New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-22
Is FREMONT 4 CATHOLIC9-THEQ CUES
TION SETTLED.
From The v. y. Evaneeiist. Sent. Il

From Inc " l. Etanoast, Sept. 10.
Nor FOR PARTY, But FOR TRurH.-It is not our
business to enter into The strife of politics That is not
cur vocation, and have relgiously absained from
such contests. Nor shall We depart from this line OF
strict proprlety But We sometimes appealed to
for information as to matters Of fact by readers who
imagine that we may have special means of knowing
the truth In such case We are willing to tell what
we know-not for the sake of party but of truth.
This we nav do without sacrificing our neutral and in
dereudent character. II we can help to correct an
error or 10 dsabuse the public mind of false impress
sion. we are doing service to rght-minded men of all
narties We do not urge our readers TO vote one way
or the other but do wish them to vote integenty
II ia well known that Of the candidates for the
Presidency has been charged with being Roman
Catholic To this story we never gave the slightest
Importance considering 1t as one OF those bald false
hoods which were fabricated for party purpose, aud
which would drop into oblivion and be despised as soon
as it lad served its object But as the orignators of
the story cling to with great pertinacity, thinking it
very effective weapon to excite odum aud prejudice,
some good men have thought it worth while to set the
matter at and forever at rest. Clergymen OF this
city have been applied to by members OF their churches,
and BY letters from abroad to make personal inquiry.
since the public would have entire confidence in their
statement knowing that they were not likely 10 be de
cclved themselves, and that they could have no motive
to usstate the tact.
Thus appealed 10, number Of clergymen, though
ve.y reluctant TO do anything which could bring their
names before the public in connection with any political
question called on Colonel Fremont for the purpose of
frank conversation in regard to his religious profession
and belief This they dd-not for their personal
satisfaction for not of them had doubt about the
ma;ter-but simply that they might be able to satisfy
others by an assurance from his own lips. Among
.Lo-e WHO went were the Rev. DR.. De Witt of the
Dutch Reformed Church; Professors Henry Is. Smith
and r. ID. Hitchcock of the Union Theological Semin-
ary: the Rev. David b. COe, Secretary of the Home
Missionary Society and one of the editions of this paper
They were received with great cordially and Colonel
Fremont responded very frankly and cheerfuly to
their inquiries.
When il was remarked that some of our good people
were disturbed about his religion, he replied, smiling,
that he glad that his opponents were willing to adj.
nit: q, least that he nad some religious feeiing-hat
he was not wholly indifferent to Christianity. One OF
TIE ministers inquired if the account OF his early reg-
ous education and Of his joining the Episcopal Church
as giycu in Bg.ow Life of Fremont, was correct
He replied thu; was; and added, in few words, that
he had been born and educated in the Episcopal
Church; tia, he had been confirmed as II member o.
That Church, and had never had shadow OF thought
of leaving II. .
When aluson wa made to the persistent assertions
ha; h.. " - Catholic he replied that he could not
imagine how such story took its rise, for that IN fact
be had hardly been inside of Catholic church more
than ha!. dozen times in his life and then upon Occa-
s5ns OF public interest curiosity.
All this said very quietly, and with no apparent
Gesre o6rude his religion to make capital out OF
it, but state the simple fact of bis religious educa-
ton and belief No could listen to this frank, yet
modest statement, without feeling that il per-
fectly INGENIOUS and that, with no bigotry toward
otlels he was sincerely and unafectedy attached
to the religion in which he had been educated by q
piolls mother,