The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-06-09
A Religious Civil War.

A Religious Civn War.
From the Springfield Republican.
The question seems an absurd one. and
yet some of the sectarian newspapers are
discussing it and attempting to prepare the
public mind for it. They could hardly nm
dertake q more wicked and mischieyous
work; but they assume to be merely Civ
ing needfnl warning of what must soon
come. The pretence is that the Roman
Catholics have deep plot to get posses
sion of the government of the United
States, destroy our free institutions, make
their religion the State religion, and in fact
establish a despotism, with perhaps the
Pope in person at its head; at any rate
with all the hideous machinery of the in
QUESTION to torture US into support of it's
faith and authority. The descriptions
given of the frightful things to be done by
the Popes government of the United
States, when fully established, are enough
to make ones blood freeze with horror. If
read with seriousness and credulity. The
monstrous barbarities of the darkest of the
da,k ages are all to be reproduced here.
What do our Protestant editors mean by
attempting to excite such sectarian alarm
and hostility 1t is impossible to suppose
that they believe there is any cause for it.
Trey bring no facts to show that the Gath.
ollcs OF this country seek political power as
sect, or that they carry their sectarian.
ism into politics. In fact, they are less
obnoxious to this charge than the Protest.
ants, for while in many parts of the coun-
try Catholic cannot be nominated for any
office because of the fact that Protestants
will rot vote for Catholics, we never heard
of an instance of a Catholic refusing to
vote for the candidate of his party because
bis being Protestant. II there is any
bigotry in this matter, the Catholic is BY
no means the chief offender. But let US
see what some of the prophets of evil have
to say. This Is from the Boston Recorder,
the organ of first-proof Orthodoxy in
Massachusetts,:
The real extent of the Romish control at
this moment Is unsupported. 1t may be suffi-
cient in 1868 to give US President, o.thirds
OF both houses of Congress, and the Govern.
ors and majority in both houses of three
fOurths of all the States! An amendment Of
the constitution could thus be effected, making
to be tolerated. But the most sanguine may
not hope SO much so soon. Rome may see il
safe to aspire no further in 1868 than to q Vice
President. To make President of him would
need but skillful dose of poison-a tride
that Rome never wanted when the motive was
adequate. Rome hopes that at some future
day some future or present party shall find
itself obliged openly TO sell itself to her. II
so, and another rebellion arise in consequence
OF its ruin or success (and either would bring
1t on), mightier means on this side the Atlantic
and certain recognition on the other, will attend
Its very opening.
Villainous is the only word that can de-.
scribe the meaning and intent OF such Ian
guage as this. The Catholic can readily
find means to retort by showing that there
have been Protestant as well as Catholic
despots and assassins, and that neither po-
litical ambition, nor intolerance, nor cru
city, have pertained exclusively to any one
denomination. But the great objection to
such sectarian assaults is that they tend to
provoke the very evils which they are pro-
fessedly directed against. Nothing is more
to be deprecated than the creation of hos.
tility and suspicion between the sects into
which our communities are divided. and
especially the attempt to introduce the
prescription of any denomination into poll
tics. When the Catholics, or any other
sect, make an assault upon our free institu-
tons, it will be met. It is monstrous in.
justice to attempt to excite suspicion and
il.-will against them in advance. We can
secure ourselves in no such way. Cur
safety lies in the education of the people.
The peril growing out of the large add.
ton of foreigners to our voting population
comes not from their religion but tier
ignorance. We must educate the whole
people. We must insist upon intelligence
as a qualification for the ballot. Then,
whether the voters are black or white,
Catholic or P. otestant, they will know
enough to vote for their own welfare and
that OF their children. and will jealousy
resist the first approach of despOtlc power,
come whence it may. Let US have no at
tempts to excite denoninational passion
and prejudice, and no monstrous prsdio-
tons OF sectarian civil war.
The Penn Statue, in Philadelphia, fell from
its pedestal In front of the Pennsylvania Hos.
pial on Friday. The Bulletin says tt sa
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