The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-12

even pouucal tnaW, cA'euoinB 40 iar nS
Albany.
RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN IrALY-THE CASE
OF THE Boy MoRTARA.-It will be remembered
that we published recently the semiofical de-
fence of the extraordinary course pursued
by the government of the Papal States in refe-
renee to the case of the boy Mortara. The cir
cumstances of this affair have attracted the at
tention of the religious world of all sects and de-
nominations. Nearly all the European govern
ments have been solicited to interpose in the
matter, and within the past few days COM
mittee of Jews from Philadelphia has waited
upon the President of the United States with
view to induce our government to take part
in it.
The defence of the Pontifcal government con-
tains substantially the same facts as have been
previously set forth; it is not denied that the
boy Mortara was born at Bologna, ofJewish pa
rents; that at the age of seven years he was bap-
tised in the Roman church through the agency
of a Catholic servant of the family, and without
the knowledge or consent of his parents. 1t is
claimed, however, that the fact Of baptism makes
the child Christian; and that therefore, he will
be kept at Christian school until after his educa-
ton is completed, when he will be free to choose
for himself In answer to this defence of the
Roman government, we have received no less than
six rejoinders from as many different persons
While we agree mainly in the positions taken by
our correspondents, we do not feel called upon
to print more than the points of case which is
so plain as the one under consideration. One
correspondent confines himself chiefly to the
main point of the Catholic defence, which is,
that when the boy has been educated he will be
free to embrace any religion he may think fit,
and argues logically, from the known effect Of
early associations and youthful Impressions upon
after life, that he will not be free in a moral
sense Another writer calls attention to the
extreme lberalty shown to Catholics in Great
Britain and the United States, contrasts with it
their bigotry and intolerance in the Papal States,
and states that the forced baptism Of the child
has by no means invalidated his claim and his
parents legitimate right to rear him in the faith
of his ancestors-a faith which supplied Chris
tian Redeemer, who was initiated in the same
covenant as the child referred to, and which
TAKES pTtCcucuCc VI OuT IlOueTIl UuptlslI. All
American Israelite lays down the principle that
the rite of circumcision has made the child q
Jew, and that once Jew he must always be
Jew, Notwithstanding all the efforts of the Roman
Church to the contrary Another correspondent
enters still more deliberately into this view of
the case, which does not seem to us TO touch the
main point That point is, in our view of the
matter, very simple one. The right of the
parent to guardianship over the infant is ma
tural right, somewhat older than the Roman
Church. Any attempt to infringe upon that
right, while it is duly and properly exercised,
is an outrage upon the civilization of the age,
and no special pleading whatever can justify it.
The mission of our Lord and Saviour was one of
peace, good will and loving kindness of
persecution, of forcible restriction, of blood and
of tears. He directed his apostles to go forth
in the highways and the byways, preaching the
words of light and truth, as distinguished from
the rigid discipline of the old Jewish dispense
ton. Now, eighteen centuries afterwards, we
find the hierarchs who claim to be Christs re-
representatives. on earth falling back into the
errors which he came especially to controvert
1t is absurd to say that the Roman Church will
gain anything by such proselytes as the boy
Mortara, even if he should forsake the religion
of his fathers; and the fact that he is restrained
is the best argument that the Protestant pulpit
can find to illustrate the errors of Rome.
More than all this: if the authorities Of the
Papal States can forcibly seize upon this child
and hold him, the same precedent may be
quoted in the case of any other infant of any re-
igion or nationality that happens to reside in
the Pope's dominions. 1t is against this prece-
dent that the Protestant world declares war.
And that is the salient point in the whole matter.
GEN. SCOTT SNUBBED BY Gov. MoRGAN.--When
Governor King came into Office, Gen. Scott, in
behalf of brave fellow soldier in Mexico. ad-
dressed the Governor the following note:--
NEw YORK. Dec. 10, 1856.
SR:-ln behalf of my brothe soldier, Gen. j. H. II.
Ward, the present Commssay General Of the State beg
for continuing him in office may arrive the Chief
Magistrate and Commander in Chief OF the State Of New
York.
Gen. Ward served with me in the campaign between
ability and distinction and has always cherished the
character of good soldier good citizen and gentleman
have the honor TO remain sir your 0bcdicnt servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
This appeal had its proper weight with Gov.
King, for Gen. Ward was retained in his Office.
With the advent Of Gov. Morgan, according to
the Albany Statesman, Gen. Scott again inter-
posed in behalf of his fellow soldier and was