Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-05-14

yVu loPu'otlou us SctlOldr ana Seuteludll
need such 4 vindication as you can only make by
defining Your position" anew2 If you do not
do this, my confidence in your candor and in
senuoIsnesS will have been sadly misplaced. III
You do, beg you to read in the course of your
speech, the following truthful passage from the
coryphaus of Roman Catholic editors in Ameri-
ca: @-f
There is, in our Judgment, butone valid de-
fence OF the popes, in their exercise OF temporal
authority in the middle ages over soyereignS,
and that is that they possess it by divine right,
or tAat tie Pope holds that authority By rirtas
Qfh!s commission from Jesus Christ, the sue
eessor Of Peter, the prince Of tie apostle, and ris
a5le heGd Of tie Church. Any defence of them
on lower ground must in our judgement, fail TO
meet the real points in the case, and is rather an
evasion than fair, honest, direct and satisfacto-
~ reply To defend their power as an extraor
binary power, or as an accident in Church histo-
ry, growing out of the peculiar circumstances,
civil constitution, and laws Of the times, now
passed away, perhaps forever, may be regarded
as less likely TO displease nOn-Catholcs and TO
offend the oensibiiitieS Of power, than to defend
it on the ground of divine right, and as inherent
IN the divine Constitution OF the Church; but
even on the low ground OF policy we do not
think it the wisest in the long run. Say what
would conciliate Always to their minds, will
the temporal power of the Pope By divine right,
loom up in the distance and always will they be-
Geye, however individual Catholics here and
there may deny it, or nominaly Catholic govern
ments oppose it, that it is the real Roman Cath
Ole doctrine, to be reaSserted and acted the mo
ment that circumstances render il prudent or ex-
pedient. We gain nothing with them but doubts
Of sincerity, and we only weaken among our
selves that warm and generous devotion to the
Holy Father which is due from every one of the
faithful, and which is so essential to the pros
perity OF the Church, in her increasing struggles
with the goddess powers Of this world.-Bto,es-
s9a's Resie'e, JaR., 1854
The Dublin Tablet, Il catholic publication Of
high authority, is equally emphatic in its con-
demnaton OF Mr.. Chambers speech The wri-
ter, after arguing to prove the power of the Pope
TO depoSe sinful soyereigns, says;
Mr.. Chandler goes great deal further-we
are sorry to refer to him so often--and trenches
on the real spiritual power which he is SO anx-
ious to guard inviolate. His words are these :
! deny TO the Bishop of Rome the right result
ing from his divine office, to interfere in the re-
lations between subjects and their sovereigns-
citizens and their Governments
N IS impossible hEt he can mean ech6t these
acordS imply. The Pope is at this moment in
terf6ring in Piedmont, defending one class o.
citizens there against the Government-and ye;
in the House of Representatives Il christian de-
MES the right! Governments may and do pro-
hibit good works and the Pope interferes They
also encourage and commit eYil-the Pope inter
.yeres and GOOD CHRISTIANS PREFER THE PoPE'S AU-
TuoRITY TO THAT OF THE STATE. The Goddess
colleges in ireland, the Hierarchy in England,
the trouble in Pedmont-all bear witness to-
MUST HAVE ESCAPED FROM THE SPEAKER, WHO DID
NOT PONDER HIS WORDS
The closing paragraph of the article in the
Tablet is in these words
''The old GALLIcAN HEAVEN, driven out of the
Old world, foments in the New, and the exploded
opinions OF obstinate men in Europe seem to
have found favor in some quarters in America
Humanity viewed, the matter is easy for explana-
ton; but it is not the less perilous, for unsound
theories about the extent of the ecclesiastical
power will never convert hereticS, but are sure
TO PERyEgT CATHOLICS"
The opinions expressed by Mr.. Chandler in the
above extract from his speech are precisely the
opinions OF Tie American party, and yet when
Americans announce them they are charged
with being prosecutors and enemies Of religious
freedom!
The American party deny that the Pope has
any temporal pOrer or political power outside OF
his own dominionS. They deny that the subjects
or citizens of any other government owe him any
political allegiance. They deny that the Pope
has any power to depoSe sovereigns or to over
throw republics They deny that he has q right
to absolve citizens or subjects from their alleg-
ance to their own government. And they ut
terly repudiate the idea that there is paramount
allegiance due to him which over-rides their du
ty to their own government.
And rs a corrollary to these propositions, they
are unwilling to vote for any other man for pub
lie office, in this country, who holds the oppo-
site, or ultramontane doctrine.
They hold that the Constitution of the United
States is the extreme law OF the land. and no
man who denies that proposition ought to hold
Office under it. They hold that our first. high
est, and only political allegiance, i, duo to our
own country, and that none is due to any other.
They dsclaim and denounce ''rHE HIGHER LAW
DOCTRINES" in all their length and breadth,
whether they exhibit themselves in abolition ia
aGticism at the North, or iii the recognition of a
higher allegiance to the Soyereigns of the States
of the Church than is due to the Government of
our own country.
They require, that when man Swears to sup
port the Constitution OF the United States, he
Shall do so in good faith, and according to its
true spirit, and not with qualifications and men
tai reservations.
None, who are unwilling to conform to these
acquisitions, can receive the support of the Amer
lean party.
All, but (say our adversaries) this reeogni-
ton of the temporal p0rer or the Pope is part
of the Catholic religion, and therefore you are
interfering with their religious freedom! So, it
may be said, p0lygamg is part Of the religious
.f,iM of the kormOnS, and dJolition is an element
ia tie creed OF Theodore Parker, II. W. Beecher,
and Others of their fanatieal stripe! Aud would
our adyersaries be willing to elect Mormon or
an Abolitionist to high office | presume not,
and therefore the argument proves too much
No such device can be tolerated as that by blend
ing obnoxious political sentiments with religious
opinions, Immunity eau be claimed for all, under
the broad shield OF the freedom of religion!
The Americans are charged with dragging re-
ligi0R iRto the political dreaG. This is wholly
untrue Their steadfast aim is to KEEP RELIGION
OUT OF THE PARTY CONTESTS OF THE DAY. They
have manifested no aggressive spirit. Through
out they have been on the defensive. 1t was
not until the organs of the ultramontane branch
of the Roman church avowed their purpose to
war on the freedom OF religon--to strive to gain
the ascendancy in this country with the view to
PROSTATE it at the footstool of Rome--to perse-
cute Protestants-and for the accomplishment OF
these ends TO rote as Catholics, and in body, in
such way as to be most etfectiye-that the A.
mericans were reused to resistance.
In my next number viii endeavor to estab-
lish this proposition by undoubted evidence.
MADISON
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