Middletown transcript., 1872-03-16

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dlseashanss eaauGh enoue - olrooir,
Wlthout intfoduo1se (kis neU ons-tfoosl.
nsllglous lolsssGu6 4 - - ~ ~ Gelr-
locns y libvsty IN - y IN fsasrsl
vrssk q eoaasls stlsssI ltesdoa "a MN Ri.
lewedthe lses Uas n.llelsus uots ~
bittsfsat osall 0shsss. W havs hlthsreo
sseepsd. ID The epnvsatios whleh framed
shs Cosssitstios. Mr.. lrsdsll. of North
Ossollsa. used this ssmprsheuaivs end
elegant language -. Every pespou In
ths lsast csnverssut 10 the hIs(oey oe man.
kind, kuows what dreadful mischicfs have
bssn committed By religions psraeeutiou.
evs." Under the color u religious testa
The utmost cruclsies have been exercised
America set IN example to mankind 10
think more rstiouslly shst man may
be Of religious sentiments differing from
our own without being bad member cf
society. The principles Of tolsrstiou, Ia
tho honor Of this age, arc doing away with
those errors and prejudiccs which have 20
long prevailed, even 10 the most intclcr-
ant countries. In Romsn Catholic lands
principles Of moderation are adopted,
which would have been spurncd century
or two ago. II will be fatal, indeed, to
6nd, at the time when examples Of tolcra-
ton arc set, even BY arbitrary govern
ments. that this country as impre sod with
the highest sense Of liberty. should adopt
principles on this subject which we're mar.
row. dcspotic and iIlibcral.
At the very birth Of tho American rev.
olution. liberty Of conscience was iuaugu-
rated. II Is tho very salt with which
Amer 'canism is savorcd. The country
had been settled, In grcnt part, by men
driven FROM Europe By religious persccu.
tions; ycs, when they came here they CON-
mcuccd prosecuting each other. Mary
land aud Rhode Island arc illustrious ex-
ccptions TO this statement. But the Pur-
itan race was conspicuous in cndcavoriug
to carry everything in religion as we'll .ss
in politics, by force aud restraint And
notwithstanding equality is now guaran-
tecd BY tho laws. these relentless bigots
have never yet been thoroughly imbucd
with the spirit Of religious freedom, Pro-
tcsiants that We are. VIC cannot think with.
out shame aud Indignation Of the blackcn-
ed convent walls in Massachusetts,. which
bear mournful testimony to what We have
said. What have we to fear from Roman
Catholics in this country? The Protest.
ants in the United States to Roman Cath
clics. are as twenty zone to one. Of the
number Of churches in the United States.
more than thirty ono to ons are Protest.
ant. The value Of church property in the
United States is as nine Protestant to one
Roman Catholic IL this country there
are tour Protestant sccts. either Of which
is larger than the Roman Catholic church,
and the aggregate Of which exceeds the
Roman Catholic by majority Of nearly
ten millions.
What, then, Is there to fear from such
minoritics, even IL their old spirit Of re-.
ligious persecution was still the spirit Of
the age! Cannot tho leading Protestant
churches defend themselves against Ro-
man Catholic influences by spiritual and
moral weapons !? Have they not as much
piety, zeal. learning, as the Roman Cath
olcs ? We are ashamed 10 ask such
questions. May they not rely upon God,
upon reason, aud upon whnt they con-
slider the truth !? II the Roman church
is sintolcrant aud exclusive. must we 6gh,
intolerance with intolerance. aud cxclu.
sivcncss with exclusivcness? T?
What is there in the annals Of human
vengeance more horrible than the cruel
ties pcrpctrated upon tho poor Irish by
the Puritans All this was the spirit
Of an inhumsn age, aud why should VI
punish the children for tho sius Of their
fathers +?
We speak thus, not because wc have
any favor for the Romsn church, but be-
cause we wish to resist st the ontsct, any
sttempt ~ revive the Know Nothing cru
sadc. and because such an attempt 10 .
violation Of religious liberty. aud II Il sue
ceeds with ono denomination may be sp-
piled 70 any and al. Il is right and
proper that an emphatic proisst should bc
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