Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-05-21

y
country itself THOSE MORAL AND POLITICAL DOC
TRINEs WHICH FLOW FROM THE TEACHINGS OF OUR
OWN CHURCH. We are at home here, wherever
We may have been born; THIS Is OUR COUNTRY,
and as it is TO BECOME THOROUGHLY CATH
OL1C, aoe hare deeper interest IN public affairs
than dny other Of our citizens. THE sects Gre on.
u ly for q day.; the CHURCH FOREvER!"
! Here we have candid declaration, from the
accredited organ of the church that thenceforth
Catholicism is to be made an element in the par
ty contests of the country. Catholic politics are
to be taught by the press, and Catholic votes are
to be employed to make the country "THoRoUGH-
LY CATHOLIC"
True to his professions, and keeping an eye
single to Catholic interests, we find Brownson
alternately denouncing both the great parties OF
the country and villifying without measure their
leading men.
Gen. Cass having made speech in the Sen.
ate, in favor of free worship and the rights OF
conscience for Americans abroad, Brownson at
ter cornmiserating his compromise of ideas"
and ''drivelling," said in his number for October,
1852: 81 ~
I'VE are glad to see Gen. Cass laid on the
shelf, for we can never support man who turns
radical in his old age"
When Mr.. Fillmore's administration closed, it
was thus noticed by the "Freemans Journal, |"
the organ of Archbishop Hughes-the provoca-
ton being letter written by Mr.. Everett, ask
ing the Grand Duke of Tuscany to release Nc
dais from imprisonment:
\ "It does not escape the independent Judgment
of the Universe, that the administration, now
happily defunct, hos been as bigotted as it has
been imbece. The Universe congratulates the
country upon having elected statesman for
President, and for permitting the Unitarian ex-
preacher, late Secretary of State, to return to
his pulpit to proclaim that Jesus is not God, and
Mr. Fillmore himself to become village law
yer" s
From this it would seem that Gen. Pierce was
special favorite of the Catholic Church, as he
had taken pains to conciliate it by appointing
one of its members to position in his cabinet
But the moment controversy arose between
the United States and Catholic Austria, In re-
gard to Kostas case, We find Brownson, with
the instincts of Jesuit, making his religion
paramount to his civil obligations, and taking
sides against his own country. In his number
for January, 1884, after reviewing the case, ne
saws: 1.-THE secret of the whole transaction is not
difficult to divine 1t was to get up, if possible,
war with Austria, in accordance with the
plans and ardent wishes of Ludwig Kossuth.-
For this purpose, we doubt not Kosta returned,
or was ordered by Kossuth to return to Turkey,
and very possibly with the knowledge and ap-
probation of OUR JAcoBINICAL GOVERNMENT" q
Thus we see no political attachments-no
gratitude for past favors, can bind this Cory
pheus of Catholic editors" when the interests OF
his sect are in any wise involved Catholics
is the all-absorbing idea!
Thus in his October number, 1852, Brownson
SAYS: "The sorrest sight to lis is Catholic
throwing up his cap and shouting ''all hail De-
mocracy!" This too at the very time that he
was supporting the Democratic party in the
Presidential contest He would sooner have
; heard the cry, 'all hail Catholicism and he
was only using Democracy Us an instrument to
advance his primary wish |!
i These passages are sufficient to show that the
Catholic press and the Catholic Church have a.
vowed their purpose to enter the political arena,
and to make their religion an element in the fu-
ture party contests of the country.
Hear too how the "Freeman's Journal" in
vokes the Catholic Irish in this country to bear
, themselves:
"Irishmen learn in America to bide their time.
} Year by year the United States and England
touch each other more nearly on the seas. Year
by year, the Irish are becoming more powerful
, in America. At length the propitious time will
come some accidental sudden collision, and q
Presidential campaign at hdnd WE WILL
USE THEN THE VERY PROFLIGACY OF
OUR POLITICIANS FOR OUR PURPOSES!
They will want to BUY TIE IRISH VOTE, and we
will tell them HOW THEY CAN BUY 1T IN LUMP,
from Maine to California,-BY DECLARING WAR
on Great Britain, and wipng off at the same
time the stains of concessions and dishonor that
our Websters and men of this kind, have per-
mitted to be heaped upon the American flag by
the violence of British agents"
Who can wink SO hard as not to see that Q
religious and not political war was in the
mind of the writer-a war not to advance A
merican interests but to promote the cause OF
4 Catholicism in Ireland, was the real object In
contemplation!
Having thus shown the purpose of the organs
of the Catholic church, to become party to the
political contests of the country, with view to
the advancement of its interests, let us now see
in what way the power thus gained is to be en-
ployed-whether for the promotion OF the cause
of civil and religious freedom, or for Its over
throw.
The first authority which l will cite is the
eFreemans Journal the mouthpiece of Arch
bishop Hughes. That journal in speaking of the
labors of Mr. Hastings the protestant chaplain
of the American consulate at Rome, amiably re-
marked that if he made single convert "HE
WOULD BE KICKED OUT OF ROME, THOUGH Mr.
CAss four minister) SHOULD BUNDLE UP HIS TRAPS
AND FOLLOW nMW
The Pittsburg Catholic Visitor referring to
the same subject, said-"For our own part, we
take this opportunity of expressing our hearty
delight, at the suppression of the Protestant
Chapel in Rome. This may be thought intoler-
ant-but when we would ask, DID WE EvRB PRO-
FEss TO BE TOLERANT TO PRoTEsTANTIsM, OR TO
FAVOR THE DOCTRINE THAT PRoTEsTANTIsM OUGHT
TO BE TOLERATED. On the contrary WE HATE
lPROTESTANTISM- DETEST IT WITH
OUR WHOLE HEART AND SOUL, and we
pray that our aversion to it may never decrease.
We hold it meet that in the Eternal City, no
i worship repugnant to God should be tolerated,
and we are sincerely glad the enemies of truth
are no longer permitted to meet together in the
capital of the Christian world"
There certainly is strong odor of religious
freedom about these most Christian sentiments
The Rambler another Catholic journal thus
expresses itself: a ~ ~ g.
"You ask if he (the Pope) were lord in the
land, and you were in o minority If not IN num-
bers, yet in power, what would ne do to you!
That we say would depend entirely on circum-
stances. If it would benefit the cause OF Catho-
licism he would tolerate you-if expedient, he
would IMpRIsoN YoU-BANIsH YoU-FlNE YOU
POSSIBLY HANG YOU-but be assured OF one
thing, he would never tolerate you for the sake
of the GLORIOUS PRINCIPLES OF civil ana rell-
gious liberty"
This is undoubtedly marked by most COM
mendable degree Of candor The Boston Pilot
very ingenously observes:
mo good government can exist without re-
lieion: aud there can be no religion without an
| Inouisition which is wisely designed for the
promotion and protection of the true faith"
Brownson says :-"Protestantism OF every
form. has not and never can have any rights
| H., Co4bolicitv is triumDbant'-and again