The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-07-27

and rebellion. and clearly prove ourselves
disloysl! Unhappily, We Catholics seem
to imagine that We have power only TO
obstruct. and that our influence will be |
null. unless sxersed in some work of des-
truction. or 10 defeat some national pur
pose. To express our sympathy with the |
rebellion and make common cause with |
it in It's efforts to overthrow the Govern
ment of the United States. and destroy
the country, or even to withhold oil act
i've support of the national cause. would
seem to most people the way 10 bring
about the very result apprshsnded, and
which it was our interest and our duty
to guard against. The government will
succeed the rebellion viii, be suppressed,
and the Union will be restored. without
slavery, and viii be 6rmer and stronger
than ever. When that is done wha, will
be our position, If we have succeeded in
identifying our Church with the cause of
slavery and rebellion, and demonstrated
To tbs world that American Catholics
love not liberty, and hold that they have
the right TO resist the legal government.
to which we have sworn allegiance In
vain should we appeal TO instances ofinii-
viiua' loyalty among Catholics, for it
would be shown that they were the ex-
ception, not the rule. lp vain would
Catholics cite our RsUies, for though thar
has been uniformly loyal and true to the
guvrrumunt; tire rugmigs of tarhOfrcs
could easily prove that in being so it lost
the confidence of the Catholic communi.
ty, and was iu.eriicted by the Bishop Of
Richmond, denounced BY the Bishop oil
Wheeling. and officially declared by ,hs
Bishop OF Philadelphia and the Archb'sh
op Of Cincinnati to be no longer 8 Cath
olic Review. In vain should we appeal TO
tie Telegraph and Advocate, the New
York Tablet, and the Pitt>burg Catholic.
for these journals have NJ, been uniform-
I ly anti slavery or decidedly loyal, and at
best.are only exceptions. and by no meant
fair exponents Of the sentiments and opin.
ions of the Catholic body in the United
States. In vain should We appeal to the
large number Of Catholic volunteers il
the army. for that number, a. large as i,
has been or even is, we are told by Arch
bishop Hughes, is not relatively SO large
as is the proportion OF Catholics to the
whole population ei the loyal States ant
besides, it may be said that the mass o
them volunteered not from loyalty, bu
: for the sake Of The high bounties and lib
9 eral pay offered, and in the case Of tn
+ Irish, for the purpose Of acquiring militia
ry experience aud distinction, to be turn
q ed to account in war against Great B
tain Tor the liberation and independents
4 of Ireland. Should it be so said, "
should find it difficult to prove the contrs
ry. 1t is undeniable that no religion
c body in the country stands SO general
committed TO slavery and the rebellion, o
!. as body have shown 30 little sympath
! with the effort Of the government to sav
/. the unity aud life of the nation 40 th
Catholic. This fact ia known, and "
= need not be surprised to iind 1t some du
Il made use of to our prejudice, besides it
!. not legacy We would like to bcqueath
q our postsnty.
- THE OPPOSITION OF TIE CHURCHES co.
y FRssED AND REPRovED.
8. Regarding the question of slavery
of solely political question, our Cathol
10 community have done themselves ar
TT their religion great injustice by the
10 public attitude IN regard to it, No Gait
ns olic would ever dream Of removing siav
u ry by illegal or revolutionary neaas. al
ty no Catholic, who has the slightest know
y, edge of his religion, could for nome
/. entertsin the notion that he could be
al true Catholic aud not be heartily oppos,
he to slavery. On this subject the oler,
n must permit us to say that they have be-
e. too reticent, too timid, too cautious, nj
he have pushed human prudonce beyond ,
ch legitimate limits They have failed
is, bear tha, testimony against slavery viii
his the Catholic Church always bears sgaii
!" it. They know, far better than we {
fo- the absolute incompatibiliiy OF Americ
sof slavery with Christian morality. Til
to know thas, save in very rare instances,
cal is impossible for the slave to observe ,
yal laws Of Christian m .rrisge, or fulfill
ses imperative duties Of Christian pare
~. Christian marriage is almost universe
lie substituted by coneuhinage, ard the III
or ters seldom respect the sanctlty OF /
ao- marriage relation among their slaves, a
md they hold it neither adultery norsksrnl'
the iion to satisfy their own brutal lusts "
!, O. any of their female slaves they choose
de- Ii is little. either for master or slave. Il
Of the priest can do, even IN the confessi
is oil, and in most parts of the South
on priest is regarded only as u bitter sort
cut ssrvant, and is very indiferenly supp,
n ed We have never conversed will
VIC priest in slaveholding State, who, wi
cry, he dared sp-ak his mind, did not depl
Go on moral and religious grounds, the ex
and ence Of slavery, and feelirgly express
ct . earnes. wish for its extinction, Il
-ter many enlightened. devout. and truly C'
see olic ladies', have We met in our visit
ted, the Slave States. who could not, with
cor, visible shudder, refer TO the moral e'
the mites Of negro slavery! We have 10
Catholic ladies' in the Slave Suites
we're opposed to the iateru,eddllng
Al. the bolitionists, but none who vi