Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1856-04-23

without his knowing that ! am not OF
this order. ] may prove wanting in
ability to serve; | shall never prove
wanting in candor towards you. 1t
has been the habit Of my life to de-
tend. my course against all odds when
| believe it is right, and to acknowl-
edge my errors when. believed have
done wrong. l freely admit to you,
that ought never TO have gone into
a secret political society OF any kind
whatever; tn at they are wrong in
principle, against the very genius OF
cur institutions, dangerous III prac-
tice, and should be avoided by all
men Of all parties. ] objected then,
and object now, to the whole ma
chinery OF its organization; | objected
then, and object now. to All indiscrim-
mate prescription Of naturalized citi-
zens from office; ] objected then, and
object now+ to anything that even
looks like making a religious test
A ProtestantEby birth, a Protestant
byeaucation, Iby prejudice, by reason,
by faith; 4 Pr otestant in all. q regret
TO say except the practice.) was .
Catholic Organization formed to brand
me as unworthy Of public trust be-
cause of my religious opinions, l
would cali upon every honest .Catho-
lie in the.lanl to aid me in striking
it down. AS would '.have them do
unto me, Il will do unto Them
The Catholic and Protestant have
fought side by side on those battle
fields where our liberties were won;
and when. "ptstilence has stalked at
noon-dayp through our cities, leaving
a track of de ISOLATION and death, We
have seer the Protestant and the
Catholic ministry again laboring side
BY side to stay its awful ravages--
TO administer balm to the sick, conso-
lation to. the dying, and decent inter
mcnt to the dead = If we kneelnot at
the same affairs, under the same forms,
we worship the same God; we are
pointed to the same accountability
for sin, and to- the same Heaven as a
reward for piety! Why. should not
we, leave controverted points Of the
ology to the n ministry Of the churches!
Why should not we laymen 60 on
as we should 60 on-in brotherly love
and confidence! AS have opposed
the dragging Iof politics up Into the
pulpit, | oppose drawing religion
downinto politics. Allthinkihg men
agree that the only real danger to our
institutions arises from making the
subject q slavery a sectional question.
May not res pectfully ask the Protes-
tant ministry of the South to- pause
and reflect, that if they bring the do
ings of churches into political discus
sion. they mi ghtininrc Professionalism.
May not the Catholic turn upon you
with the fact, that of three thousand
preachers who denounced the, judy.
ments of God upon our devoted heads
who vote d for the Kansas Nebraska
bill, there was not upon the paper the
name of ia single Catholic minister.
May he not show that none Of his
clergymen are in the Halls of Con.
gress. while we have TwENrY-oDD
PREACHERS !! May he not show that
he has neverIrefused to take the holy
communion with STAKEHOLDER that
his church in the North are not stir
ring the waters of sectional strife
that they never do, and never have
interferrcd with the delicate question
of slavery and by showing these
things, drawing these contrasts, may
they not commend their church to the
South, and weaken yoursl These
are questions for You to consider. 1t
is but just to a large and respectable
Protestant denomination. allnde to
the regular Old Baptists--to say that
they have never, anywhere, at any
time. under any circumstances. either
North or South, interierred in politi-
cal affairs. vi ~ m ~ T.
Why should Protestants agitate
this subject z Why sh ould they en-
deavor to bu id up POLITICAL PARTY
upon asubjctt on which they can have
no POLITICAL AcrIoNl You are for,
hidden TO ACT by the Constitution OF
the United States. The Constitution
says, that Congress shall make no
law respecting the establishment Of
religion, or prohibiting the free exer.
else thereof.n Take this case: Sup
pose a President, having sworn in
Know Nothing councils that he will
appoint no Roman Catholic to Office,
is elected. lie takes an oath toisnp-
port the Constitution of the United
States. That Constitution says that
''no religious test shall ever be re-
quircd as a qualification to any Office
or public trust under the United
States" Suppose, then, a man ispre.
scented for Office: does he not have 10
inquire, nnder his first oath, il the
man is q Catholicl If he. is, then he
must refuse him on that account
If he does sojrefnse him, he violates
his oath, because he then swore he
would mako Es.no religious test" Il