Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-08-03
communicated.

for every ignorant bigot that
may choose to malign, SANDER OF
misrepresent the Catholic church,
is without one particle of truth"
This is not only begging the issue
but is raising a question of veraci-
ty. We simply asked if he could
not conduct his paper successfully,
and as profitably, without introduce
ing those Objectionable articles. We
insist on a direct answer.
Now for the facts in the case: DIR.
Cox says " no one has written line
on this subject in our columns" So
much the worse for DR.. Cox. If
some one had written these objec-
tiouable articles 80
FOR
your paper, we could see that it was
a matter of dollars and cents on the
part OF the Plaia-dealeT, a CONNER
cial transaction, and not the public
opinion of a secular journalist. '-'
No one would have held your pa
per responsible for them.
That these articles referred to did
appear in your columns, and that
they were Iibelous, and insulting
to Catholics, the record win show,
and we will leave the public to de-
eide the question of veraeity be-
tween DR.. Cox and ourselves There
is in the Daily Plain-deGler of July
I2,a long article from the NeC York
Herald, by j. A. johnson, who
takes Rev. Father Burk to task for
what he believes and says as cath
Ole priest. Not content with garb-
bling his sermon, he would also
asperse the whole body of the
church with anti-catholie venom.
In another issue there is column
of vituperation and malice which
DR.. Cox would call philosopy taken
1 think, from a German paper, and
infers that the election of the next
Pope is a matter of great import to
the safety of the protestant govern
ments of Europe. These articles are
copies, and as they are Of no par
ticuIar interest to the public, they
must be a matter of interest TO the
PLAIN DEALER-they strike a
responsive chord in his christian
heart, and as they are better written
than he could write them, gives them
space in his paper as "interestiRg
rendiRg" of no import.
In the issue of May Sd there is a
long article from the pen of the sa-
pient DIR. Cox himself, yet 'snOt a
line" ON this subject has appeared
in his paper.
DIR. Cox further says "We indeed
wrote a merely philosophical article
on the relation of France when
viewed in connection with the po-
litical aspects of Romanisni." Now
that is as clear as mud Owe don't
know what " RomdRism" ISL If ne
means the Catholic church, we will
say here in passing, for the informa-
ton of DIR. Cox, that the Catholic
church per Sc "has no political rela-
tions" with persons or countries
knows no political nor natural boun-
diaries, and as a church, lives and
fiourishes under every shade of poll
tics and government. But let us
see the Dr's philosophical article:"
At first sight it looks very much
like a badly executed picture in
water color, that had been wet and
the color had got mixed. The
DIR. having climbed to the pinnacle of
bigotry and taken a powerful glass,
Gin fact several of then,) views the
political horizon of France sees
Berlin correspondent of the Lon
don, Times, and thinks him rather
imaginative-gets a favorable light on
French yalor, genius and patriotism,
and admires the talents of Theirs;
France appears rather hacked. In
one part of the picture there is con-
siderable drama, history, modern
ideas, advancing civilization &C.,
&c, all mixed mp. Trys another
glass. This enabled him to see
catholicism deeply imbeded in the
French mind-thinks it bad for the
French. In an other part of the
picture intellectual progress, mod
ern ideas, politico-eccIesiatic system,
theological relations, French tradi-
tions and national feeling got mixed
and injured the beauty of the paint
ing. Here the philosopher wiped his
glass with little sugar on a spoon,
and it helped his optics amazingly,
sees galieanism, communism, spirit
ualism, free loveism, mormonism.
and = whole train of ''Dsodern ideas
coming down in the grand march of
advancing eivilization-is afraid that
catholicity the ''elog' or incubus
of modern ideas is going to stop the
grand march," because the French
mind is not yet Intellectually pre-
pared 40 separate itself from the
church. The glass being in good
working order, the DIR. can see the
difference between protestant and
catholic countries.
Thinks protestantism eoalaees with |
modern ideas aud inspires innovation
and reform on the customs and tra-
ditions of other times, and regrets |
that romanism is the reverse. Here |
the philosophy got to working bad,
made another spot on the picture.
The sugar haviag dried on the glass
by this time il became impraetible. /
But the DIR. thought he could see a
speck of war, some blood, the funer-
al of effete dOgmas, some imperishs-
Bile glory and several other things
Now, there is philosophy for you
with vengeance. This venerable
sage enters at once beyond his depth,
and with an ignorance that would
be culpable, were itnOt eXeusable, at
tempts to solve problems and princi-
pies, the a, Is, Z, of which he has
not learned.
The gist and essence of this phiIo- !