Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1856-05-22
Religious Prescription Catholics = The
Pope-American Party.


One Of the leading and false charges, con-
tinually paraded before the public against
the American Party is, that II proscribes
men on account Of their religious opinions.
This is not now, and never was the case,
with the American Party: it proscribes no
one on account Of his religion-never did.
But, when religious sect or denomina.
ton proclaims doctrines that override the
constitution and laws-tliat make the edcl
of the Church superior TO all other claims
on the citizen-so far as that religion has
a political bearing, they have, and will, OPP
pose that political bearing, The Mormons
regard the plurality wife doctrine as a
part of their religion-and if Americans de-
nounce polygamy, and condeH this aboni-
nable practice Of the Latter Day Saints, they
are to be called prosecutors of men oil ac-
count of their reigion With mans re-
ligion, per Sc, they have nothing to do. But
when that religion is made cloak under
which to play pranks revolving in the sight
of God and man, it is well enough TO tear off
tie cloak and expose the rottenness it con.
ceals.
The Roman Catholic Church is governed
by a Supreme Head-the Pope-who is re-
garded as infallible; whose edict is the first
law of his subjects, not only in spiritual
but temporal sense. If he commands his
subjects to fast, and kneel on peas, for their
spiritual good--to pay for masses for de-
parted souls, and SO on, and they are will
ing TO do it, very well. But when he un-
dertakes to teach, and command them, that
their first duty in temporal matters is obedi-
ence TO his mandates; that he has "apostoic
authority to absolve oaths" of any kind; that
"liberty oil conscience" is an "absurd and
erroneous doctrine;" that Stree press" is
"never to be sufficiently exeorated and de-
tested;" that the Bible, that book of books,
shall not be used in common schools, and
that education is curse-Americans re-
volt at such doctrines, and have about us
much regard for that kind of religion, as they
have for the polygamy of the Mormon.
The temporal, or political power of the
head of tie Roman Catholic Church they do
oppose. Roman Catholics who admit this
temporal or political power, cannot Join the
American Party, aud will never be the re-
cipients of its favors. American Catholics,
who deny, contemn and scorn this temporal
supremacy of the Pope, can join the Amer
lean Party, and can be the recipients of its
favors. SO it is not religion, but political
pousr, under religious cloak, that Ameri-
cans wa against. They are opposed 10 hav-
ing the United States Romanized," as the
Pope's organs declare is their object.
Hon. JosErH r. CHANDLER, distinguish.
ed member of Congress from Philadelphia
deliverd speech in the House Of Represent.
atives, January, 1858, in which he denied
the temporal power Of ths Pope" One OIL
his constituents, JOHN McCLlNrocK, d. D.
reviewed the speech, in series of letters
and the speech and letters have been pub.
) lished in book form. We make few ex.
tracts from one Of these letters, showing the
) doctrines and divisions Of the Catholic
Church, which may be read with profit b,
Americans and their opponents. We copy
from page Ga:
You deny TO the bishop Of Rome any fright re-
sulting from his divine office. 10 interfere in th
relations between subjects and their sovereigus
between citizens and their governments" Hll
you confined yourself to this deliiul, expressing
merely as your own private and personal opinion
or even as that Of many Jurists, theoogiaIls, an,
doctors of your Church, you would have shown
only that you and they were bad papsts, nothn;
more. But the very aim and essence, so 10 speal,
of your speech, is that your vie,p is that Of The Ro
man Catholic Church; that it is maintained by al
her authorities, from layman to priest, from prizes
to bishop, from bishop to archbishop, and iron
archbishop to pope; and that the contrary opinion
If held in the Church at all, is held only by "cer
tain weak PERSONS" "individuals of less discretio
than zeal, ," and is taught only sin the careles
writings of some Catholic scholars"
= In maintaining such thesis as this before III
= American people, you have shown yourself eithe
, exceedingly aislngenious, or else thoroughly igno
rant of the history of the question, and of the stat
of opinion in your own Church. For many year
] have been accustomed to rely on your own integ
rty; am still willing TO give you credit for can
dorj and, therefore, nothing remains ror me exceI
TO conclude you ignorant, and to offer you som
: information. Certainly, had you been well inform
: ed on the subject, your own self-resPect (not
speak of the risk of detection and exposure) woul
have required you to tell your auditors that ther
! are two parties in your Church on this question
one (the Ultramontane party) affirming, and tn
!, other (the Galican Liberal party) denying tha
the pope Shy reason Of the spiritual potcer, has a
so supreme power, at least indirectly, even il
> temporal matters. Some of the Uliramontane wr
tiers even 90 further and assert diracf tarnnor.