The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-09-27

Oh wondrous Journey have they finished there
From cradle moaning unto Al angel choir
From the New Yorx Evangelist.
Nss Ter Parry, Bias Ter TFa1A.
Itis not our business to enter into tho
strife Of politics. That is not our vocation,
sndhws have rdigioasly abstained from such
CONTESTS. Nor shalt we depart from this
line OF strict propriety. hut We arc some
times appealed to for information ~ 20 mat
tors Of fact, by readers who imagine that 10
may have special means Of knowing the
truth. In such a case We are willing to tell
what we know not for the sake Of the par
", but OF truth. This We may do without
sacrificing our neutral and Independent char
scter. IL We can help 70 correct an error,
or to disabusc the public mind Of . false
Impression, We are doing . service TO
right minded men Of all parties. We do
not urge our readers to vote one way or
she other, bat we DO wish them to vote intel.
ligently.
1t 10 wcll-known that one Of the candid.
.tes for the Presidency has been charged
with being Roman Catholic. To this story
ws never gave tbs slightest Importance, CON.
sldering it as one Of those bold fAlsehoods
which were fabricated for . party purpose,
snd which would drop into oblivion, aud be
iespised, ~ soon ~ il had served its OBJ.
Ject. But as the originstofs Of the story
cling to itwi.h great psrtinacity, thinking
II very effective weapon to excite odiun
md prejudice, some good ussn have Thought
worth while ~ set the matter ut once and
forever at rest Clsrgymcn Of this city have
oeen applied to by msmbsrs Of thsir church.
-, BY letters from abroad to make personal
inquiry, since the public would have entire
confidence in their statement, knowing that
! they were not likely to be deceived them
selves, and that they could have NO motive to
! misstate the fact.
Thus appealed to-a number Of clergy.
men, though very reluctant 70 do auythinx
shich could bring their names before the
public in connection With any political quss-
sion, called on Col. Fremont for the purpose
Of frnnk conversation ia regard to his re-
ligious profession and belief. This they did
not for their own personal satisfaction
mstter-but simply that they might bs able
to s,tisfy others By an assurance from bic
own lips. Among those who went, were
Rev. Or. Dewitt, of the Dutch Reformed
Church; Professors Henry b. Smith and r..
| D. Hitchcock, Of the Union Theological
Seminary; Rev. DaviA b. Cos, Secretary Of
The Home Missionary Society, and one Of the
sditors Of this paper. They we're received
With great cordiality, and Col. Fremont
responded very frankly and chesrfully to
their inquiries.
| When it WAS remarked that some Of our
| good people were disturbed about his reli-
slon, DO replied smiling, that he was glad
that his opponents were willing TO admit u
east, that he had some religious feeling
| that he Vas not wholly indifferent Ia Chriati
An'ty. One OF the ministers inquired II the
account OF his e,rly religious education and
OF hss joining the Episcopal Church, - Civ
en- in Bigelow's Life Of Fremont, VS. cor.
reot2 He replied that It was and added
in . few words, that he had been born and
educated in the Episcopal Churuh that he
had been confirmed - . msmber OF that
Church, and had never had shadow OF 4
thought Of leaving it.
! When allusion WAS made to the persistent
assertions that he was Catholic, be replied
that he could MOI imagine how such story
took ito rise, for that in fact he had hardly
been inside Of Catholic church more than
aslf dozen times in his life, and shsn
upon occasions Of public interest or Of Curl
esity.
All this was said very quietly, and with no
apparent desire to obtrude his religion or ia
make capital out Of it, bot 30 state the sim.
pie fAet Of his religious edseatios and be.
iief. No enc could listen TO this frank, yee
modest stat~meat, without feeling thas Il w.
perfectly ingenious; and that, With no biz.
! otry towards othcrs, he WAS sincerely and
uaa6setsdly attached to the religion N
which be had been educated By . pious
mother.