Washington telegraph., 1856-02-13
NO. L.

several INSnoSSS- NO. no
Mr.. Smith. History will attest how of.
ten this has been dona
Mr. EUsTls. l will tell the gentleman.
Mr. SMITH. [ am not talking about the
Catholics - Louisiana Naughter) d,
not the Roman Catholics make war upon
the Protestant Bible ? Do they allow their
followers to read it! Have they not Bi :
bic OF their own peculiar translation Do
You forget that they wage fearful wac
against all Bible Societies? In the Presi-
DENTAL election. when Mr. Frelinchuyseo
was a candidate for Vice Presidentswith
Mr. Clay, the Catholic Wings refused to
vote the ticket because Mr. Frelinghuysen
was the President Of the American Bible
I Society
/ AIR EUsTIs. The gentleman speaks abou.
hnrning books. and especially about the
/ burning of the Bibles. He goes little
! further back into history than am willing
to Do, But will ask him one question. /
/ viii ask the honorable gentleman whether it
has ever occurred to him, or whether he has
in his reading of history ever heard of Cath
olics being burned, with or without their
books ! Laughter
Mr.. Smith Before that had happened,
there had been many Protestauts burned by
Cath lies. If the gentleman wants to meet
me in an argument, with regard to pyoscrip-
tioa very well ; shall always be prepared
| for him. lie ought to know that the Ro-
man Catholic church has always been ons
of prescription. That man who raised hi,
voice for freedom Of religious opinion, from
the earliest ages Of the power of the church,
was a marked man. TO the stake with
him - was the fearful cry-''io the Inquisi-
ton How can the honorable gentleman
dare to talk about the burning of Catholics
BY Protestants. with the history of the ter
! rible massacres of Prot estants by Catholics
staring him in the face? | will not now
enumcrate these dreadful scenes but
have no doubt that Eve hundred Protestants
have been destroyed by the Roman church
for every Catholic that has fallen by Pro-
testants
Sir, the feeling Of the American party
in reference to the Catholic question, as I
understand it. resolves itself into the posi-
ton taken by the gentleman from n York.
IMr. Whitney 1t is not relgiou. pro-
scription it is political privileges po-
litical privilege which We, as a party, and
which |, as an individual, claim have the
right to say that will not vote for any man
whether on account of his religion or politics.
And hero is another question Many
gentlemen seem to pride themselves in the
suggestion that this is violation of the con-
sitution that the constitution requires that
mo religious test shall ever be made as a
qualification for Office l ask any man to
answer whether any private citizen, with
bis mere vote. can, by any possibility, VIC
late the constitution lay down the broad
principle that private individual by his
vote cannot violate the constitution in any
possible contingency. Then, why is it a
violation of the constitution, when | say that
| will not vote for man, whether it be on
accoun. Of bis religion or anything else p
Here is the true position. l have a right to
vote for any man | please for Office, wheih-
er the constitution says that he is or is not
eligible The constitution lays down the
qualifications for office, but does not direct
my vote can vote, if please, for an
Irishman for President | do not violate
the constitution but if the Irish born citi-
zen should take the Office, be would violate
the constitution.
Allow me to say, in connection with these
remarks, Mr.. Clerk. that am not the man
to prescribe another for his religious opin-
ions. have known many Roman Catho-
lies. l have friends among Roman Catho-
lies and | viii say with great pleasure that
some Of the best and purest men and wo-
men | have ever known belonged to the Ca
tholio church AS member Of the Amer
lean party. do not desire to prescribe any
man for his religious opinions; but, sir.
from the foundation of the Roman Catholic
church up to this day, it has. at all times.
been arrayed on the side of power. and new
er on the side of the people-always for the
| tyrant and never for liberty. At some 9TH
er time. intend. so far as am individual
ly concerned, to set myself right on every
position of the National American party;
! and do trust that. notwithstanding this con-
/ troversy--this apparent division IN tho
ranks of the American party-we will ba
euabled to rally our forces and meet our le-
/ Ultimate enemies with solid front and an
undaunted prowess.
Mr. BENNETT, OF Mississippi, Gnterrupt-
! ing) Does the gentlemen from fennsyl-
vania, (Mr. Fuller,) coincide with the gen
| tleman from Alabama in bis re marks which
be has just expressed
Mr.. SMITH The opinion Of the gentle
man from Pennslvania on the subject is
none of my business. have not inquired
into it. If he thinks differently on that
subject it would not weigh feather with
me. 30 far as he is concerned. Allow me
sir, to say in connection, that the Roman
Catholic branch of the doctrines of the
American party is merely collateral We
do not wish to battle On that subject alone.
We present to the country great principles.
independent of that one. So far as an,
concerned as an individual. will take that
one, too, without feeling it 70 be vsSX bur-
aeusoyue. vote for MIR. Henry NJ M.Tulier.