Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-06-05
Sensible AmeriCanism.

The only real c0rrector OF the political
Roman Catholicism that is to be feared
and of the evil effects of foreign cmigra'
ton, is the Republican party. The Re
publican Legislatures Of Connecticut and
Massachusetts, have passed laws requiring
that voters shall be able to read at least
the votes they put in. Know Nothing
Legislators have "damned the Pope" and
abused foreigners for their birth and not
for their ignorance, but have never at
tempted so sensible thing as this. The
pro slavery Americans denounee Jes'
uits, but have never yet proposed one prac-
teal plan to curtail their power. The
Republican Legislature of Ohio, however,
at its last session, passed an act which will
do more to diminish priestly power, and
elevate the Catholic people, than all the
rawlings of all the impracticable "Ameri-
cans" in the land. The law just passed,
provides that all property held for relgi.
Gus purposes shall be deemed the property
of the congregation, and provision is made
for the organization of the congregation.
If, however, the property is now in the
hands Of an individual for church-which
is, we believe, the case with the Roman
Catholic church property Of Ohio--it may
remain in his hands till death or removal,
then it is to 60 to the corporation organi-
zed by the congregation or, if the con-
grcgation is not organized, to the State, in
trust for the congregation. Under this
law, the present system of holding church
property-by an ecclesiastical corporation
sole-will die out with the present bish-
ops, and can not be revived. Several
States have similar laws, and several Cath
olic congregations have earnestly contend
ed that their property should be held by
trustees, but the laws were against them,
Their independence will now begin. The
concentration of church property in the
hands Of bishops, might lead to very anti
republican results. There is no limit to
the amount or kind of property to be held.
As the State grows wealthier and older,
we should have churches, asylums, con-
vents, cemeteries-hundreds in number,
and millions in value-held by a single
individual, out of the reach of congrega-
tions, and out of the reach of the law.
W. sh""lI hove, 80 e.. s-.h properly
extended, the same sort Of power and in
huence exerted, enthusiastically, which now
exists in Italy. 1t is time such a system
is done away with. Let church property,
like that of all other congregations, be
held by trustees for the benefit of the real
owners.
ANOTHER TRUE AMERICAN VICTORY.
In the year 1851, the trustees of St.
Peters Society, in Rochester, brought a
suit against Johu Timon, Bishop of Buffa-
10, and others, to recover their church
property, then held in fee by the Bishop.
Some forty days were occupied in taking
proof before the referees, as to the spiritu-
al and legal powers of the Catholic clergy,
and the force of the canons of the Church.
1t was then argued before Justice Selden,
of the Supreme Court. Justice Selden
decided all the points save one in favor of
the plaintiff. A new argument was had
in June, 1856, before Justice Weles, who
has Just decided in favor of tho Plaintiff
throughout. Thus the trustees hold the
temporalities of the church by law, and
against the canons.-[Judge SELDEN is
now the Republican Lieutenant Governor
Of the State of New York, and Judge
WELLEs is also Republican,