Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-07-30
Religious federation IN SOuty,
american.
[Fson tho New York Tribune

IfFom tho New York Tribune Hrf
A vital question for the whole of South
America Is the question of religions tolera
| tion. without freedom Cf religion there
will be no free press, no immigration of
foreign labor and capital, and no cons lda-
ton of liberal consi' ution. For three
hundred years ell these countries, as Span
| sh and Portuguese dependencies, have
known but one form of religion, that of tho
Roman Catholic Church, aad even when,
at the beginning of the present century,
| they established their Independence, most
Of them co1tinucd their intOlerant laws
| and some Of them like Peru, Bolivia, and
Ecuador, maintain these Laws, at least on
paper, up TO the present day.
Bat IL was TO lie expected that countries
which are in constant commercial and 50.
cial intercourse with the great Protestant
nations of the world, aud all If which with
only one exception, have a republican form
| Of government, would make at least earlast
Efforts to place thems lives, on the question
Of religious liberty, as we'll as on political
questions, on level with the most advanced
II Il ID of the world. In some of the ST.,
these II rus have met with compile = sue.
ess and secured an official rec og iton (
t principle Of re ig Gus rolera I'm; ma
lib, raj party is we'll orgtnizrd, wnlon,
Wit II aid o an il fllentlal press d.
mandS it. The struggle is assuming larg.,
| din,n.i n IL most of the States u d ITS
pres' Mt Esp 'ct prom ses the most crafty
| itg results.
The greatest advance toward freedom Of
! egiUn has been made ia Brozl. This
| Empire, which, If the present rate of in
| crease Of its population e)ntinqss and
thcrs is no reason why it should not
must soon take its rank among the great
powers of the world, has long since learned
| To appreciate the ads antsges VIII ch a vast
country with Thin population can expect
| from an industrious Immigration. The
| measures adopted to encourage immigration
Ia tot always been wise, and, in many
| cas- >, the good Intentions Of the Govern
| m,nt have been thwalted by the d shonesty
of sublrdiutte officers; but il mast be s,ii,
10 the credit vi many of the Brazilian
| statesn, N aud ministers, that they desired
| to encourage foreign immigration, and that
they did not shrink from Offering to Protes.
taut settlers aft &C exercise OF their religion,
| aud even financial aid for the establishment
Of churches aud schools. And thus, while
many immigrants have ag iin lefs the cOun
| try, dissppoiu' ed in their hopes, many have
remained, aad Brszil, which already has a
p ,pulltion of fully 10000 Germans AMI
SSiss, a large portion OF whom are PrJtes
tan's, has a number OF churches, schools,
and ne wspapers. More recently Prasby-
terrain missionaries from the Unt.d States
have coast ituted, without hinderauce from
the Government, regular Presbytery, the
members OF which are mostly natives, who
have left the Roman Catholic Church, aud
now We learn Il at the Liberal party, unler
the leadership OF a forner Prime Minister,
has resolved to iiscihe on its banner the
principles Of religious freedom ami Of sepi-
ration between Church and State.
Am ne the Spanish. American Republics,
The A gentine Republic is likely TO take
the lead in this as in many other reform
questions. None OF these States have ever
had a President who was a more sincere ad-
mirer If liberal institutions, civil as w,ll
as religious, of the United States, than
President Sarmiento. He has entered up.
on his daty with the determination to m AXE
popular education as universal as IL Is in
our country, and the first months OF his ad.
minstration cobfirm the great hopes which
his well-known progressive views have
awakened. Emigration from Europe is
increasing at a worry rapii rate, the
number Of enigrants during the first six
months Of the year 1868 exceeding largely
the Dunb0r Of any previous whole year
The Government does not object TO tn,
building OF Prutt ant Churches, Of which
there are four 10 the Capital, Blenos Ayres
IL seems thai, in this respect, the Argen
tine Republic will soon surpass any othe
South American State.
Chill has a cons siderable foreign Protes
tant population in some of its Southern
: provinces, especially 10 Vallvia, and IL !
: untiring Ia its endeavors 10 increase the
number. The Protestans have for man,
years had several churches, and popula
, opinion inclnes to extend their rights
though II may not yet DO prepared to pu
them on an eqlii footing. Mexico boast
nine small congreg ATOMS of Protestants.
The most important, though not yet H.
: greatest, Of tho cities OF Spanish America
4 Panama, is, as far AS lis commerce an
z wealth is conc, rued, foreign and Protes
q tant city, and It is II kelly to become 50 MOI
aud more. Toe liberal policy in the Unite
8 States of Columbia has generally fayore'
tho cause of religious freedom, and q sig
, niil ,ant fact with regard to this point is tn
recent dedication in its capital, Boguta, of
e Protestant CHURCH in the presence OF an e'
a Pre- sident Of the Il public, aud many Otht
!. he most promnent men of the State.-
n Ven zusla, also, Is very anX,ous H. secuI
h an imuisrt alton. though IL DO PrOtestaD
a. from the Unit' d 'tates. Thus, In most
il the South American States the principle
T., rel. 'Ols federation has IN ide, and " sti
g making, considerable progress, and there
4 even reason To hope that ere long even ia
, freedum Of religion will be establ shed
y como OF them. O zee Il mly established
n few States, religious liberty will soon g,
a, tend ITS tfiumphalt march over tho who
, | of the Sluth American Continent