New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-26

OUR FOREIGN CkNsORS.

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right ofworship in their own way. If, how
ever, either of these sects-for we regard
them as equally scots, affirming the peculiar
and exclusive orthodoxy of their creed
should surpass the limits of right which the
constitution ofthe United States has i'm posed
upon the exercise of free opinion, we would
check and restrain the one as the other The
right of private Judgment is with us sacred.
The political jurisdiction OF the federal
government is paramount, nor would we
tolerate any more the prescription of duty
to our citizens by foreign ecclesiarch,
than we would the political interven-
tion of any European monarch. This
soil is sacred said Jefferson from
"every form of tyranny over the m,sds of
man. nor can we imagine upon what prin-
ciple ruler, civil or religious, having an
autonomy and jurisdiction in another coun-
try can prescribe the conduct of citizen
in this country. The republican citizen is a
party to the republican government; he
has sworn to obey its laws as expounded in
case of question by the constituted tri.
bunals. To this obligation there is no re-
served allegiance to any other power, nor
CAP citizen who comprehends his obliga-
tons to the government he has made him
self devise any rule of moral notification
which can absolve him from this obligation.
Ii, however, there be any who may have
improvidently contracted this obligation to
obey the law of his own government and
desires to be absolved from it, there is re-
| served to him one means of honorable re.
! lief There is but one 1t is to renounce
| his allegiance to the government of the
| United States, and swear to become sub.
ject OF some foreign power Dwelling here
| as an alien or denizen, We accord to him
the fullest right to obey any foreign orders,
whether from a college of cardinals or
uvu.ou,iuio Vi oiI-rs, So lar, uI course, az
this obedience does not contravene the laws
OF our land and the rights of our citizens.
| With this avowsl of respect for the relig-
| ious opinions Of all, we do not feel restricted
from expressing our surprise at the extraor-
binary efforts made by the Papal authority
to propagandze its authority abroad, when
| it seems SO restricted at home. Really his
Holiness seems to have very little more in
Italy than what satircal French writer
many years since suggested as the limit of
his earthly possessions. "Rome and gar
den" was then deemed an abundant founda-
ton, and it even appears that he whose pre-
decessors once claimed the control of this
world and tae keys Of the next, has shrunk
like Napoleon to St. Helena here and a
much disputed dominion hereafter.
We have no knowledge of St. Thomas
Aqulnas or of the metaphysical rulings of
his day. We do not question the infallibi.i-
ty of any body to those who accept their
dogmas, nor do we except to any opinion
upon those extremely delicate questions
of generation, nativity and digestion which
appertain to the moral physiology of the
theological schools. We have sworn to
respect and defend these rights of opinion
and faith. The same principle which Sc
cures to these doctrines the right of exer-
else and worship, has authorized those
crazy explorers after the north pole of our
spiritual existence-the right to hold the
science and utter ridiculous words in
the name of the beloved or distin.
guished dead. No harm can come to
this great republic from the free dis
cussion of any doctrine. If the doc.
rrine be of God, said Gamaliel, it would
be useless to fight against it; if it be OF
any worse origin the American people will
be ready to expose and expel it. This is
better than laws against heretical teaching
| In to- 6 81,
In looking at the state of religion and
morality which prevail in those lands from
which our own moral reform is prepared
we are somewhat surprised to find that
neither is the popular standard of morality
of intelligence, of industry or of comfort
by any means of model character. We
think there are at least twenty or thirty
American States in which all these ele
ments of human honor present higher
standard than they do in the very seat and
centre of the hottest Of all the religions, as
it is regarded by those who profess it. We
have seen many bllcations-Protestant il
you within which the great city of Rome
offers nothing commercially for sale, except
ruins, relics, and beEedictions. We have
taken up the idea that there are no in
dustries in Rome except the manufacture
of antiquities, and the guidance of gradu.
ates from Harvard or Oxford over the
knobs where stood the Forum and the
temples. The old Rome is with the
old lion, in the pages of Homer and Titus
Livius. The new Rome is said to be, like
our Washington City, metropolis of Of
| flee holders and office seekers. There is a
presentiment of salaries, aud daily "prob-
ability" of priests, deacons, cardinals with
| subordinates. We have also read a great
| deal about the wretched beggars who
| throng the cities of Venice Naples and
Rome. They are not as we'll dressed as an
Arapaho Indian, and far more importunate.
We have also heard of the brigands who
intest the forests, and even the suburbs of
Italian cities. The English papers have
told OF travellers captured and held to ran
som, and there was an audacious report of
their having captured an officer of the holy
staff at a country picnic, and demanded
pay for his liberation. All this, from sources
which we deem historical impresses us with
an unfavorable opinion of law and order
among those who receive both from first
hands, and should be model, ins tead of
warning, to others.
We come, however, more particularly to
some specimens OF popular wickedness,
ipnoranee and destitutiOn which have haen