The Republican journal., 1874-12-03
Civil and Religion. Allegiance.

/ premier and the Catholic subjects OF tina
realm are still unsettled, and the quarre
will probably be long and bitter one. /
has. however, been eclipsed in public in
terest by the more recent manifesto OF Mr.
Gladstone, discussing the same question
in its relation to the subjects of England
His pamphlet recently issued declares tina
the Catholic church demands that all Cath
| olics owe unreseryed allegiance and sub
| lection to the head of the church. anC
that those who acknowledge this ofneccss
! ity cannot hold this allegiance to the civi
governments under which they live He
urges that the intallibilitv OF the Pope, anC
obedience 10 his DEGREES, are intended tc
apply ana DO apply to civil as we'll as
spiritual matters
These declarations are Indignantly re-
PEELED by the English Catholics. Arch
bishop Manning publishes letter. in which
he combats the pamphlet and its doctrines,
and says
In answer to this it is ior the present sufficient
to affirm: l. That the Vatican DEGREES have in
no lot OF little changed either the obligations Oh
the conditions of civil allegiance. >. That the
civil allegiance of Catholics is aS undivided
as that OF all Christians. and of all men who
recognize Il Divine OF natural moral law. 3.
That the civil allegiance of no man is unImit-
ed and therefore the civil allegiance OF all
men who believe in God. or are governed by
conscience is in that sense divided. IN thi,
sense, and in no other can it be said with truth
that the civil allegiance of Catholics is divided
The civil allegiance of every Christian man III
England is limited by conscience and the law OF
Cod; and the civil allegiance OF Catholics is
limited neither less nor more. My desire and
my duty, as an Engllshman. As Catholic. and
As pastor. is to claim, for my flock and for
myself, civil allegiance as pure, As true and
as iova as is rendered by the distinguished all-
thor of the pamphlet, or by any enhicct Of the
British empire.
This is the claim of Catholics. not only
in England, but everywhere. Acknowl-
edging subsection and obedience to the
heaG of their church in spiritual matters
only, they render willing obedience 10
the governments under which they live
This may not, anu probably will not satisfy
the rulers in monarchies, who are Jealous
always of freedom of thought, conscience
or anything which is likely to interfere
with full possession of their subjects, body
and soul The dread OF religious intlu-
ences, Of republicanism, Of the people, Of
revolution, is continually before these GOV
crnments, Hence these cries of alarm.
Let US hope that it may not terminate in
battle and bloodsheCl
In this country we are happily tree from
any apprehensions OF the kind Fer a
hundred years all systems of religion have
grown side by side in liberation and kind
ness towards each other Catholics are
among the best and most respected citi-
zens, who have never lacked in devotion
to the welfare of the country and its insh-
tutions. The constitution forbids the cs-
Enlistment of any national religion, or
the preference OF one sect over another in
the qualifications tor Office The Bib OF
Rights OF the State of Maine asserts that
''all men have a natural and unalienable
right to worship Almighty God according
to the dictates of their own consciences.
Thus bulwarked and buttressed against
the fears which agitate the old world, this
country can rest securely in the intelli-
gence and devotion of its citizens of all
religions