The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-28
Ths American Cardinal.

The investiture of the Cardinal yesterday at
st. Patrick's Cathedral was an important
event in the history of America. The Catholic
Church has played in civilization, for more
than q thousand years, part too active Tor
such a ceremony to be without worldwide
significance. Religion is power In America
Though it has less control here over gov
eminent than in the Old World its influence
is still matter of anxiety to those who study
the history of other nations, in order that
by the lessons of their experience the
dangers to the American Republic may be
averted. If Catholicism in America could
repeat the history of Catholicism in Europe,
in the period when its temporal power
reached the climax, the creation of Roman
Catholic Cardinal might be regarded as o
danger. But there is no possibility of this
evil. The Catholics are probably not one
eighth of our population, and SO long as the
Presbyterians fail in their favorite scheme to
place "God in the constitution" we may hope
that union of Church and State in this
country will be impossible. Interference
with the absolute right of conscience in re-
ligious affairs, no matter to what extremes
the freedom of belief may 60, must be re-
sisted from whatever quarter it comes.
But we cannot find any menace to our free
constitution and non-religious and indepen-
dent political institutions in the elevation of
the Archbishop Of New York to the Cardinal
ship. The Republic guarantees to every cit
izen political rights, without reference 10 his
religious belief, and if any laws of the States
interfere with his liberty of conscience they
should be repealed at once. But the crea-
ton Of the new Cardinal is purely
concern Of the Church. 1t confers upon its
subject no new powers. 1t does not. and
cannot confer upon him any other legal
status in the eye Of our government than is
possessed by the most obscure Methodist
preacher The great Cardinal is before the
law only plain John McCloskey, nothing
more.
But when we remember that the Catholic
Church has been and is one of the great
civilizing agents of the world, and that il
must continue to have profound influence
upon society, we rejoice that Its position in the
United States has had formal and emphatic
recognition from its supreme head The APP
point1nent Of Mr.. McClosley as Cardinal by
the Pope is compliment of the highest de-
gree to the millions Of Catholics in America.
They deserve it, and this gentle, good and
uprigh. priest is entitled to be their represen-
tative ia the honor which has been so grace
fully done. We give to-day considerable
space TO the reports Of the ceremonies Of his
investiture into his sacred Office yesterday
Just as we should do if under like cir
cumstances a jew should be made
Rabbi, Mr.. rockingham a Dervish,
or Mr. Beecher Benedictine friar-and are
rejoiced TO congratulate the Roman Catholics
Of the whole country upon the perfect sue
cess which attended the unprecedented event.
Not three thousand persons witnessed tho inn
posing ceremonies, but millions viii read of
them, and not Catholics alone, but unpreju-
diced Protestants throughout tho country will
approve the tribute to good man and the
recognition Of a great Church which the
creation of the American Cardinalate en-
bodies