The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-11-29

The MoRTAEA CASE.-The committee appointed
at the Philadelphia town-meeting in reference to
the Bologna outrage, has prepared memorial to
the President of the United States and it is in the
hands of the following gentlemen for signatures -
Alfred t. Jones, Rev. j. Lesser, Jacob MAYER H.
Van Bell, Isaac Cohen, Sol Teller, D. H. Soils, A.
Kaufman, H. De Boer, S. Abeles.
The following extract is from the memorial AZ
published in the Bulletin: 1t is not the mere forci
BILE abduction of the boy Mortara, but the safety of
all residents in countries where such doctrines pre-
vail, and in which the civil authorities would lend
their aid to enforce the cruel edicts of the dominant
church against those called heretics which we
would bring to your notice. In Mortara the
abstract rights of have been violated
and the mental distress of his parents
their anguish and their tears appeal to
all liberal and free people to redress the
insult which has been offered to humanity in the
person of the little boy for whom we now ask your
Kind Offices We are well aware that the United
States never do nor should the ri ght to in
teriere IN the internal relations of other lands: we
also know that it may be said, that person living
in the Roman States must submit to their laws
however arbitrary and cruel they NAV be. Still
we trust, and firmly believe, that the Roman gov
eminent would listen respectfully to any supoes-
ton coming from the President of the United
States, especially if you would represent to his
holiness the Pope, that the universal sentiment.
not alone of lsraelites, but of ProteSants also of
the United States condemns act which is so I'M
reasonable, unjust and cruel, and that to persist
in it might, more than any thing else retard tho
progress of catholicity in the Union, where everv
bosom swells at the thought of liberty and where
the tyranny OF church whatever may be its name
is no less odious than the worst arbitrary deeds Of
the most detested crowned heads
we would, therefore, respectfully request of Won
to instruct the Minister of the United States at the
Court OF Rome, to ask, as an act of grace towards
the government and people of all persuasiops of
this country, to restore the boy Edgar Mortara to
his parents, to be educated as they NAV deem rrn
per- without coercing their will offering any un
due inducement to change their original intention
of rearing him an Israelite
Secondly to obtain in the same manner ra-oca
ton of the canon Of the Roman Catholic Church
which empowers its adherents to administer han
tism under certain circumstances or at least to de-
clare such an involuntary conversion null and void
when the parents of children or adults themselves
thereafter refuse to recognize the BAPTISM as valid
when it was administered at time they were nm
conscious under the full persuasion that the head
of the Catholic Church cannot desire in this ape of
progress to persons to become converts to his
belief, by which it can neither gain strength nor
benefit those whom it thus holds within its grasp
The Journal says:
There certainly, we should think. could be no i'm
propriety in respectfully urging the PRAYER: vet we
may remark here, that Rome can hardly grant
it without violating her integrity by RECESSION of
laws which lie at the basis of her faith and power
as church, and which have been enforced for
centuries. So far we understand the case no
such step as that named can be taken even by' the
Pope himself, without calling an Gcumenica
Council, to discuss the policy of revoking the orr
ginal Canon of the Council of Trent, which we sub
join:
"Whosoever shall affirm that when these baptised
children grow up, they. to be asked whether
they will confirm the promises made by their god
fathers in their name, at their BAPTISM and, that if
they say they ,gM not they to be left to their
own choice, and not to be compelled (coqendos. in
the LATIN in the meantime to lead Christian life
61y any other punishment than exclusion from the
Euehrlst and the other sacraments until they re-
ha rcaltt
The disposition of our Government to interfere
may be inferred from the following extracts from
correspondence between Mr.. Abraham Hart. Presi
dent den OF the Portuguese Hebrew Congregation of
rhiladelphla, and Secretary Cass
Alter stating the facts of the case. Mr.. Hart
says:
The general indignation that has peryaded En-.
rope ana America on learning this outrage. and the
TACT that it Is not the case of Jewish how in IaI
only, but that it may be the case of ,ny ono aIs
not protesting the dominant religion of that conn
try, renders it peculiarly interesting az hearino
both upon the questions of personal liberty and The
riSnts ol conscience; ana, as such, am convinced
must warmly commend it to the attention of This
government ~
1T is not expected that any direct interference
from the United States can take place; but it is
earnestly hoped that, by some expression, the mo-
raj weight of the United States in the scale of ma
tions may be felt and that this country will lift up
her voice IN condemnation of such high handed and
fagitious acts as the one respecting which have
now the honor to address you"
Mr.. Cass replies as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, November 81, 1858.
To Mr. Hart, President ofhc Congregation "Mickeve
Israeli" Cherry street, PHILADELPHIA.
Sir-I have received and submitted to the Presi-
dent your letter of the 18th instant respecting the
alleged forcible abduction from his parents of
Jewish child, by the public authorities at Bologna,
in the papal domnons, and asking some expression
of condemnation on the part of this government.
This occurrence took place within the territories
of an independent power, and without affecting the
rights ofany American citizen. 1t is the settled
policy of the United States to abstain from all in
reference in the internal concerns of the country.
Certainly there is nothing in the circumstances
of this case, as they reported, which would inn
pose this reserve upon the government, But tits