The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-02

poraries stick to lies which have been de-
monstrated to be such we must conclude that
they believe in the truth and power OF the old
saw. short time ago, according to these
leaders Of public opinion, we were going TO be
stranged by the monster Roman Catholicism,
and, forsooth, because ii was acquiring houses
and lots in New York and other large cities by
which in few years 1t would rule or ruin the
country. Bat the HERALD took that bull by
the horns and so eifectually ''doored" him that
We have heard nothing more about the real
estate tyrant since.
But our neighbors arc not willing to
stop here. Their editorial stock In trade
is exceedingly limited, judging from tho
variety Of subjects treated Of in
their columns from day to day. The
changes are rung upon our corrupt city and
tartan appropriations or something akin with
u new name, and an occasional squib in
defence Of President Grant and the republican
party, or a dash at some eminent merchants
of our city who have provoked the wrath Of
those journals. The sectarian appropriation
having been disposed of by us, the aforesaid
stock in trade of our neighbors has been
replenished by the discovery or invention Of
threatened swamp;ng of Professionalism in
America by the Catholic vote Of New York
city, which, 1t is alleged, is always ignorant
and always cast solid for the democracy and
against truth and justice and liberty; and
we are gravey told that the habit Of Difference
to Roman Catholic encroachments has some-
what weakened the spirit of the whole Pro-
testant body. That's terrible thing, indeed.
We should hardly have believed it, con-
sidering that there are two hundred and
seventy Protestant to forty Roman Catholic
churches in this city alone, and that outside
of this city, as we have heretofore shown
| there are twenty times as many. But the
Story, oft repeated, may come to be believed
by aud by. AS We have insisted in these
columns that the vital elcmon: Of Professionalism
or OF Catholicism does not lie in real estate,
but in human hearts, 30 now we declare that
ii does not consist in political votes, but in liv
ing souls. This constant harping upon the
'encroachments of Catholicism is an admis-
sion that 1t possesses far more vitality than
Professionalism, and is designed to create reli-
gious fcuds between creeds and churches. But
We are at loss to know what good purpose
or end is 10 be served by such agitation. eff
this counsel or this work be Of God it cannot
be overthrown; but ii it be of men il will
come to naught."
Then, again, we are told that 'thc position
of the Roman Catholic masses in our large
cities is pretty much that of the Southern
shareholders in the field Of politics. Both
were compact bodies Of ignorant people" and
as such were easily swayed by deinogosues,
aud Gin both ins .ances the libarties and pros
pcrity of the country were in danger through
their influence on politics" Ii this witness is
true it is a sad commentary upon our common
school system, and upon our Protestant and
Rpnb,ican institutions We pretend TO furnish
education for the masses, young and old, who
come among us and we offer them every
facility for acquiring it. Schools and churches
abound in al our cities, villages, towns and
hamlets and yet all that we can show here is
an ignorant mass, very much like the people
schools aud bat &c churches, and literature
without name, if this picture is correct.
But II il not. We are going forward and not
backward, aud Catholicism is keeping pace
with Professionalism, aud in some sections gain
ing upon it; and this il the cause of the
trouble. Had the former remained where it
was in this country thirty years ago we
should not hear such an outcry against it as
there is in this day. But II thrives as well az
the best, and here and elsewhere is putting
Protcstantism to shame by the number of its
rcligious aud benevolent insttutions-iounded
not by city or State aid, but by the hard
earned dimes and dollars of those who have
faith in their creed, and who show their faith
| b. their works. There is not day in the
year in which Protestants might not receive
| profitable lessons of instruction from the exam
| pie of their Roman Catholic neighbors in this
respect. We are not Of those who delight in
war and bloodshcd, and we deeply deplore the
persistent efforts Of our contemporaries to
| foment religious discord among ns. We cam
not 80 soon forget Tie American and Know
| Nothing excitement ofpast years, when SINH
| lar efforts were made TO breed strife between
nationallties and religions; but they failed
| sgnaly, as viii these also. Common pru-
dencc, if nothing else, should dictate that we
should not again plunge into war until the
wounds caused by the last are healed and
tranquility is restored to all our borders.
But we have no immediate fear that tie silly
mutterings of unpriacipled writers, whose
thirst for war Is their absorbing appetite, will
have any more weight with sensible men in
these days tlan their predecessors had in the
! years gone by Men are too intelligent now