The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-12-28
Increase Of Catholics i'm the United
SfafeS.

From the Ann Aroor Journal, MichiganIA >
1t is supposed that the Catholic popu-
lation of the United States now number
more than four millions, i They have
been rapidly increasing ever since the
close of our revolutionary war, which
opened the door to perfect rehgior* lib
erty in all the States except Ma 'chlr
sets. and Connecticut and torehgious
tolefatioalin AN lin 1870 tile Catholics
lnunibered in the United States only
some $4,000, more than halt whom we're
in Maryland. The purchase OF Louisl-
ana added to their numbers about 3o,OUO
The New York Observer says: Since
1908 there has been an increase from 80
TO > 500 churches, from 6S to $500 priests
from 2 to As bishops; and from ! to As
dioceses.
Besides these, the catholics have 1O2
orphan asylums, where they educate
1000 orphans, and have over 100 benev-
olent and charitable societies, and % hos
pitfalls They have also 81 library insti-
buttons for young men 2l2 female acad-
emies, 3l3 free schools for q $40 males,
and 327 schools for 81 ,67l females .
The Catholics now constitute about
one-seventh part of the population of
the United Seates; and as about-three-
fourtbs of the emigrants to our country
are Catholics, the percentage of our
Catholic population is increasing rapid
". That increase has alarmed mauy Of
the Presbyterians and Congregational
lists. who are looking forward to and pre-
pairing for religious war with the Cath
olics Having preached crusade
against slavery, provoked the rebellion,
and finally converted the war into a
crusade against slavery and slayehold-
ers, and succeeded in putting down the
institution of slavery, many are now
anxious to unite those that call them
selves evangelical Christians, and are
burning with Impotence for an oppor--
tunity to preach crusade against Cath
olicism, to urge on a war against the
Catholics and to put them down also
The Catholics are getting strong i'll
this country, but they are weak compar-
ed with the Methodists, Baptist, or the
combined influence Of the Presbyterians
and Congregatioualists, who generally
act together.
The Catholics of the United States be-
iIaved admirably well dnring our great
civil war They have shown themselves
To he a conservatives, loyal. quiet and
peaceablc people devoted to the govern.
mrut of our country Both priests and
laNmen have quietly submitted To the
laws, without any attempt To dictate or
interfere with the policy OF measures OF
the government What n striking con
trast between their conduct during our
great national struggle, and the restless
and iuterrirddling spirit of some other
Christian sects And when we look tn
the Southern States, we find them quiet
and conservative people, and noe restless
revoutionists. They were generally loyal
to the constitution and government 81
the 'nited States, when compared with
the MethOdists, Baptists, Pres6yterlans,
and even the EpisCopalians, many oil
whom were original secessionists, Vlo'
lent reyolutionists, and fierce war
hawks: while the Catholic priests both
North and South, pursued the eventenor
of their ways, during the war, confined
themselves To preaching the gospel as
they had done, without interueddllng
with the government or its policy, and
showed that the Catholic church is
pacific church Many of the clergy OF
the evangelical churches, both North and
South; converted their churches and &c
clesiastic conventions into arenas for the
discussion OF political questions and pot
icies, preached revolutionary doctrines,
war and violence, urged upon the gov
eminent radical and extreme measures;
and showed themselves to the church
militant-and not to the church pacific.