Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-08-09

| that Wnlcn was INTENDED or eXpecGeu ny Iuo
President. am also inclined to think that the
southern people are disposed to respect power
and the exercise Of power and too often mis-,
take lenlency as an evidence or weakness ana
not an evidence of generosity.
O. And YOU think that that has been rather
the prevailing influence of Mr.. .Tohnson's lib
erality?
A. Yes, on the minds of the masses but with
some noble exceptions. When Gen. Lee sur
rendered, and for brief period thereafter, the
! southern people were willing to submit to any
| terms short of eXpatrlatlOn and death, that
| might have been proclaimed
| Q. Can you speak in regard to the feeling
generally among the other protestant clergy in
Virginia?
4. The Baptiss appear, as whole, to be,
perhaps, the most bitter, and the southern
Methodls;s possibly come next The southern
Methodists in Virginia are modified by the
leayen Of the Baltimore Conference, which con
ference extenled over the free States, and the
preachers Of which we're in coonaxlon with
nolthern churches till 1861, when they formed
a separate body, as il were. The Baltimore
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church
north, within the last few days, IN conference
! at Alexandria, have united formally with the
church south. Bishop Early, Of the southern
| Methodist church, is now presiding. While
the effect Of that union will be, OF course, to
ma gnify the southern church, there is another
Influence that will necessarily result from it,
namely that that leaveo will, perhaps, moei
fy the feeling again so as to make 1t less IN
tense That will be SO, except with those in
dividuals who, torsaking one position aud going
to another, are generally in advance in zeal for
their newly espoused cause, just as northern
men at the south. who are disuuOn men, are
generally intensely So This, perhaps, applies
| to the present state Of things among the Meth
| odists in Virginia. There is small body Of
| Presbyterians n Alexandria who are true Union
| people but such has been the feeling in the
church that perhaps majority of the former
whole body Of the old church have left the
| church in which they have been baptized and
| educated, and have associated themselves with
| what is called now the Second Presbyterian
church, New School Presbyterian church,
reputed to be intensely disloyaI-thus giving
evidence of their willingness, Tor the sake of
their notious in matters IN issue for the
last four years, to sacrifice even their eccesias-
teal connections. This feeling Of sympathy
with the south has been even shown by some Of
| the Quakers at Alexandria, 10 my perfect as
constituent learn that they are about as de-
cidcd in regard TO the Responsibility of secession
as a0y other class Of people. The Protestant
Methodist church, I am told, is equally divided.
The Roman Catholic church know very little
about. I think, however, that the perfect qui-
etness OF the priests aud their entire ignoring
Of the questions at issue, has brought out no
DEVELOPMENT at all in that quarter
O. Do you think that, in the main, the Ro-
| man Catholic clergy Of the rebel States can be
called friendly to the government OF the United
States?
A should not like to say. My opposition
to know nothiDGism, as principle, whether
political or religious led me TO investigate this
subject good deal in former days. | am sat
whole, are exceedingly friendly to our instiu-
tons but that they are so because they imag-
inc or country affords 10 those who have been
oppressed in Ireland theatre in which they
can best serve their church. If you mean to
put the question to me, whether they would be
devoted 10 the government IS against the papal
authorities
@. I put the question in that form.
4. | should say decidedly, no; because their
vows, as well as their education, make obedl.
ence 10 the papal government their first duty.
They have no home; they have no residence
the priests are the creatures of the bishops, the
bishops Of the archbisbops, and the archbishops
Of the Pope; and thus the clergy are the crea-
lures of the Pope.
.. Suppose q contest should arise between
the United States and any papal foreign power,
such as Spain or France, what would be the
feeling of the Catholic church?
A. think that in that case, the Catholic
clergy. if there was no positive dictum from the
Pope, would be for the government of the
country, because the people would be, and they
like to be sustained by the people where official
ant hnrtv does not interfere
@. Suppose there should be a diGtuul from
the Pope? .....
A. IshouId think they would obey the papal
dictum.
Q. They ere very likely to obey orders from
headquarters? ...........-
A | think so; but at the same time | can
not conceive Of such ar issue.
Q. Had we not something of that kind, dur
ing the war; from the Pope, in his encyclcal
letter to the church in America?
A. That was designed for consumption in the
Confederate States that was papal bupcOmbe
the Pope supposing the contederaey would
become nation. The papacy, However, is un-
ques;ionably opposed TO human liberty and
free government; but there is yet much Cath
olic verify and the old Catholic love cf liberty
among the people in the Romish churcIl.--:
When the question was asked me, whether
thought the Roman Catn0hc clergy were tTleGd-
" to the government of the United States, /
did not hear the modification OF the question
confning it to the rebel States. | answer that
the Roman Catholic clergy were, my opinion,
very untriendly to the government of the Uni
ted States, and are now il portions OF the south
proposing a monumental church, at Memphis,
Tennessee, to Gen. Polk, once Protestant
bishop
TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE, JUSTICE.