for prescribing them here-but about that yea they were made eligible to many offices by talk ing an oath prescribed. The oath was framed by the most bitter opponents to Catholics so al to cover the political objections to them, with out Cf the objections were groundless,) inter fering with their religious belief At the sam, time seat in parliament could not be enjoyed by Catholic, without taking such an oath as none buta protestant could take without perjury Under the former test, some of the first mel of England and Ireland held office. That M United States know nothings may have mod el, will furnish them with the oath referred to- which was taken by Catholics in Ireland and Great Britain up to the year 1880:
 "I do swear, that do abure, condemn, ant detest. as unchristian and impious the princi pie, that it is lawful to murder, destroy. or any ways injure any person whatsoever, for or un der the pretext of being heretic; and do de clare solemnly, before God, that l believe n act in itself, unjust, immoral or wicked, cal ever be justified or excused by or under pre- tence or color, that it was done either for tn good of the church, or ill obedience to any ec clesiastical power whatever. I also declare