, 1860-07-21
:;:9rt8KN Tribttttt.


rs DOUGLAS A CATlR0L1O7
: ve have never asserted that Judge Doug
In. IN a Catholic. We do not intend to maxc
that assertion until VIC can prove it But in
.n;te Of our honest fo1bearance, the talk On the
streets makes out q prima jaeta case against
him. We do not care to repeat all that is said
because much is asserted that VIC cannot sui
stautiate. The main points, however, are
these: that when Judge Douglas WAS In Eu-
rope, and shortly aftet. he had LEFT Rome,
there came report to this country, through
the Catholic journals, that an eminent Amerl'
cau statcsman-a member Of the Senate OF the
United States-had submitted to the fope,
received absolution and, as cur Protestant
friends would SIT, the Il right hand,of fellow
ship This report pointed directly to MI
Douglas, inasmuch as he ssds The only Senator
1aso.ca 10 be abroad but inter floating around
in the newspapers, without exciting much
comment it died out The matrimonial ALL
ance formed, few years after that European
tour, with an influential Catholic family, gave
rise to new surmises md suspicious; and for
a.ih1c while revived the rumor that the Catholic
newspapers had put into circulation. Butfew
believed that for the sake Of political power,
the Judge had abandoned the faith OF his fAn'-
liz, which vas strongly Calvinistic, and given
his adhesion to that !alss and fallen Church OF
Rome, But the extraordinary proceedings at
Peoria during the campaign Of 1855, came
just ir time to arouse the Protestant public
once more. What those proceedings were We
shall have occasion TO tell at the proper time.
Tae renewed suspicion ofthe Judges apostacJ
also received confirmation iron the attitude
Of the clergy and Ia ty Of the Church during
that memorable struggle. They were arEa5ed
without exception in the ranks Of the Douglas
men. The management o! the canvass was
given up to them; and it is believed, upon
what we think is sufficient evidence, that the
doubtful counties which gave him another
Iease Of his sea, in the Senate, acre carried "
Catholic rae.s .uho acted under instruction from
1;oh eccle.ias stical aaUtorfyy We have no rea-
eon 10 doubt that sangamon and Madison
counties were so carried The evidence VI
that fact is over ~lclming. The baptism Of the
Judges chIld-if we mistake not the only one
born to him since that European tour-an the
forms prescribed By that scarlet woman spoken
Of in The sacred text, ia another LINK
in the chain Ct circumstances which go
to show that he tas embraced the Gath.
olic fifth. The euper,hnmau e1ertlons @
the Catholic papers III his BEHALF oe:oFe
and alter tue meeting Of tho chafles'on
Convention; and the fact Of the appearance
Of Archbishop Hughes, the American Pfimate,
at Douglas meeting in New Iork-a meet
ing held to influence the action OF the New
York delegation ut Baltimore; tue unaccount-
able zeal Of the Catholics in that delegation
when the Convention assembled-theset things
coupled with tue other fact that every Catho-
lie journal in the United States, and as far as
We krow every priest and bishop and an over.
wbslming majority Of the laymen Of the ca
tholic Church, are now supporting him as they
1euer support anybody hut a brother
in The jatth, mako out what Jealous Prot
estaats call strong case. Add to oil, the
charge which is not denied, that his pocket
has suffered, that the cause Of the Pope in
the present ltaliau struggle, might be tri
umphant over the popular sovereignty which
the oppressed Italians are laying down their
lives to establish, and even our confidence in
the Judges Professionalism is shaken.
Judge Douglas has an unqucstioned right to
foin the Catholic Church il he wants to. He
might become member Of the order Of
Jesuits with peculiar propriety. Nobody can
complain Of the direction in which his religions
convictions, il he las any such, irnpel him. Nor
can be nor can his friends complain if his rl'
mored apostacy becomes matter.of inquiry,
now that he is candidate for the Presidency.
Most men believe that Catholicism in this
country is not 50 much system OF religion rs
q pol tico-ecclesiastical eyst@m-an engine for
obtaining political power to the detrlment Of
Liberty, rs that power is now being used in
Italy, Austria, Spain and Mexico; and when
it is proposed to establish center Of Catholic
influence in tue White House, for controlling
the oouutry's diplomacy and domestic legisla-
ton, naturally enough the pecple wantto
know it. The Protestant principle is very
dear to Americu3s. II is the principle Of relis5-
ious md political liberty. To it VIC owe this
Republican government and MI the .ples-
rings which flow therefrom; and to it
the hopes Of ali patriots are turned az the Star
which is to light ali nations to Independence
and freedom. They want no impediments put
in the way Of the onward progress Of that
principle in lis mission for freeing and bless
ing mankind. Least Of Ill do they want this
Protestant government turned oger to the ten
Ger uercies of Catholic hands. They remeu.-
her what woes have eome to the parent gov
ernment-that Of Old Eng1aud-by Catholic
soyereigns who have occupied the throne, the
last Of whom was driven out BY that ever:glo-
rious Protestant Revolution Of 1858. and they
have the word Of the organs Of the Church
that her policy has not changed. Only few
years ago, ono Of these-a journal in st. Lou.
Is, published r. TIE appreciation Of the bishop
Of that diocese declared that the Church
never could tolerate hefegy, and that if she
did mt puLish it here, her torbearance pro-
ceeded from lack Of power; not the exercise
Of het Will -.
We do not wonder then that members Of
Protestant churches Of ali denominations ara
excited BY tho Inquiry which has been put
aaoat nor that the excitement is shared by
Ill Americans who know and appreciate the
deep purposes Of Catholicism in this country.
The etfo7ta Of the Society Of the Propaganda
in Austria, for the subycrsion Of Protestantssm
In the United States-a society, that under
the presidency Of the veteran supporter Of
despotiem, the willy Aet+eEnicb, has cent per-
haps millions Of money to this couutry-are
not forgotten. Men inquire If the time has
come for bold stroke to be made for the su-
premacy ot Catholicism in this1aud; and instinc-
lively, almost, glauce across tho ocean to that
active Propaganda MS the 1ouEce whence The
money fer powerful but concealed attempt
upon American liberty is to CONG.
T. 10 xvar1 TINT oil r1fiyons ahn,,1d aak Y,hv