National Republican., 1875-11-03
IEFALLIBILIrY EXPLAINED.

On our first page will be found most
extraordinary document, in the shape of a
report of a lecture recently delivered in St.
Louis by the Re Serend Joseph HeRning,
distinguished Roman Catholic priest, upon
'fhc persecution Of the Church" We
assume that the report is accurate in sub
stance and spirit. 1t bears the marks Of 4
careful. closely studied, deliberate and au-
thOritative gage of battle, founded upon
the dogma of infallibility, which dogma is
prosecuted by Father IIcnning to its ut
mos: logical sUquence-thc temporal su-
PIemacy Of The Church. Indeed, this
doctrine IS distinctly and unmstakably an
nounced, and promulgated as the true
political faith of all good Catholics. Church
and State arc declared TO he inscparab!c.
AL the faithful are enjoinod 10 vote for the
supremacy Of the Church over the State
or rather, to make their religion their sole
guide in casting their ballots. yovotc for
none but Catholic or the friends of Catho-
lies.
But, as the subject of the lecture was the
persecution of 'Thc Church'-which term,
by the way, when used by Catholics,
always means the Church of Rome''-the
lecturer did not fail to remind his hearers
in the outset that Christians had always
been objects of persecution; that persecu-
ton was the life and thrift of the Church,
and was therefore rather desirable than
otherwise as a means of growth and as the
ladder by which final supremacy is TO be
attained This, no doubt, accounts for the
ayidity with which he seizes upon an
imaginary pretext to provoke the discus
sio2 of a pretended tissue which he &C.
knowledges will create fearful amount
OF bad blood" Such conduct would natu-
rally seem to be reprehensible in any one,
but more especially ia an ordained priest
of the Church whose vocation is supposed
TO be to preach peace on earth and good
will 10 his fellowman. Knowing that an
issue would create dad blood he should
have avoided all reference TO it until such
course was no longer possible, and should
have only advised war when it became nee
essary in pure selfdefense. What reason
does he give for his precipitate action upon
lulS lebuG w ldb CACuSE OOCS
this holy priest of the Church give for
rushing into the political arena, at the risk
of soihng his sacerdotal robes, and throwing
down the gage of battle? Upon what pre-
tense does he declare that ''it is nothing
else but war; and command the hosts of
Rome TO follow him to the deadly breach
Why he says: 81 am sorry..to say that this
tissue has been made most loudly from
1.-The lips of one who calls himself the
President of these United States" This
is the reason, and this is the proyocation,
and this is the style in which the minister
of the Church is reported 10 have presented
it TO his audience. Zone who calls him
self" &C., as if there were some doubt as
to the legitimacy of the tenure by which
Gen. Grant held the Presidential Office.
But setting aside all criticism of style, taste
and language let US examine the truthful
ness of this assertion. What did the Pres
ident say on this subject of education in
his Des Moines speech, for this is what
Father Henning alludes TO above? Here
is his language:
"ID q republic like ours, where the citizen
is the sovereign and the official the servant,
where 10 power is exercised except by the will
of the people, it is important that the sove.
reign-the people-should possess intelligence.
HThe free school is the promoter of that
intelligence which is to preserve us as q free
nation. If we are to have another contest in
the near future Of our national existence
predict that the dividing line will not be Mason
and Dixon's, but between patriotism and intel
Iipence on the one side and superstition, ambi-
t;on and ignoranec on the other. Now, in this
centennial year of our national existence,
believe 1t a good time to begin the work of
strengthening the foundation of the house
bnadred wears ago at Concord and Lexington.
Let ms ali labor to add all needful guarantees
for the more perfect security Of free thought,
fSee sneech and free press, pure morals, unfet-
ta-s5 Religious continents and of equal rights
sT,S sT nTiyiIeres TO all men, irrespective of ma
n e color s.Sys 81 Fsen tsa not tPsS9SS Gns dSaf Sf
o.. ecuo1 a1,.-,-onriated TO their support, no mat
~ INV Taised. shall he appropriated to the