Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-07-16
Prom the n. Y. INDEPENDENT
Shall a Han be a Catholic Against
his Will?

his Will!
Political heats are apt to hatch out
f~alSehoOdS as tropical heats do venomous
insects. But CT risliaD men should be
especially careful that they do mo- coun-
t%enance or propagate such falsehood.
AT this time many newspapers reck
lessly charge Col. Fremont with being a
Roman Catholic. Though it has been
auihOritatively contraticIed, il still con
tinues to be asserted, and in very posi-
tive and impudent forms.
We have taken pains to inform our
selves in this matter, and now state to
the christian public the simple truth, thai
good men, at least. may cease to bear
false witness.
Col. Fremont was blessed with a moth
tr Of devoted piety. She was a member
OF the Episcopal Church, St. Phillips,
Charlestown, 5. c., and reared her son
IN her W faith. Indeed, until he was
fourteen, Col. Fremont was educated in
the hope and expectation that he would
bec'me an Episcopal minister. AT six
teen he was confirmed in the Episcopal
Church, and has ever since, when within
reach of the church, been an attendant
and communicate. And since his tenn
porary sujourn in New York, he has
been an attendant at DR.. Authon 5
church, until recently ; and now he
worShips at Grace church. Mrs. Ere
mont was reared strictly in the Presby
Jerian church, and united with the Epis
cOpal church upon her marriage with
Col. Fremont. Their children have
been baptised in the Episcopal church.
Ii is said that a daughter has been sent
to a Catholic institution for education
So far from it, she has never been sem
away from home 1t all. but has been
educated by her own mother.
IL is well known that Mrs. Fremont i
the daughter of Colonel Benton, and
that, at the time, her father was opposed
to The marriage. Colonel Frcmcn per.
S%onally solicited several Pro es ant cler-
gymen TO perform the marriage cere
m nv, but on account of Colonel BEN
tons opposition to it. they We're unwil
Ah3 ~ W. ~. ~ Nlud!c lIlCuU. III lll>
rxiscncy, said that she could find a
clergyman who would aid without fear,
and brought in a Catholic clergyman,
who married them. Like a true lover
and gallant man, Fremont said hat he
did not are Who did it, so that it was
done quick and strong. Had We been
IN CulOrel FremOnt's place. we would
have been married if ii had required us
to walk through a row of priests and
bishops as long as from Washington to
Rome, winding up with The Pope him
self.
Is 1t not ludricrous to see a class OF
citizens So lie ribly frightened at the
spread of Catholicism. and dreading the
evils OF Papacy above all things. seizing
a quiet Protestant gen leman and insist
ing upon it that he SHALL be a Catholic ?
In vain he Struggles and protests; Catho
lie he SHALL be. whether he will or no !
" But, gentlemen, | do Got believe in
the doctrines ; | WAS reared bv a Pro
leStant mother, in a Protestant church A:
| have married n Protestant wife Hy
children have had Protestant baptism /;
we and they attend Protestant worship.
and we are, both by education and con
v%IciiOn, ! r, teStants. You must excuse
US. but we CANNOT be Catholics The
eager gentleman will not be bafl d.
Il" You a be Catholics; you are
Catholics +; all that you say may be
true, in some my SierlouS name ; you
ARE Catholics. and we will have it 80 ,
Poor Col Fremont. We do not see
how he will get ovc i'll These terrible
Protestanl'S of the Express are out with
sword and pen. determined that he
be a Catholic. Henry Ward
Beecker.