Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-07-19
Shall Man be Catholic Against His
Will
[From the Independentl

Political heats are apt to hatch ont false
hoods as tropical heats do venomous insects
But Christian men should be especially care
full that they 10 not countenance or propagate
such falsehood
AT this time many newspapers recklessly
charge Col. Fremont with being Roman
Catholic. Though it mas been authoritative
" contradieted, it still continues to be assert
ed, and in very positive and impudent forms.
We have taken pains to inform ourselves in
this matter, and now state to the Christian
public the simple truth, that good men, at
least may cease to bear false witness.
Gel Fremont was blessed with mother of
devoted piety She was member of the Epis-
copal Church, ST. Philips, Charleston S. c.,
and reared her son in her own faith. Indeed,
until he was fourteen, COL Fremont was edn-
Gated in the hope and expectation that he
would become an Episcopal minister. At
sixteen, he was confirmed in the Episcopal
Church, and has, ever since, when within reach
of the church, been an attendant and commu-
meant And since his temporary soiourn in
New York. he has been an attendant at Dr.
Anthons church, until recently: and now he
worShips at Grace church Mrs Fremont was
reared strictly in the Presbyterian Church, and
united with the Episcopal Church upon her
marriage with Col. Fremont. Their children
have been baptized in the Episcopal Church.
1t is said that daughter has been sent to a
Catholic institution for education So far
from it, she has never been sent away from
home at ALL but has been educated by her own
mother.
1t is well known that Mrs Fremont is the
daughter of Col. Benton, and that, at the
time, her father was opposed to her marriage
Col. Fremont personally solicited several Pro-
ttstant cergymen to perform the marriage
ceremony, but on account of Col. Bentou's op-
position to it, they were unwilling to do it
female friend, in this exigency, said that she
could fad clergyman who would aid without
fear, and brought in a Catholic clergyman,
who married them. Like trne lover and
gallant man, Fremont said that he did not care
'cho did it, so that it was done quick and strong
Had We been in Col. Fremont's place, We
would have been married if it had required us
to walk through a row Of priests and bishops
as long as from Washington to Rome, wind
ing up with the Pope himself
Is it not ludicrous to see class of citizens
so terribly frightened at the spread OF Cathol-
icism, and dreading the evils of Papacy above
all things, seizing quiet Protestant gentle
man, and insisting upon it that he shall be a
Catholic In vain he struggles and protests ;
Catholic he shall be, whether he will or not
" But, gentlemen, do not believe in the doc
- trines was reared by a Protestant mo-
" thcr, in Protestant church have mar
"ried a Protestant wife my children have
chad Protestant baptism ; We and they at
81 tend Protestant worship, and we are, both
by education and conviction, Protestants-
" You must excuse u.s. but we cannot be Cath
olics" The eager gentlemen will not be
batfied You shall be Catholics you are
Catholics we will have you Catholics =; all
- that you say may be true, in some mystic
" rious manner; you are Catholics, and we will
'have it 50 ~ Poor Col. Fremont We do
not see how he will get over it :! These ter
rible Protestants of The Express are ont with
sword and pen, determined that he shall be a
Catholic Henry Ward Beecher.