The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-10-06
WHOLE NUMBER 535

question in time. Admit it for the sake Of
argument. A few facts will show this to be-
simply absurd. What is the history Of Ca
tholicism in the United States! 1t is a bis
tory of unparalleled failures. Take few
facts: Maryland was, as we have seen q
Cutholic Colony. Now there are 65 Cstho-
lie churches and 800 Protestant churches.
Florida was alse settled by Catholics. Now
there are Catholic to 152 Protestant
churches. Louisiana was also settled by the
Catholics. Now out Of 27s churches only s.
are Catholic. The whole number Of church
es in the United States is Ss,l3s. or this
number only 1927 are Catholic; being one
Catholic to 80 Protestant churches. Is one
church likely to subjugate thirty-two church-
es! Are less than one million Of Catholics
likely to control twenty-four millions o.
Protestants! No sane man who candid
considers this subject will entertain any fea
from Catholicism in this country SO lar
the overthrow of the governments is concern
ed Even if it is the intention Of the Pope
to subjugate this country, there is not there
motest possibility of his accomplishing his
desires. His temporal and civil power is but
the mere shadow of what it once was. He
is sustained in power by the French army,
and is put on or off the throne at the pleas
ure Of the French Emperor. HIS whole ar
my does not number three hundred men.
His power is gone forever; and instead of
being formidable adversary, he is weak
and feeble tenant at will of crazy throne.
And yetwe Americans are trembling like
frightened children in the dark, lest the Pope
Of Rome will seize upon our government and
place upon our necks the yoke Of bondage!
Ifthese Know Nothings are true to the
faith OF the Protestant religion which teach
es to do to others as we would have them
do to us, they would never engage in the
work Of persecution. The religion of the
"meek and lowly Jesus" needs not the arm
of persecution to secure its triumph. Its di-
vine and silent influences require no dark
lantern conspiracies to insure their spread.
And when men appeal to the aid ofsecret
political associations and seek to put down
others in order to secure the progress of their
own church, are they not becoming faithless
in that almighty arm and in that Divine In
fuence, in the strength Of which, is the true
Christians highest hope?
We have now given few out Of the ma
ny reasons why we oppose the Know No
thing organization. Its secrecy lie the means
of creating distrust among the members of
society, by casting suspicion and doubt upon
every mans conduct; its oaths are extrajudi-
cial and have tendency to make falsehood
common, binding its members to violate the
plainast doctrines of morality; it aims a
blow at,the civil and religious rights Of our
people.
Again, its results are dis astrous in the ex-
treme. 1t is persecution and prescription
organized. 1t has already borne fruit. Its
career for the past year has been marked by
crime and outrage. Through its agency the
city of St. Louis last fall was, for nearly
three weeks, the scene, Of bloodshed and
murder. In Massachusetts, and other States
Of New England. it has changed republican
ism into despotism and made the proudest
Of the sovereign States Of the Union, by
Word and reproach among men. In Cincin-
natl it destroyed the sanctity of the ballot
box and outraged the rights of unofending
citizens; and in Louisville it has burned the
dwellings of the German and Irish over their
heads, and shot down the inhabitants if they
dared to escape from the deyouring FIRE.
i These are the legitimate fruits of the tree
which has been planted. These are the
trophies Of victory won by this secret order.
Let American citizens bonder we'll upon
4 these matters, and then vote and art as the
i friends of civil and religious freedom. and
! the foes of despotism, whatever form it may
!. assume. .la#.,aa ...a ala s.tH5a
Il Slavery. See.
! Another question which has engaged a
!, large share of public attention, is that o.
Slavery. AS the present election is one fol
/. State officers, who cannot by their oficia
action in any manner effect the question il
+. the Territories OF Kansas and Nebraska, VIZ
do not regard this question as legitimately
put in issue. As our opponents, however
/. pretend to hold it as Of paramount impor
f tance, we have thought it expedient to pa,
; some attention to the subject N this address
ri Upon the question whether slavery is al
f evil or not, we presume there is no differ
E ence Of opinion among the people Of Ohio
!. All, without regard to party Of creed, lool
: upon it as a grievous wrong. The follow
f ing resolution adopted at the State Conven
Z ton on the sih day of January last, show
: the position and sentiments ofthe Democrat
! ic party upon this question:
Resolved That the people of Ohio, now, Al
Ethey have always done, look upon slavery
( as aneyil, and unfavorable to the develop
/ ment Of the spirit aud practical benefits o.
n free institutions, and that entertaining these
y sentiments, they will at all times, feel it "a
! be their duty to use oil power clearly given
\ by the terms of the national compact, tt
ss prevent its increase, to mitigate and finally
: to eradicate the evil.
d We most heartily endorse the doctrines se
J. forth in the foregoing resolution. and We be-