The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-08-30
From the Louisville Journal
Catholics and Slavery.


Mother Church made an opposition to slavery
patt Of the religion orall her true and faith
lul children for some two or three hundred
years back, and, only seventeen years ago,
instructed Gad commanded them to regard slave
holding Ms injurious to their salvation and
diSgracttul to the Christian name" This
platform is identical with that of Theodore
Parker Henry Ward Bcechcr. William Lloyd
Garrison and Wendell Phillips.
Pope Gregory XVI, claiming to "fill the
place of Jesus Christ. the Son of God''--wc
quote his own lauguagc-iSSucd what was
termed the "allocution' Of his Church against
slavery on the Sd of November, 1889. For
the proof of what we say, we submit to the
public attention the following extract from
The said .'allocution with the question why
docs .'D,mocracy" SO studiouSly conceal from
the people the errors, faults. and otllnses Of
the Church Of Rome.
"Wh,r,fle The darkness Of Pagan supcrsti.
ton being entirely disspatcd in the progress
OF time and the manners Of the most barbar-
ouS nations being softentd-tl.anks to the
benefit Of faith working by chariiy-things
advanced so far, that for many centuries there
have been no slaves among the greater part of
Christian nations. Yet 1--WE say it with pro
found sorrow) men have been since found even
among Christians who, sham,fully blinded
by the desire Of sor'lid gain, have not hcsita-
ted to reduce into slavery, Ill d!Stdat countries
Indians, negroes, and other unfortunate races:
His Holiness here points TO the United States.
-EdHOfSl or to assist in this scandalOuS
crime, by inst;tuting and organizing a traffic
in these unfortunate beings, who had been
loaded with chains by othrls. a great num-
Der of the Roman pontiils, our predecessors of
Glorious memory, have not forgotten TO stig-
lnalise, throughout the extent Of their ,iuriS-
diction, the conduct Of these men as injurious
10 their salruion, GM dtsgracefM 10 the Chris
tian name; for they clearly saw that it was
one Of the causes which teEdcd most power
fully 10 make inGdci nations Lomt"ue IL tier
hatred 10 the true religion.
This was the object of the apostolical letters
Of Paul III, of the 10Th May, 1887, addressed
to the Cardinal Archbishop Of Toledo, under
the ling Of the fisherman and othci letters,
much more copious Of Urban VIII, Of the
Did April, 1879, addressed to TIL, collector Of
the rights of the Apostolic Chamber in Portu-
gal--lcHerS in lrhic& the most Scrcre cenS,u'eS
are cast np0n those rho rcat,rc to reduce The
inhabitants Of the East o. Vest hdies into
Siorcry, buy, s2N, eice, on erchaage them, sep
urute them from Mey mireS and children, strip
them Of Mer properly, iuhc or send Mem INTO
AIun4e places, or dcprre them ofMel liberty
IN any w0y: to retain them in slavery: or 0u
co"a$d Succor or f0ror those who do these
things under any color or pretcnce whatever
lihiS reads like counSclling resistance to lugi-
tive slave laws Ed,forSl: o" preach OF teach
that this is lawful, end in fine, cooperate
Herewith in any way whatever. Benedict
XIV has since confirmed and renewed these
pontiiical ordinances before mentioned, by
new apostolical letters to the Bishops OF Bra
iii and some Other countries, dated the 10Th
December, l14l by mcans Of which he calls
forth the solicitudc ofthe Bishops Tor the same
purpose.
4 long time before, another Of our more an
cicnt predecessors, Plus n, whose rontilicatc
saw thc empire Of the Portuguese extended
in Guinea and in the country Of the blacks,
addressed letters. dated the 7th Of October,
l4S2, to til" Bishop of RIVE, who was ready
to depart for those counties: in these letters
dc did not conline himself to giving to this
prllate the means requisite for exercising the
sacred ministry in these countries with the
greatest fruit, but he took occasion very Sc
vcrcly to blame the conduct Of those who re-
duc'd the neophytes into slavery. In fine,
in our day s. PiuSyIl,, animated by the same
spirit of charity and religion as his predecess-
ors, zcaouSly intcrpoScd his good office with
mon Of authority for the entire abollt ion Of
thcslaye trade among Christians.
These ordinances and this solicitude Of our
predecessors, have awaited not little, when
the aid of God, in defending the Indians, and
other nations who have just been mentioned
against the bai barity OF conquest and the cup
ility Of Christian merchants. But the Holy
See is far brom being able to boast of the com
pctc success Of its Efforts and zeal, for, if the
slave trade has been partially abolished it is
still carri' d on by great many Christians.
Wherefore, dcsirClng 10 remOre Suth disgrace
from all Christian countries, after having ma
tnrcly considered the matter with many of
of our venerable brethren, the Cardincls of the
Holy Roman Church, assembled in council,
following the example OF our predecessors, by
virtue Of the apostolic tfli;c, IRE ram n1d Gd-
monih in HE Lord ali Christians, Of uhQicrcr
condition Mcy mcy be and cnjoin upon them
that for the future, 80 one shall venture I'M
justly, to strip them Of their properly
or reduce them into servitude, or gire
oM or support 10 those who commit @sch crccSSeS
OF curry on that iutiumouS haD,c, by mlich lhe
JlackS us 4 Mey pers not men, but mere impure
animals, reduced like MGm into Serritudc, piM-
on aug diStHchOa, contrary 10 me 'HNS Of j"$-
lice and Immunity, are bought, solj, aed dcro-
ted 10 endnrcMe hQydcN iaborS; and on account
Of which Discussions are excited and almost
continual wars acc formented among nations
by the allurcmcnts Of gain offered to those
who first carry away the negroes.
Wherefore, by virtue Of the apostolical an-
thy.sy, we condemn all these things aforesaid
a|absolutely unworthy Of the Christian name
nd, by the same authority, we absolutely
prohibit and intc,dict all ccclcsiastics and
laymcn fom ycnturing to maintain that
this traffic IN blacks is permitted, under any
prcteXt or colcr whatsoever, or TO preach or
teach i'll public or in private, in any way
whatever, anything contrary to these apostol-
ic letters. And in order that these letters
may come to the knowledge of all, and that
no one may pretend ignorance. we ordain and
decree that they be published and posted up,
according to custom, by one of our officers,
on the doors of the basilca of the Prince of
the Apostles of thelApostoic Chanccry, of
the Palace of Justice, of Monte Citorio, and
at the Campo di Fiori. Given at Rome, at St.
Mary Majors under the seal Of the fisherman
the Sd of November, 1850, the ninth year Of
our Pontificate.
LOUIS CARDINAL LAMBRUS 'uINI."
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