Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-11-20
FrOnde vs.. nurkc.

Father Burke an Irish Catholic priest, is
giving course Of lectures in the Academy
of Music, in New York, on the same topics
that have been handled with so much skill by
the eminent English historian His last lee
ture was upon "Ireland under the Tudors and
the Stuarts." In respect to the merits of
the controversy between the priest and the
historian, we have nothing to say. If the
historian is the more candid and lcarned7 the
priest is the more enthusiastic and impass.
toned. Mr. Froude had designated Henry
the Eighth as the great promoter Of order
and law ia English history Father Burke
takes exception to this, and very shrewdly
and eloqueutly relutos it, II well says that
order in states is based upon three grand
principles, the supremacy of law. liberty OF
conscience, and tender regard for the sane.
tity of the marriage tie lie then proceeds
to show that Henry, in his own person, vic.
lated all these principles He made his own
will supreme over law, bis own dogma 10 re-
igion, and tramplel upon the sacre lness Of
marriage with the most brutal and savage
cruelty, of which is true Father Burke
also says of Henry, that The was not only
the enemy Of conscience, but the annihilutor
of CONSCIENCE" "lIe said to the neion,
am your conscience, ] am your nlalliblc
guide in all things that you are to believe
and in all things you are to do, and If any
man sets up his conscience against me- that
man is guilty of irreligion aud high treason.
Now we are not sure that Henry VIII.
went quite so far as this Father Burke has
put a fne point on it and has charged him
with saying what he only wanted to say but
did not say. lie never made himself, or de.
clared himself the iniallble head Of religion
in England, though be went as far toward it
as he dared. But if Henry VIII. is justly
liable TO tho charge of Father Burke, of be-
ing the foe of order and liberty aud law, be-.
cause he made his own will 90 be law, be-
cause he said to the nation, =" am your in
fallible guide in all things you are to believe"
then most certainly, Father Burke, by parity
Of reasoning, would declare Plus TX. to be
the annihilator of the conscience and the enc
my Of order and liberty among men when he
announces to the world, q" | am your iuislli-
bic guide in all things you are to believe,
and in all things you are to do" We
congratulate Mr.. Froude that his Catholic
adversary is obliged TO resort to the grand
principles Of Professionalism in order to relute
him, and that the same reasoning by which
Father Burke proves the King Of England to
be the foe Of order aud liberty, the aunihila.
tor Of the conscience and tyrant over the
opinions Of men, proves also the Papacy to
be the enemy of liberty and law the annihi-
the rights of men We agree with Father
Burke "that one grand element Of order is re-.
spect for the conscience. The conscience Of
a man is the great guide in all the relations
10 which au individual stands to God The
conscience is so free that the Almighty God
himself respects IT," We welcome the lee.
lures Of Mr. Froude which have called forth
such grand ulteranees from the lips of rep.
reseutatiVe Catholic priest We wish such
ideas and principles might extend under his
eloquent advocacy, till they should be felt at
the Vatican, and all assertion Of human in.
fallibility and Of human authority over the
consciences and opinions Of men should
vanish from the face Of the earth. The az.
sertion Of that authority and iufaliiblity, by
State and by Church, has been the greatest
foe to Irish liberty and order aud life. Let
those who have annhilated its conscience and
its order, by the arrogatiou of an inialible
power, Withdraw their hand, aud ireland
would have population sor,hy Of tie own
natural beauty and glory.