The true Democrat., 1856-08-12
Our Liberties

Cuf Liberties.
 PARTIES AND PARTY NAMES-THE TORY AND THE WHIG-THE REPUBLICAN AND THE FE- DERALIsT-THE DEMOCRAT AND wHIG-THE DEMOCRAT AND KNOW NOTHING.
 No. K.
 The history of our liberties discloses he fact that the anti-Catholic part of Know Nothing ism is an obsolete tory measure; and I have stated the reasons given, now here, for proscrib- ing Catholics are identical with those that were advanced in England for the same object, when the Catholic question was the great issue be- tween the whs and tory parties in that coun- try. To prove this-I give below some ex- tracts as specimens, from whig and tory speeches, and essays made by the leading English politi- clans, during the memorable contest upon this question in England.
 In some instances the nature of the tory reasoning will be easily interred from the whig arguments which were advanced to combat it. The Know Nothing novice will discover that the vauntel positions which his political lea ders claim 50 much credit for originating, have been, years and years ago, advanced by musty tories who were triumphantly sienced, where the constitution of the country dtd not as here vouahsafe to all the citizens egua1 rig+ts and where, consequently the democracy of the land was not placed Ike soe, under such sacred obligations to defend them
 From aa a{less deZiverei y tde Lord Bishop of
 Lincoln ta 18l3.-IoRY
 ''lt s sometimes said that Catholics being ex- ctude4 from poWerare consequently persecuted; as II exclusion from power and religious per sacuton were convertible terms. Persecution cOmpeIs men to adopt prescribed faith, or to suffer the Ioss ol liberty, property or even life; tNciusloA from power neither commands or for bids mly mode Of worship-it leaves the busi- ness of religion where it ought to be left. to every mans judgment and conscience. Exclu- sion llOm power is founded in the natural and rational principle of self-protection and self preservation, equally applicable to nations and to individuals. * "CathOlics assert that the Pope is supreme head of the christian church and that allegeance is due to him from every individual member in all spiritual matters Ills direct opposition to one of the fuudameu- tai principles of the ecclesiastical part of our constitution, is alone sufficient to justify the exclusion of Catholics from all situations of authority. They acknowledge indeed that obe- dience ii all civil matters, is due to the King. But cAsts must arise, in which civil and reli- 5lons duties will clash; and he knows but little oI the influence of the Popish religion over the minds ot it's votarieS, who doubts which of these would be sacrificed to the other More over the most subtle casuistry cannot always discriminate between temporal and spiritual things"
 From o1' ons~er to tle aJooe Jy Sydney S0,jU-
 WHIG.
 No man can be fairly said to be permitted to enjoy his own worship who Is punished for exercising that worship His lordship seems to have no other idea of punishment than lodg- ing man in prison, or logging him at the carts ta or tinIGg him a sum of money, just as if incapacitatlng a man from enjoying the digni- ties and emouments to which men of similar condition, and other faith, may fairly aspire, was not frequently the most severe and galling of all puuishments. How can that law acknowledge men to be perfectly free to hold an opinion which excludes from desirable situations al! who hold that opinion? *
 "We deny entirely that any case can occur, where the exposition of a doctrine purely spe- culatve or the arrangement of a mere point of
 
 The Roman Catholics are Irish or English cit- zens at this moment; but no such case has oc- cured. There is no instance in which obe- dience to the civil magistrate has been prevent ed, by m 1cknowled gment of the spiritual su~ premacy vf the Pope he Catholics have given i'll, an oath which we suppose the Bishop has never read, the most solemn pledge, that their submission to their spiritual ruler did not interfere with their civil obedience The hy- pothesis of his lordship is, that it must very often do so. The fact is it has never done so.
 "Mild and genteel people do not like the idea of persecution, and are advocates of tol- craton; but then they think it no act of intol- erance to deprive Catholics of political power. The history of all this is, all men secretly like to punish others for not being of the same opin- ion with themselves, and that this sort of pri- vaton is the only species of persecution, of which the improved feeling and advanced cul tlvation of the age will admit Fire and fagot, chains and stone walls have been clamored away; nothing remains but to mortify mans pride, and to limit his resources, and to set mark upon him, by cutting him off from lis fair share of political power."
 "Wherever three or four negotiatorg are gath cred together, British diplomat appears among them, with some article of kindness and pity for the poor negro. All is mercy and compas- sion, except where wretched Ireland is concern- ed. The saint who swoons at the lashes of the slave is the encourager of anti-Catholic meet ings and the hard, bigoted domineering tyrant of Ireland"
 Ertract from "a Plain statement 10 support of
 the political clainas of CathOhcs-By c member
 of Parliament, 1926" "-WHIG.
 "Divided allegiance is imputed to Catholics by these persons who approve of the excluding oaths, and wish them retained. But to the whole of this imputation, even if no other n- stance could be adduced, as far as strong and remarkable example can prove the negative of an assumption, which there is not single ex- ample to support-the full and sufficient and incontcstable answer is Canada Canada which, until you can destroy the memory of all that now remains to you of your sovereignty on the North American continent, is an answer practical, memorable, difficult to be accounted for, but blazing as the sun Itself in sight of the whole world, to the whole charge of divided alle glance. At tyour conquest of Canada you found it Roman Catholic; you had te choose for her a constitution in church and State You were wise enough not to thwart public opinion. In Canada you established and avowed the religion of the people Canada was your only RomM,