The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-11-20


eem to know that the style of
lan is no criterion of his argument.
he power of the cause does not lie
n the ability of the man who de-
ends it, otherwise Mr.. II. should at
nee 'ThrOw up the cards"
He has not lii the least strength
med his first assertion, nor has he
made o reply to my communication.
1is letter merely brings to the sur
ace again q charge which mine has
already answered. l was satisfied
rom his first attack that he was no
Ogician his "reply TO tho priest"
Notwithstanding his pretense at
knowledge in the doctrine of the
Catholic church, has only convinced
me more that what he does not
know about the Catholic church is
not worth knowing.
If Mr.. Il. knew whereof he speaks,
or if he were conYersant with other
would refer him to a
host of French, Spanish, and italian
standard books, wherein the fabu-
lous and patent lucnbrations Of
Bucks Theological Dictionary are
set at naught; as it is, l respectfully
advise him to glance over the Maine
and Massachusetts, blue laws, the
Cromwellian atrocities in England
and Ireland, the brutal and sangui-
nary appetites of the sanity Henry
VIII, and good Queen Bess, of pious
memory, ETC., etc. Mr.. II. is not
without knowing that the emanci-
patton of Catholics in England is
but of recent date that the violent
prosecutions of the Prussian Evan
gelical government are an institu-
ton of the day; that the question of
Argan, in Switzerland, has culmin-
ated into q general warfare against
the Catholic church, etc., etc. If /
wished to play upon the feelings Of
the reader, could, by simply quot
ing certain pages of the history of
the Reformation, surpass by far the
fanciful pictures which prejudice
and ignorant bigotry have drawn of
dark dungeons, instruments of tor
ture, San Benitos and burnings of
the Inquisition. The picture of Mr..
r., from Buck, of children hanging
about their parents necks," etc,
would soon fade into insignificance.
But let me remind Mr.. r. that there
is y degree of bad faith in appealing
to the feelings with respect to mat
tiers which ought to be examined by
the light of reason alone, if they are
to be examined properly. In such
a case we ought not TO begin by
mOring, but by convincing. To do
otherwise is to deceive the reader.
Mr.. II. can imagine how the Pope
and Cardinals, who. by a stroke of
his pen appear like troop of execu-
TONERS, and whose pleasure consists
in tOrmenting and desolating the
human race, would rejoice and give
thanks to God, if they were to see
their EmpOria denoRneer tied to the
stake In the midst of q burning
pyre and how they would laugh in
their sleeves and chuckle, when the
pitiful cries of the Emporia hereto
would pierce through the smoke OF
the ardent fire.
If the church were such a cruel
and corrupt power, why does Mr.
r. admit in the Emporia Ledger
Nov. 5, that the Indians of Mexico
and South America, under her in.
fnence, have become civilized? lie
says in his article on the Indian
Question: "In Mexico and South
America there are eight millions Of
civilized Indians. The Spanish civ.
ilized them by extending their gov
eminent over them, and giving
them Spanish education and the
Catholic religionl!l"
When Mr.. Il. will have given q
proper reply to my first letter il
your paper, then will 1 answer hi:
defective argument and malicious
insinuation about the Infallibility
of the church and the Pope. 1t i:
not clever to jump at conclusions
and to change a subject without ex.
hausting it.
Mr.. II. allows Catholics theil
share in governing the nation it il
very generous, and vote him a res
olution of thanks; but the Catholic
church never aspired to the contro
of the government and when Cath
Olics vote and take part in politics
it is not as Catholics, but as citizen;
of the country in which they live
All the church demands is free
dom of actiOn-the right to live un'
der the sun-burst of our glorious
Republic. She was the first
through Lord Baltimore, to bestOW
on our nation true tolerance and
liberty of worship; and during ouI
wars of Independence, she sacrific.
ed the best blood of her children to
maintain ono of the beat articles oil
our constitution-the one which
guarantees to every individual the
free exercise of his religious rights,
Yours truly in Xt.,
FELIX SwEMBERGH,