The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-09-16
From the N. " Fresmsn's Journal sEd Catholic Rsgsts
RELIGION AS A POLITICAL TEST.

From the N. Y. Journal aEd Catholic Register.
RELIGION AS A POLITICAL TEST.
Were it not disgusting, il would to &c he
sayageness Of the that has been wagn for months
between the two knownothng parties the subject of
the religion Of the candidate Of Of them IL
tanly of the Of farce that outand-out know
nothing faction should have selected for their presidential
candidate only the Of foreigner but who
til recently looked upon by his friends and associates
Catholic The party known Choclaws, North Amer
leans an-sayery know-nothings offered Mr. Fremont
their nomination, and he formally accepted IL having
avowed his sympathy with most Of their principles
bis purpose carry out If be could be elected Ao
cording to the New York Times Fremont paper this
vention which thus nominated Mr.. Fremont composed
of those who "bolted from the American knownothng)
national council and nominating convention in Philadel
pha by of the admission therein Of delegates repre-
senng Roman Catholic constituencythus taking the
decided position anti-Roman Catholics and still
maintaining that position Yet as if to illustrate how
utterly prohigae in principle know-nohingsm is and
how necessarily seEsuling, they take their candi-
date supposed to be a Catholic.
Having selected such for their candidate, the
curious step is the attempt TO make ounot that Mr. FIRE.
mont had given up being Catholicnot that he
Protestant or Of no regiona thing possible in ITSELF
plausible moreover and which he certainly has the po-
cal right TO do without being politically questioned about
itbut that he had been Catholic, had
protested HIMSELF This is think the most audacious
attempt the creduy of the American people that has
been tried Had the appeal been made to the real
American principle that mans religion is not matter
which he ought to submit to observation-disclosures
Trajectory this might be TO the nquisoria dica Of the
know-nothings inconsistency would have found
some to pardon it. But the attempt to make the public
swallow absurd story that Mr. Fremont did not for
years profess himself Roman Catholic and nothing but
Roman Catholic has actually something in 1t hardly one
step from the sublime
There relieving feature in this unpleasant business.
1t is that while there of Who by personal
intercourse with Mr. Fremont in other days. in con-
dition to give the most conclusive testmony-and many
OF these hostile to Mr. Fremont pocallynot Of
them of any character has been found violate the rights
of private intercourse the political privilege of e
gious liberty, much to be induced to publish word
the subject The unseemy contest has been left the
two know-nohing factions to dispute between themselves
the set averring-what Mr. Fremont does not with
his words averthat he has protested himself
Roman Catholic the other set asserting that he has not
ceased to be Catholic, but is playing dark and
mysterious part for the accomplishment Of Catholic designs
the country The two sets well matched 1t would
be pity to interfere with them
But insist their letting alone the good name
of the Catholic priesthood 1t will do for the friends
of Mr. Fremont magn falsely the character OF the good
old Jesuit Father Van Horseigh, who married him. Re
spect for the memory of good priest deceased will
day compel the oyehaung of the charges of
the Tribune that he had regard to the requirements of
his sacred office The kind of gross mpropriey has
been practised with Catholic priest still living The
Rev. MIR. Oye of Whitehall, in the diocese of ALBANY
has been rumpeted through the country having de-
cared that he knew Mr. Fremont be Catholic and that
he meant to vote for him that account that he had
five hundred men in Essex county whom he would make
vote for him ALSO Mr.. Olivet has felt it proper to
give formal denial TO this tissue of absurdities in
a local paper OF Whitehall. He says that he knows
nothing about Mr.. Fremonts reigion-how should
he THAT he has not had time to learn the merits of po-
ca parties in this country and does intend to vote
at all having enough TO do with The discharge of his
clerical duties As to the retnue of FIVE hundred that
were waiting for his word TO vote isard think that
such stories can be believed by any Catholics under
stand perfectly well their rights and their nUidual re-
oHSbies as citizens and do not exercise their citizens
privilege at the dication Of any But the Catholic
conscience in such matters its liberty and its dignity Is
thing not to be understood by know nothings who bind
themselves TO do blndly the bidding of the knights that
carry the dark lantern for their party.
Meanwhile the know-nothing faction that sustains
Mr. Fremont repes fatal his prospects the charge Of
bis having for years been known a Catholic and the
knownothng faction that opposes him maintains that he
is still Catholic at heart and only Protestant for the
nonce till after election it grafes witness the pro-
found disgust with which proportion Of the oommu-
nifty this indecent discussion Like the fictitious is
made up in the old principle by an
assumed trial between John Doe and Richard Roe we be-
leye that the effect of this vile contest between the two
sets of know-nohings will be Danish from future con-
tests all nQusor searches into the elgous professions
Of political candidates.