Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-01-18
inconsistency of KnoV-No1himgs.


the Philadel pha Platform. On the religious test, the
party throughout the Union is equally at daggers
points, made manifest by the following discus
sion in the House of Representatives-al the speak
ers, but Mr.. Taylor, beng members of the Know
Nothing party. 1t will be observed that the bgoted
position of Mr. FIournoy, and his Virginia supper
tiers, is strongly reprObated by their brethren from
Louisiana and Alabama, who fully Justify all that
was said by the democratic orators and presses dur
ing the last Gubernatoral canvass:
MIR. Eustis of Louisiana rose for the purpose of
making personal explanation. He had voted for
Mr.. Fuller because that gentleman presented to
him a most acceptable Candidate-as an honOra-
bic and conservative gentleman and he should vote
for him as long he permitted his name to be used
before the House. He then proceeded to state, in
few words, what is the position of the American par
ty in Louisiana. They hold that religious faith is
question between every individual and his God, and
consiIer that any attempt TO abridge or crcumscribe
religious freedom is unworthy of our great country,
and must be repudiated. In this spirit Louisiana
pudates the eighth section Of the Philadelphia plat
form, placing itself on the broad basis OF civil and
religious liberty 1t would be remembered that MIR
FlOurnOy, the American candidate for the Governor
ship Of Virginia avowed in a letter. that he would
never vote for a Roman Catholic for office Thank
God he was defeated. There enough in that
letter to defeat ten thousand candidates for Office.
He expressed the hope that every man who holds
odious doctrines will meet with deep political
grave as Mr.. FlournOy. He would prefer that his
any party whose direct purpose is to prosecute Amer
can Catholics in this country. 1t made him blush
when he saw Protestant clergymen dragging their
robes in the mire of party politics. The Legislatures
are full of gentlemen in black coats and white era
watts this Congress is full of them but he asked,
show me a Chatholic priest or an accredited agent
OF the Bishop of Rome in this hall The poor old
man, he has to be protected himself by French bay
onets as they would protect prisoner
Mr. Smith, Of Alabama repiei TO Mr.. Euss. He
thanked God that no Catholic priest nor accredited
agent Of the Church of Rome here, and hoped
that If the country should survive thousand years
there never will be one here. The gentleu an ought
to remember that if there Catholic priests here,
that fraternity, in their assemblies, have, from the
first arrayed themselves on the side of power and
against liberty. He denounced Roman Catholics be-
cause spiritually, temporarily, and politically they
owed their allegiance to the Pope of Rome, above the
Constitution.
Mr.. Taylor, of Louisiana, briefly replied to Mr..
Smith, showing that during the French Revolution,
the Catholic priests Joined the third estate (the peo-
p.e against the mobiles and the clergy, and gave mo-
ION and power to the popular element which achIev
ed freedom in France.
MT. Percy Walker, of Alabama, acquIesced in the
opinions expressed by Mr. Eusts and he aDnoun'
ced to the House and the country that he took issue
openly and directly, with his honorable colleague
Mr. Smith, of AIabama) He had yet to see the
n[st native American Catholic who acknowledged his
Obligations to any other power to be paramount t.
ile great organic law of the land.
The House adj ourned till Wednesday.
Richmond Enquirer.