Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-07-30
New Series Vol. IL, No. SO.


nc morals and at war with the interest and
happiness OF mankind. In thus publicly
speaking, II he transcends the properties of
MS pace ard offce, safe corrective is found
IN the censure Of an enlightened public Rut
that Priestiy Order, invested by the Laity
with mysterious sacerdotal character-with
pretensl0ns 10 extraordinary spiritual power
bound together by strong ties, and ac-
knowledging as their head foreign Poten
tate-that such an Order should enter the
field of politics, contrel our elections and in
tiuence the policy Of our government, is sure
! ly cause for alarm, and should awaken the
/ Jealous vigilance of the American people. 1t
Will probably be denied that any such hierar-
chlal influence is brought to bear in our elec-
tons. We should Judge with candor, and
not condemn without proof.
We see the American people divided on a
momentous issue. The principles of human
freedom or bondage are brought in direct con-
tlct. Mans ihalienable right to life and lib
erty Is denied. The doctrine is openly assert
ed by those who hold the government in their
bands, that God created the mass Of mankind
to be slaves. In the heat Of this great strug-
/. gle we see the strongest ties seyered-the an
cient political parties of the country broken,
and men Of every nation and faith divided,
save one. The votarics Of one church alone
are united in political action. This unity in
the "l%St OF otherwise universal division, is
I truly most remarkable. From Maine to Tex
as-trom the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean
/ IN every city, town and hamet-under what
ever~clrcumstances placed, or by whatever
/ influences surrounded, we find the votaries of
/ this church arrayed in political action on the
/ side of slavery. This cannot arise from an
intelligent assent to the principles Of slavery;
because those principles would reduce ninety
nine out Of every hundred of these men TO
the condition Of slaves. Whence i.re we to
look for tie cause of this unity among So
many hundreds Of thousands scattered over
SO wide a surface?
We find the votaries of the Catholic Church,
as class, among the least enlightened of our
population, and thus in condition to WELD
ready obedience, in all things to an authori-
~ which they have been taught to respect as
OF Gods appointment. The church of their
faith advances high and extraordinary claims.
1t Is the only true Apostolic and Catholic
church. 1t is intallible in d0ctrine-miracles
continue to be wrought within its holy COM
munion-its head is the Eicegerent of God
on earth, and successor Of the Apostle to
whom was entrusted the KEYS of heaven. 1t
Is pure hierarchy. The laity have little or
no power, all authority being concentrated in
the Priesthood. Again l ask, whence this
this church, when every other denomination
Of Christians is divided? In seeking for an
answer to this inquiry, all men will look to
the source where the power resides. When
the votaries Of the Church of Rome shall ex-
hlbit, IL our political contests, the Ike diver
sty Of views and action that is seen among
all other classes of our people, then, and not
till then, will the public mind be relieved
from the suspicion that hierarchial influences
are mischieveuSly at work in our politics.
1t is idle to evade the point, by labored ef-
forts IN defence of religious freedom and the
rights Of conscience. No assault is made
upon either. The largest liberty-the broad
est toleratioE, is conceded in matters Of re-
hglous faith and worship. The ground of
complaint lies here-that a hierarchy, invest
ed with peculiar sapctity and powers in the
eyes of the Laity, should exert a spiritual in
Huence to control our elections, and give to
the policy of our Government direction ad-
verse to the wishes of majority of the peo-
pie, not within the sphere Of such influence.
No intelligent man will question the fact, that
the late Presidential election was controlled
by the united CGthoiic c0te. If the adherents
of that church had been divided in their votes,
were all the Protestant sects of our coun-
try, the present administration would never
have had an existence. The Slave Power,
to day, would not be master of our govern
ment-promulgating its abhorrent doctrines
through our judicial tribunalS-undermining
the sovereignty Of the States, and boldly
trampling down the clearest constitutional
rights Of the citizen.
1t is also apparent TO every intelligent OBJ
server, that the same unity in the Catholic
vote is relied upon as the main support of
cur opponents in the coming State election.
Z i y l. L
be said that there is no ground for the strong
conviction in the minds Of the American
people, that hierarchal influences not only
interfere in our politics, but actually control
our elections? If the Protestant sects of our
country presented the same unanmity in 0p-
position to the pro-slavery Democracy, that
the Catholic church does in its support, our
opponents w6uld not be slow or measured in
their deuunciation. Indeed, the chiefs and
press of that party assail with gross vituper-
alton such Protestant Christian ministers as
openly in the face of day, denounce from the
sacred desk the crimes Of slavery, and insist
upon the sanctity Of the marital and parental
relations. In them, it is a grievous offence,
to proclaim, in connection with slavery, the
great essential truths of ChriStanity-that
God is the Creator and Father of all men,
that he made Of one flesh all the nations of
the earth-that lie is no respector Of persons
but holds in equal love all his children; and
that he will require of every one the obser-
vance Of his righteous law: "All things what
soeyer ye would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them" This alliance be-
tween am ancient and powerful church and
the slave interest Of America is the more re.
markable, when we consider the fact that she
early and authoritative teachings of that
Church are in condemnarion Of slavery
How long this strange alliance is to continue
! knew nCt How long It is to be successful
is for the American people 10 decide
TO your ftH interrogatary, answer-that
I sm In favor Of free schools for the E cation
of all classes: and am opposed to any exclu-
! sion of the Bible therefrom