Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-05-14
NO. XIV.
Principles and Policy Of the American Par.
Una a

ty..No. Q.
There is no subject on which the American
party has been more misunderstood and misre-
presented than in regard to its relations to the
members Of the Roman Catholic church. Itbas
been charged BY its enemies, with being hostile
to the religious freedom, and as making war on
the catholics on account of their peculiar modes
of faith and worship. The motive which prompts
these accusations is obvious. The purpose is, to
fasten the odium of intolerance, and of dispo-
sition to deny to individuals the right to worship
God according to the dictates of their own con-
sciences, on the American party. But / affirm
that all these charges are untrue. The Arneri-
can party seeks to interfere Nth the religion Of
no man. 1t cheerfully acknowledges that that
is matter which rests-and should continue to
rest-between each individual and his Creator.
1t recognises the freedom of religious opinion,
and of ofrcligous worship, in the broadest sense Of
the terms. 1t is as tolerant Of the religious SEN
timents of catholic as of protestants. tproposes
to interfere no more with the religious faith and
worship of the one or the other. Individual
members of the order may be disposed to go fur
ther, but challenge the production of evidence
| to them that the American organization, as a
authentic exposition of the principles of the par
ty, announced at Philadelphia, and see if it gives
countenance to any such idea. The only pro-
visions in the Philadelphia platform which bear
on the subject of catholicism in any form, are
the following viz, the 9th No person should
be selected for political station, (whether of ma
tive or foreign birth,) who recognises any ale
glance or obligation of any description to any
foreign prince potentate or power or who re-
fuses to recognise the Federal and State consti-
tutions leach within its sphere) as paramount to
all other laws, as rules Of political action. And
the 10th which is in these words Opposition
| to any union between Church and State no in
reference with religious faith, or worship, and
no test oaths for Office.
| It cannot be pretended that either of these in
dicate any disposition to interfere with the free
dom of conscience, or to persecute Catholics on
account of their faith or worship. On the con-
trary, the doctrine emphatically proclaimed in
the 10th section above quoted, mo INTERFERENCE
WITH RELIGIOUS FAITH" mo UNION BETWEEN
CHURCH AND STATE" and "No TEST oATHs FOE
OFFICE"
And yet, in the face of these solemn declara-
tons of the creed of the party, our enemies per.
sist in charging US with intolerance and persecu-
ton for opinions sake.
This leads US to enquire why,i what respects,
there is any antagonism between the American
party and the Roman Catholics2
That there is q controversy between the A.
mericans and the ULTRAMoNTANE BRANCH of the
Roman church will not be denied. But that
controversy is not of religious character, but
purely political. 1t has nothing to do with the
faith or worship of the members of that division
of the church, but relates entirely to certain po.
litical opinions, avowed by them, in regard TO
questions not of an ecclssiastcal character, but,
affecting the policy Of the State. With the Gal
| Ican branch of the Roman church. which pro-
fesses the same religious taith and practises the
the same forms Of porship, with the ultrainon-
tame branch-but, which repudiates the obnox.
ious political opinions,-the American party
have no controversy whatever. They can cor
daily extend to them the embrace of brother
hood, and sustain them, without any sacrifice Of
principle. for political office.
The Roman church is now, and has been for
near three hundred years, divided into two great
parties One of these is known as the GaUican,
or French branch, and the other as the ultra.
montane or Italian branch.
The latter maintain that the power of the
Pope is supreme in temporal as well as spiritual
things They hold that he is lord over all kings
and potentates and governments of the earth
that the subjects and citizens of all governments
owe him higher allegiance than to their mnie-
diate soveregn-and that the Pope has power to
i dethrone kings-to su5cert republics, to nullvy
laus and toa5solce both subjects and citizens from
their allegiance to any sorereign or Republic,
acAich may ineurhis displeasure.
The Gacan branch of the church, recognise
the supremacy of the Pope in all ecclesiastical
matters, but utterly repudiate it in all temporal
or political affairs.
i Great misconception has arisen in the minds
of men, from not understanding the difference
} between the two branches of the Roman church.
And our adversaries, with cunning worthy of
jesuits, have studiously endeayored to keep this
important division in the back ground-when.
ever an American endeayors to show the danger
Of the ultramontane doctrine, and its irreconcia-
BILE antagonism to the principles Of our constitu-
ton, they deny that the Roman church enter
tains any such doctrines, and quote largely from
members Of the Gallicaa branch to prore their
proposition!
Begging my readers not to lose sight of this
, marked distinction between the two branches of
8 the church, | will now endeavor to exhibit, from
the highest authority, the present position OF
parties on this most important question.
Politicians are not generally very well inform
ed on questions of an ecclesiastical character,
and they may, therefore, be very naturally led
into error, by not understanding matters of de-
tail
A striking illustration of this fact was exhibi-
ted, but little more than year ago, in the
Congress of the United States. In the course Of
, a debate in that body. some allusion was made
to the claims of the Pope to supremacy in tenn
poral affairs. This at once drew from Mr..
Chandler, himself member of the Gallican
branch of the church, an eloquent reply in which
he utterly disclaimed and denied any such as
sumption on the part of the Pope. The MEM
bers of Congress not being profoundly versed in
Catholic lore, were at once silenced, and the
speech went to the country as conclusive an.
2 swer to the unjust charge against the church,
But unfortunately for Mr.. Chandler, neither Pro-
testants nor the members of the ultramontaile
brunch of his church disposed to resi- quiet
ly under his exposition of the doctrines OF the
: church. The press, both in this country and
Europe, teemed with articles denunciatory OF the
J speech of Mr.. Chandler as insincere, or founded
, in ignorance or cOwardice.
, Professor McClintic was among the first to
correct the error. He said, s'if Mr. Chandler had
been we'll informed on the subject, he would
have told his auditors there are tao parties in
the Catholic church ON this question one (the
ultramontane parity affirming, and the other (the
Gallican party) denying that the Pope, by reason
} of the spiritual power has also supreme pow
, err at least indirectly, in temporal matters"
He then proceeds to state the relative strength
of the two parties, and showsthat the ultramOn
tame is largely in the ascendancy, and that the
Gallican party is a mere faction, which is rather
tolerated than cherished by the church. Indeed
Gallicanism is sstigmatized as the ''half.ua,
house Of Protestantism."
Professor McClintic then says:
/ n u
1t remains for me briefly to set forth the pres