The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-02-08

greater part OF America, when most nourShlng
provinces, inhabited almost by persons separated
from the Catholic Church. had renowned the
Government of the King of Great Britain, the
Province of Canada alone, filed, as It is, almost
with innumerable Catholics, although artfully
tempted, and not yet forgetful of the French
Government, remained most faithful in It's ale
glance to England. Do you, most excellent
prelates, converse frequently ON these principles;
often remind your suffragant prelates of them;
when preaching to your people, eXhort them,
again and again, TO honor all men, to lore the
brotherhood, 10 fear God, to honor the King.
"Those duties Of Christian are to be cher
ished in every Kingdom and State, but particu-
larly in your own, of Great Britain and Ireland,
where, from the benevolence of most wise
King, and other most excellent rulers of those
Kingdoms, towards Catholics, no cruel ard
grievOus burden is imposed, and Catholics them
selves experience a mild and gentle Govern
ment. If you pursue this line of conduct unan-
imously; if you act in the spirit of charity
if, while you direct the people of the Lord, YOU
have nothing in view but the salvation of souls,
adversaries will be ashamed 1--WE repeat itl 10
calumniate, and will freely acknowledge that
the Catholic faith is of heavenly descent and
calculated not only to procure blessed life,
but likewise, as st. Augustin observes, in his
one hundred and thirty-eighth letter, addressed
to Marcellinus, to promote the most lasting
peace of this earthly city, inasmuch as it is tho
safest prop and shield of Kingdom. let those
tcho say (the words are those of the holy doctor)
that tie doctrine Of Christ IS hostile TO the Re
public, produce an army OF such soldiers as the
doctrine Of Christ has required; let them fur-
nash such inhabitants Of prOrjHceS, SUch has
bands, such tcires, such parents, such children,
such masters, such servants, such Kings, such
Judges, finally, Such payers Of debts and col
Lect0rs of the TerGue, as the doctrine of Christ
e'yoinS, aud then they may dare TO assert that
Il IS inimicdl to the RepuJlic-rdtber let them
not hesitate to Gck7lOiotedge that as lrhen prdc-
ticed, Of great advantage to the Republic. The
same holy doctor, and all the other fathers of
the Church, with one voice, most clearly dem
onstrate, by invincible arguments, that the
whole of this salutary doctrine cannot exist
with permanent consistency and stability. or
flourish, except in the Catholic society which is
spread and preserved all over the world, by
communion with the See of Rome, as a sacred
bond of union, divinely connecting both. From
our very high esteem and affection for you, we
earnestly wish that the great God may very
long preserve you safe. Farewell
GAS your lordship's most affectionate brother,
al. CARDINAL ANToNELLI, Protect.
"a. ARCHBISHOP OF ALDEN, Secretary.
Rome, June %, l79l."
While on the disavowa of the Pope, may
as well make an addition to assist in the test.
mony. The following document was drawn up
by the Roman Catholic committee in Dublin,
and published by them on the 18th of March,
1892, after it had been submitted 70 the Arch
bishops and Bishops of ireland, al d received
their entire sanction. To give it greater weight,
the same instrument was put into the form Of
an oath, retaining, as far as possible, the very
words. 1t was then submitted to the Pope and
Cardinals, who solemnly declared that it was
consonant to, and expressive of, the Roman
Catholic doctrine; and then ( was taken by the
Catholic archbishops, bishops, priests, and laity
Of Ireland.
ave, the Catholics of Ireland. in Difference
to the opinion of many respectable bodies and
individuals among our Protestant brethren, do
hereby in the face of our country, Of all Europe,
and before God, make this, our deliberate and
solemn declaration:
ave adjure, disavow, and condemn the
opinion, that Princes communicated by the
Pope and council, or by any ecclesiastical du-
htority whatsoever, may, therefore be deposed
or murdered by their subjects, or by any other
persons. We hold such doctrine in dctestation
as wicked and impious; and we declare that
we do not believe that either the Pope. with or
without the general council, or any preldte or
priest, or any ecclesiastical pOtrer tchdtSoereT
can absove the subjects of this kingdom. OF
any Of them, from their allegiance to his Males
ty King George III, who is, by authority Of
Parliament, the lawful King of this realm.
10 We abjure, condemn, and detest, as
unchristian and impiOus, the principle that it is
lawful to murder, or destroy, or anywise injure,
any person whatsoever, for or under the pretence
ofbeing heretics and we declare solemnly before
God, that we believe no act an itself unjust,
immoral or Uicked can erer be justified or
excused by or under the pretence or color that H
icds done either for the good Of the Church, or
IN obedience TO any ecclesiastical po,rer tchdtS0
eCer.
"3. We further declare, that we hold it as
unGhristian and impous principle, that no faith
is to be kept with heretics.' This doctrine we
detest and reprobate, not only as contrary to
our religion, but as destructive of morality, of
society, and even Of common honesty; and ii il
our firm belief, that an oath made to any person
not of the Catholic religion, is equally binding
as if it were made to any Catholic whatsoever.
a We have been charged with holding, as
an article of our belief, that the Pope, with or
without general council, or that certain eccle
siastical powers, can acquit or absolve us before
God, from our oaths of allegiance, or even from
the just oaths or contracts entered into between
man and man.
Now, we utterly renounce, abjure, and
deny, that we hold or maintain any such belief,
as being contrary to the peace and happiness
of society, inconsistent with morality, and, above
all, rer"gnant 10 tie true spirit Of tie Catholic
religion
Here, then, is another clear, explicit disa-
vowal, on the part of the Pope and his Card
nails, of the doctrine imputed to the church, and
another full and complete response TO the chal-
lenge of the gentleman from Massachusetts,.
Mr. Chairman, the Roman Catholic Church
neither holds nor inculcates doctrine of power
in its head to interfere in the affairs Of temporal
Governments, to disturb the monarch, or release
the subject. 1t never has held any such doc.
trine. 1t never has taught that its professors
were to be influenced by its doctrines to com
bine against the Government, and Catholic cit
liens have been as faithful to the Government
under which they lived as those of any other
denomination Of Christians. In this country,
Mr.. Chairman, where, by the nature of our
institutions, no creed is allowed to be molested,
and where, by constitutional provision, no advan-
tage can be allowed the professors of creed or
accent of that profession, how unjust is it to
the public, how cruel to the confessors of
creed, to create and keep alive an excitement
which involves in obloquy large class of citi-
zens invested with every right that any Ameri-
can citizen can claim, who are able, by their
talents character, attainments and patriotism,
to do honor to the citizenship which they are
not allowed to enjoy. i must not be told that
all the rights of citizenship are open to Cath
olics, when Office is denied" The man who
asserts that, is ignorant of the first impulse of
Acknowledgements, venture to say, Of
the strongest motives of his own action.
The right of suffrage is connected with the
right of Office and the freeman's privilege of
G. L. Il 4