The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-11-22
WASHINGTON CITY.
SATURDAY MORNING, NOV. &c, 1865.
TIE FOREIGN-BoRN CATHOLICS OF THE UNITED
STATES AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

Our attention has been directed to the leading article
which appears in the New York Courier and Enquirer OF
November 18TH in relation what the editor conceyes to
be- or affects to conceive the very mysterious and very
Suspicious community Of interest and sentiment and
cert Of action between the regnborn Catholics of the
United States and the democratic party. As have
wish 10 msrepresent the Courier give its grave 1iic
Inent against very large and respectable class of the
community entire;
The fact notorious the day foreign
born Catholics, body, adhere to tbs democratic party
and IA fact among tbs tenacious Of It's adherents
1t has ever been In consequence of il James A. Polk
became President of the United States and Henry Clay
Ii in consequence Of this that Franklin Pierce and
not Winfield Scott made Presidents change properly
distributed the popular vote of less than seventy thousand
would have elected the who would have preserved
Missouri Compromise intact aud saved eoontfy from all
the evils distracting it, And say again, had it
been for the foreign Roman Catholic vote John c.
would be the President elect Buchanan
and all the caiamites would have been averted that
stare in the face.
We do not lake notice of this in any spirit of religious
prejudice, We would be the last raise invidious dis
tneo between the professors of faith and Of another in
any regard touching the equal rights of American citizens
We consider it Of the glores of the federal constitution
that tolerates religious tests And is precisely be-
do consider that impeled ask how
it that religion should enter into the elements of party
der the constitution What affinity there between Roman
Catholicism of foreign growth and the called democracy
thai should produce so intimate and complete union We
say Roman Catholicism of foreign groh, for not
aware that native American Catholics noke the Eps
copaans the Presbyterans the Mehodists, the Bapts
and other bodies Chrisans-to Unfortunately
among all political parties 1t not the bare fact of icing
foreign born that this for foreign Protest
citizens exercise the freedom of thought
and arrive at the dversi" conclusion Americans
themselves and join all parties according individual pref
erences 1t is something incident foreign Catho
csm but what's it We ask in all seriousness; and with
out undertaking to give ourselves will feel
particularly obliged if any candid Roman Catholic will
der for which will the test of exami-
nation"
The quntupe alliance of New York. of which the Cou-
rer is not the least influential member until now at
buted Mr. Framonts defeat other causes than the one
just named The Tribune, Herald and Post are quite
positive that Mr. Buchanan his election to the negro
driving democracy of the South" The Times is equally as
positive that had Mr.. Fillmore been withdrawn from the
field the promised golden shower from Marposa would
soon be reality For General Webb has been reserved
the discovery that the utter failure the plans and the
utter discontinue of the combinations black republican
ISM with the consequential loss of cabinet appointments
and foreign Missions entirely and exclusively owing TO
those irrecaimabe the oegnborn Catholics
of the United States We might volunteer it is true to
enghen the New York alliance the true cause of the
great POLITICAL moral social andwe say with all proper
reverenceChrisan victory which has just been achieved
by the people OF this country but they have no faith
IN the virtue, intelligence patriotism of the masses it
would be labor thrown away "for none are so blind as
those who win not see.'
One of the inherent elements of success in the
party is the applicability OF its bread general and unda
mental principles to individual The principle of uni
versa toleraon which may be regarded life principle
of democracy, is as applicable to Jew a Gentle to
Protestant Catholic. Those who cause 10 dread
the prosecuting fires of political religious intolerance
will naturally, and ardently, turn party which
does not and cannot make any distinctions between creeds
and That very large majority of the oreignborn
Catholics have for many years acted with the democratic
party is true far observation extends Bat has
the Courier suspicion why this Is So and why this
truth sensibly felt the late election Has 1t
heard Of party that organized for the avo ed
purpose of putting down" foreigners in general and Cath
olics in particular win it have the erontery to deny
that many Of the high priests Of black republcanisu
the high priests of and that while
Sam openly used in the South TO defeat the dem
ocatc candidate for the presidency that section of
the Unon he secretly and successfully used in most
Of the northern States the election Of Mr. Ere
mont As long the old wing party was national in
its characerss long its leaders were free from the
suspicion Of desiring abrage the constitutional rights Of
nsturazed citizens, or to make religion test for Of
fee and czenshiParge numbers ofCatholcs were found
among the most unwaverzg and enthusiastic supporters
OF the opposition Candidates for the presidency 1t will not
be denied that proportion to the population there are
more Catholics in the States Of Maryland and Louisiana
than IN any two other States In the Union And yet the
electoral votes of both States have been generally given to
the whg candidates.
The whole scope and design Of the Courer remarks are
to create false and wholly ungrounded prejudice against
foregn-born Catholics and thus prepare the way for the
crusade against that denomination Of Christian,
which forms the most conspicuous part the programme
Of the black republicans for the Campaign Of 1860 II the
Courier bad shown tiat the democratic party was wick
ed corrupt anS unpstote party in league with traitors
at home and allied with tyrauts and despos abroad the
Of its discovery that the oreign-born Cath
ocs drawn to 1t in body would have fallen upon
the public with startling and stunning effect For
than half century majority Of citizens have
given unmsksble evidence that they believe the demo-
cratic party is the only true national conservative ps
otto party In the country and that civil and religious
liberties can alone be maintained and perpctuated through
the sscsndsncy Of that party That fosgnborn Catholics
should be tainted and stgmared BY such journals as the
Courier fer their having supported such party mat
ter which shoud coll forth the congratulations Of every
true patriot for II the Coarr hng proved anything IL has