Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-06-16
From the Cine. matt catholic Teleeraph.
The Catholic Church end elaYsry.

served that the GhulCn ana GIaNeFg toulN
never get along well together. The New
York FreemonS Journal condemns our re-
marks, quotes ST. Paul and Church Coun
3, and says that we are ignorant Of ecele-
slasliele history. The writer il the FREE
man also observes that he Ices not wish for
a controversy with US. AS the freeman,
on this occasion. is mild, AMI uses no offans-
i've language, we reply TO his comments al
sone length.
We assure our contemporary that we,
too, have no desire 10 enter into contro-
yesy. IT WOULD BE USELESS NOW, Be
CAUSE THE SUBJECT or SLAVERY IS DEAD.
The FIRST CANNON FIXED AT SUMPTER
SOUNDED IT'S KEELL. IT WOULD BE MUCH
EASIER TO TAKE RIcHMoED OR OPEN THE
MISSISSIPPI, THAN RESTORE SLAVERY IN
THE UNITED SrArzs. TIE TpIsG Is GONE
FOREVER.
But our contemporary suggests that we
are not acquainted with ecclesiastical his
cry, and that slavery and the Church
have got along well together, and quotes
st. Paul aud certain Councils. Gar CO.
temporary has a right 10 entertain any
opinion be pleases about our ignorance
His opinion is his own. But without &C
limony we can write on this subject Of
slavery. It must be discussed; There is
no help for it--and while we accord 70
all who are its advocates all liberty Of
speech, we hope flat some license will lie
extended TO US when we give our reasons
on the other side. 1t is not in factious
spirit or a fanatical spirit that we write,
bit under the strong conrjctioR that n great
change IS at hand IN the political sCetaye
ofthc country, and that 1t IS of some con-
seqaencet 10 Catholics to decide wisely mhat
part TO take. This cannot be done by cry.
Ing ont ..ignorance," "aboltion," bat by
fliendly discussion. Whether we Jeliepe IL
or not, SLAVERY IS ertiagutsbed IN Me UTzst
cd States and az that we haze 10 do as 10
decide hom o2e stall accommodate ourselves
to coa1tns events.
We have sail, aud we now repeat it.
that slavery and the Catholic Church
could never get along well together. The
Church never tries TO correct evils by lev
dictionary powers. When she has not
the legislative power in her hands she is
patient, long suffering, gentle. What she
could not suppress she tolerated But
she found slavery little disposed to imi-
tate her meekness. When the Slave Pow
er predominates, religion is nominal -
There is no life IN it. It's the hardwork-
inc. lahorng man who builds The chuich,
the school house and the orphan asylum,
not the STAKEHOLDER, As a general rule
Religion flourishes in a slave State only 10
proportion to its intimacy with free State,
or As it is adjacent 70 IL There are more
Catholics IN the Cathedral congregation in
this city than in North and South Carolina
and Georgia! There are more Catholics 10
one of our second-rate congregations than
the whole State of Alabama Louis
ina ought TO be a Catholic State but it
has never sent a Senator or Representative
to Congress who identified himself with
the Catholiccause, so far as we know t he
slave-owners are not the JEALOUS men of
the Church in that State.
What help is Cuba, with all its riches,
to the Catholic cause. The poorest Irish
or German congregation IN the free ~tates
does more for religion than Havana if we
can rely upon the representations Of those
who ought to know and whose character
fortids deception. It appears to US there
fore, that slavery is not friendly to the
Catholic faith-or 10 its charity and fervor
when it happens 10 be protested. If for
telling these plain truths any subscriber
wishes to withdraw his patronage, we hope
be will do so at once. And if for telling
these truths The ladies Of a community in
slave State chose to burn orr paper again
they have our liberty ifthat be Of any con
sequence, to prove their amiability add pr
etv by doing so. The time is near at
hand when they will wish that they bad
been more tolerant to the expression Of an
opinion.
But to our knoa ledge Of ecclesiastical
history. mo one ventures to doubt" says
Balmes, .that the church exercised a pow
erful influence on the abolition Of slavery.
This is a truth too clear and evident to be
questioned. 1t did all that was
possible in favor Of human liberty. lfshe
did not advance more rapidly in the work,
It was because she could not do so without
compromising the undertaking, without
creating serious obstacles to the desired
emancipation. Such is the result at Which
we arrive when we have thoroughly examin
ed the charges made against some proceed
ines of the Church. = = That
slavery endured for long time in presence
is true, but it was always declining, and it
only lasted as long as was necessary to re-
alize the bereft without violence, without
a shock, without compromising its unvers-
alty and lis continuation" These few
words from the fifteenth chapter Of Bal
mess Incompatible work show the exact
position occupied by the Church IN refer
ence to slavery. 70 sag that she eoer ia
vored the system is q caiaas"y. Sic pro-
claimed mems fraternity acitf each other,
and Their equality before God, and, there
fore. could not be the adpocate Of slare-
ry.
With respect TO the works Of st. Paul,