Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-09-11
Yours. Respectfully,
REV. MICHAEL oLlVETTI.


REV. MICHAEL oLlYETTI.
To this letter what would be the answer Of
apy honest editor That he was msiniOrmed
or mistaken. Not so the Express. II replies
in substance that 0lyetti is an Italian Jesuit,
and lies. A common rule Of evidence fOrbids
party impeacbing bis OWn witness, But while
the Erpress treats a statement attributed on
hearesy u 0liyetti as proof that Fremont is
Roman CattOlic, il refuses all credence to OH.
yetrs direct and explicit denial ofever having
said so.
But Father Ollivetti's letter goes beyond
denial Of the language imputed to him. l'ai-
firms that "CathOlic clergymen often marry
those who are not Catholics" thus directly de-
mUlshing all lntereno.s based upon the fact
that Col Fremont was married to Miss Benton
by Catholic priest. That fact proves nothing,
and all the shallow twaddle which the Fillmore
papers have printed on the subject goes for
nothing except 10 prove their own stupidity.
Father Olivett says "CaLhOlic clergymen Of
ten marry those who are not Catholics" To
this the Express rejons
We hereby contract to give 500 to any RO-
man Catholic asylum in this city--if you show
us case where a Roman Catholic Priest has
married two Protestants--that is to say, two
heretcs--the man or the woman not protesting
to be Roman Catholic
e Now it is probably known to the Erpress ed.
tors that there are two forms Of marriage known
n and recognized among the Catholic clergy. -
l. The solemnizalon Of marriage By the civa con-
tract, which gives legal efficacy to the rite, is
often performed BY Catholic priests where nei-
. ther party belongs to that faith. The sacramen-
tai rites, which are purely oil a religious ma
ture, and are seldom, we believe never, admin
istered except in Catholic church, cannot,
from the very nature Of the case be administer
ed when the parties are not Catholcs--indeed,
unless both are so. The fact that Miss Benton
was al the time a Presbyterian, would have
been decisive, without reference 10 Fremonrs
. faith. The ceremonies necessary to give legal
sanction 10 she marriage as a civil contract,
we're performed By Father HOrseigh, at PR.
vale residence in Washington, Neither oI
them received il as church sacrament, nor
was it so performed by the officiating priest.
One instance where the parties are well
known, makes precisely the case which forfeits
the Express 800, il offered in good faith. We
certainly would not refer to it, il we had not
good reason to believe that tue fact could be
stated without offenSe to the feelings of the
parties.
Our late Secretary of Legation al Paris, Mr.,
+ Dom Patt, was privately married to Miss K,
known to the literary world as Belle Smith,
by the Rev. Edward Purcell, brother OF
Archbishop Purcell, of Cincinnati and prob
ably his equal in learning and acquaintance
With church canons. Mr., Purcell, when appli
cd to, was distinctly informed that neither ofMe
parties caS a Catholic, but he readily consented
to perform the rites Of marriage By tie civR con.
tract between the non. Catholics, and did so.--I
Mr. Patt and the Rev. Mr. Purcell were per.
Sonal friends, and she oprons of the former
were we'll known to the latter as being any
thing but favorable TO the Roman Catholic
faith. Miss K was of Protestant parentage,
was educated in that faith and still adheres to
liz.
Here nov is a case which calls for the 500
offered by the Express. Nobody who has seen
its wisfcations and lodges would ever expect
the money to be paid We certainly do not
and should not, though ten thousand cases
were cited, such as it calls fer CleV. Herald