Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-05-14

The Bishops Oath ana the Union and


We have been silent but not indifferent
witnesses Of the efforts of our friends of
the Gazette and the Banner TO wiring from
the Union and american an answer to the
formers question propounded some time
since which was as follows: "Would you
vote for any man to gil any Office in the
country who is under political oath, or an
ecclesiastical one, to obey the mandates,
rules and dispositions of foreign prince or
potentate." The Gazette labored persis-
tently for several weeks, but to our obser-
walton, without effect Day after day did
the 'damnable iteration" in the Gazette
stare it in the face The form of the ques-
tioniwas varied into every conceivable frame,
but without success. The respondent Tor,
rather correspondent acted like deaf
mute. There was no sign of an answer,
and not even an indication that he heard
the question So profound was the silence
that the Gazette very naturally concluded
that the Union and american was dead,
and SO published 1t had exhausted every
known means of eliciting answers, but the
thumb-screw and the vice. Not having
the power to force inquisitorial measures
to effect its object it had begun to despair
and was on the point Of giving over the
attempt.
But to the surprise Of every one few
days since the Union and american stated
that it had promptly and positively" an
swered the question. Upon this our friend
of the Banner demanded to know what
the answer was, stating that to his appre-
hension if there had been one at all, it was
in the negative. To this the Union and
Anlcricam replied on Friday last in a char
acteristic vein Of quibbling and evasion,
which the Banner most happily exposed on
Saturday. The true issue was lodged, the
question not answered, and we are yet left
in doubt as to the course our neighbor
would pursue were the issue clearly raised
with him. But yet he claims to have an
swered. The nearest thing to an answer
that we can find from him, is his declara-
ton on the It'll inst, that he would vote
for no man who had sworn "to obey the
dictation of any man or set of men" We
are forced in the absence of a direct an
swer, to infer that he would not vote for
a man who had taken such an oath as the
one he published from Bishop Miles, from
which we find that that gentleman has
sworn thus, that: "With my whole strength
| shall observe and cause to be observed
by others, the rules of the holy Fathers,
the DEGREES, ordinances, or dispositions and
mandates of the Apostolic See" The
Union and american would not vote for
any man who had taken such an oath, and
especially Bishop Miles who in addition is
a Wing, and is disabled from Office by the
State Constitution But these last are but
trivial objections with our neighbor, eS-
pecially that of Whiggery as in these lat
ter days he has grown fond of Whigs-ac-
cording to his article of May It'll it is be-
cause men who take this oath swear to
obey the dictation of other men that our
neighbor regards them as disqualified, and
would refuse to vote for them.
But hear him on Friday in regard to this
oath. He and Bishop Miles published it
that the world might see it did not enjoin
temporal allegiance on the swearer The
mandates are such as are "Stridly within
the limits of ecclesiastical authority" it is
claimed And yet with this qualification,
the Union and american thinks it prudent
to withhold its vote from a man who would
take it. 1t is in vain that Bishop Miles
disclams temporal allegiance. In our neigh
boris opinion, spiritual allegiance alone is
sufficient disqualification, and he is on the
record that any man who owns such ale
glance cannot get his vote.
In this assertion the Union and american
convicts itself of prescription for religions
sake--a charge which, without foundation,
it and Democratic papers have brought
against the American Party. We have
protested time and again that it was the
temporal power of the Pope only which had
excited our fears-that we did not wish to
disturb any mans religious viewS-that
these were matters between men and their
Maker-that the Catholic might believe
without let or hindrance from US in the
seven sacraments-that he might implicitly
observe every spiritual requirement of his
creed-that he might regard the Pope as
Christ's vicar on earth-that his religious
worship beneath his own wine and fig
tree" were sacred from intrusion and should
never be violated-that his conscience and
his convictions of duty to his Creator were
his own, and beyond human surveillance. II
oil history did not inform us, and the asser-
tons of Catholic authorities Of the present
day did not assure US, that in that system
Of religion there is political feature in
compatible with the spirit of republican
liberty, we could never gain our consent TO
regard its deyotees as unsafe depositaries
of political power in this country. But
such is the case, as has been often proved,
and as facts are constantly establishing,
and seriously impressed as we are with it,