Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-08
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

The Padre Vigel We are not little
amused at the puffy notices of this gentleman
with which the fllibusteriDg press just now
are filled. There seems to be no end to the
wonderful stories concerning him the newspa-
pers are manufacturing, the most amusing of
which is, that he claims to be an american,
rather than Roman Catholic priest; or, in
other words, that he scouts the discipline of
the only Catholic Church known as the Catho-
lie Church in Christendom-that is, the Ro-
man Catholic Church" Without pretending
to enter into disquisition upon its claims to
be the only real Catholic Church, the intelli.
gent and well informed reader will bear us
out In saying that the priest who denies the
binding force of its discipline is always de-
prived quickly Of the functions of its ministry.
The Padre Vigel, at home, vas mixed up
with the revolutionary party, and became one
Of the few native partisans Ct the illibusters;
going to the length of inviting the perform
ance of Protestant service in the church In
Granada under his pastoral charge. Had there
been any thing like ecclesiastical authority
In existence in Nicaragua during Walkers
rule, Of course the Padre Vigel would have
been deposed from his living as summarily as
an Episcopalian minister among US would be
depossd for Offering his pulpit to a Methodist,
or Baptist preacher for Offering his to a Uni
tartan or Universalist. So he is, in the ewes
OF al true Roman Catholics of every country,
no longer entitled to administer the functions
OF their priesthood. In this country, while
the Catholics acknowledge nc political supre-
macy In Rome, they all look to Rome, and
only to Rome, for their church disipline. az
well as their doctrine and not man of than
can regard the Padre Vigel as being aupht,
enthusiastically, than an unfrocked priest. We
may truthfully add, that the stories told in
the pro-hllibustering newspapers of the great
influence Of this gentleman at home, his re-
markabie talents, &c, are on a par with the
bogus accounts of his present position in the
church lie may be very worthy man Der
sonaily, for aught We know; but we are verv
sure that up to the time he permitted his hatred
for his Government to lead him to unfrock
himself, he was quite az obscure as any ether
pastor in the city of Granada. All the fuss
being made over him, personally, in the news.
papers is therefore mere humbuggery, "of a
piece" with the accounts of the condition of
things in Nicaragua which are transmitted
from thence to aid the waning cause of the
fiibusters.
Jumping Jim crow.-Commodore s,ock.
Ton very last summerset has landed him in
the middle Of the Republican party, II !,
to be hoped that they will nominal. r., ~
not, he will be forced to hang himself in Az.
pair, poor fellow. He has written 10 N. "
York Herald that he is now for tina, 80
that merges everything in the cause Of m.
restoration of the Missouri restriction, A
Wing in 1910, when Whigery promised to ad.
vance his political fortunes, he was an ardent
Democrat in 1874, when it was clear that BY
saihns on that tack he could keep before the
WIND A Taylorite in Is4S, the popular wind
having shifted in that direction, in 1852 he
again played his part on the Democratic
stage, until the champagne in him smoke ON.
ut the Newark dinner, whereat he blurtsd
political doctrines that forever DAMNED hin
with the Democracy out of New JERSEY. snh.
sequentIy he has been q "Hindoo. - .t,u,-
ghng for their Presidential nomination. INIT,
u became manifest that even the poor Hin.