New Orleans Republican., 1875-12-08

The New Orleans German Gazette, of No
vember 10, contained an interesting article
on the subject of "church propaganda
among the negroes" The mission commit
tee of the Episcopal Church, in session a,
Louisville, debated the question: How &C
bring The negro within the Episcopal
Church! The fact was ELECTED that the
Catholic Church is now occupied in solving
this question in it's favor. The Gasette says
this truth must forcibly strike the attentive
observer in Louisiana, and asserts "there
are no Catholic churches founded and FIRE
quented exclusively by colored people,
The clergy has not at any time made dis
tinction Of color, while the Prote stants have
closed their doors and forced the colored
people to erect their own churches and
places of worship. In New Orleans alone
there are thirty two Protestant churches
exclusively frequented and supported by
colored people.
white and black" Gays the Gazette,
"kneel and pray together in our Catholic
churches, from the st. Louis Cathedral to
the smallsst chapel, while the Protestant
'nigger' could not dare to visit the highly
fashionable Presbyterian church of the
not, therefore, wonderful that Catholics
have achieved some success among the ne
groes, and the conversions increase aston
ishingly from year to year.
The Gazette thinks that, outside of the
religious, there is political aspect of the
conversions to Catholicism. To the ques-
ton; Will the negro vote the Republican
ticket as befores it answers that it ia doubt
full; for, although the Catholic Church has
races in worship, communion and burial,
its tendency is decidedly Southern Demo-
cratic or even Confederate. A paper more
openly Confederate than the Morning Star,
under the control of the Archbishop, the
official organ Of the church in Louisiana,
does not exist the South over. From this
fact the Gazette deduces, considering the
domination of the clergy over the family
and all the relations OF private life, that
the negro, who has heretofore blindly voted
the Radical ticket, will just as blindly vote
tue Democratic ticket presented to him by
the priest in the confessional, under the
penalty Of losing the absolutiOn of his sins
and e.ernal life If he dares to vote the Re-
publican ticket.
So far we have followed the Gasette Its
statements are eminently worthy OF con-
sideration. Why docs 1T confidently assert
'at elections, on every political question,
the influence and weight of the Catholic
church will always be found With the Demo
cratic partya" Ii is plain language, uttered
by Q journal occupying an independent
position, yet quite conservative in its views
The inference must be that it's declaration
is we'll founded. Will the Catholic authori-
ties reply to the charge, or by silence give
it additional weight
Nothing is more certain than the fact that
race separation is . source of weakness to
Protestantism, and of strength to Catholic
ism. Shall this suicidal policy be longer
continued This is the serious question
presented to Protestants. As Q church
matter, the negro may be left to the rivalry
of the Two branches of the Christian world
with the assurance that he will be provided
for. Politically, it Is of deep concern to all
who favor separation Of the church and
State to rebuke the pretensions of Q clergy
in league with Q political party. As Repub-
eidious attack contemplated by the Gazette.
We believe, however, that the negro, who
has withstoOd the entire force of Democracy
arrayed against him in his contest for civil
liberty, can not be blindly led by a priest
hood, Protestant or Catholic. The leaders
of the Protestant scots may close their
doors in the face of the colored brother,
deny their Chriet and cease to follow their
teachings; the Catholic priest may pander
to the multitude to increase the wealth and
power OF the church-but all alike will de-
grade the offices of religion, and eiuk its
ministry In contempt. There Is an Ameri-
can religion, the Republican party has pow
erfully advocated by the acts of emancipa-
ton and civil rights, which is stronger than
creeds or priests. The martyrs of two rev
olutions have made it holy. Its chief arti.
Gle is that all men ere ereated free and
equal, and beyond their conscience they
are responsible to the Creator alone. Tho
false assumptions of race superiority, aud
the power Of . human corporation claiming
iufallible authority to cnrse the earth OF
exercise 0odlike attributes, will antag0-
nise 1t - vessel, storm-driven, withstanda
the sunken rook.-Attakapas Register.