Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-08-01
Church and State.

Church and state.
Those who only see an ordinary Irish
row in the recent disturbances in New
York city, ON the occasion OF the Orange
mems procession and riot. look only at
the surface of things and tail 10 read the
true significance of events. The orange
men are protestant Irish, and the opposi'
ton TO their existence rs society has lis
root in catholicism. Religious intoler'
aneo drove our fathers from their native
land" The same spirit now threatens
the liberties of American lIGemen, and
many believe, not without reason, that
the next great civil warfare that our
country viii pass through, will be re-
hgious one. Whether this be true or
not. the spirit is certainly not wanting TO
foment this direSt evil and hurl 1t upon
our land.
True. our foundations were not 50 laid.
The trainers of our Constitution carefully
guarded against splitting upon this rock.
Church and State were widely separated,
never to be united while the principles OF
the fathers were alive. The spirit OF
Roman Catholicism is aibitrary and ag-
gressive-it seeks political power, and
strives for q union of church and State.
Losing its power in the old world 1t IS
evidently seeking to regain it on our con-
tinent. As it gains power in the cities, 1t
begins to make demands that the School
money shall be divided. and their portion
be given them to use rs they please; and
they openly demand that the Bible shall
not be used in our public Schools They
are establishing immense Cathedrals and
Nunneries, even in our own State. They
are making wonderful efforts 10 bring the
colored population of the South under
their dominion; and If they succeed in
this, with the deluded Irish they will
have large body of adherentS who can
make their influence and votes tell in the
politics OF our country. Our cities are
fast filing up with n foreign population
which is mostly Catholic. New York city
is already under their control, rs Is evil
dent by the course of Mayor Hall. and
Police Commissioner kelSo. who truckled
10 the men who elected them 10 office, by
needing their demands that the protestant
Orangemen should not parade in the
public streets of the Metropolis Of Ameri-
ca. Freedom indeed! A peaceful society
denied the right to march in the public
thoroughfareS Of an American city
After this, what? Shall the Society be
allowed an existence? May they meet
in some obscure hall and keep up their eX'
istence? Catholicism saws n0-dOwn with
them. Kill them out by violence; and
Tammany, democratic Tammany, which
rules New York, says-our foreign allies,
the lIibernian rioters composed OF tho
dregs OF the city, shall rule. Shame on
such trucking subServieucy. All honor
TO Gov. Hoffman, who, tho At a late
hour and with much misgiying, broke
away from Tammauy and issued a proc
lamation according the right to the
Orangemon to parade. and protecting
them by military force.
The iniquily and entire danger OF this
intolerant religious spirit on the part of
the Colholics, consists in the partizan aid
which il engenders and secures. II 1t
stood aloof from the two great pOlitica!
parties OF the country, but little danger
need be feared from it. Unfortunately
the democratic party, in the cities. is
made up largely of it, and to it, it will
look for sympathy and support. We
trust that when the great struggle comes,
i! come it ever does, in our country,
when the attempt is made to unite church
and State, true democracy that Unborn
principle Of entire freedom in religious
ami political views, will cause every
true democrat 70 ab,olvc himself from
all allegiance 10 popery Especially
would We call upon young men, Just en-
tering upon the threshold of manhood, TO
look we'll to these considerations, and be
cautious how they commit themselves to
such dangerous principles and men. The
republican party have no entangling al
lianees. to interfere with the largest liberty
in religious matters. Federation in re-
ligious views is one OF their cardinal
principles.