New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-08
CONDITIONS OF C1THOLIC PROSPERITY
IN AMERICA.

"
America is the constant theme of praise and
consratuIatOn among its echesiastlcs ABROAD.
Almost everywhere in Europe tho Church is
engaged in desperate fight either for eAst-
ence or for supremacy. In Spain, after having
submitted for six years, with very bad grace
il must he confessed, to the nominal tOlera-
ton which. was ordered by the revolutionary
constitution, it has now recovered its andacity
and force. and will doubtless, under the new
King, attempt to Teinstate itself in authority
as absolute as that which it enjoyed in the
time of the Inqusiton. In Italy the State has
so thoroughly succeeded in its conflict with
tho Vatican that tho Pope can only indulge IN
loud and passionate Outciy against what
he calls the outrage aud spohatlon OF
the King and his cOunscors. In Germany
the struggle has attracted the attention OF
the world, and the most momcntous civil
and religious consequences are involved IN the
result. Neither side is ready to look towards
disestablishment Us a possible issue, hut this Is
an age of rapid evolutons, and stranger things
than these have already come TO pass during
the Nineteenth Century in England the conflict
is more calmly waged, and with the weapons Of
the intellect more than with policemen's clubs
exciting enough to Influence the minds not
only of people in general but OF the first OF
English statesmen and the greatest liberal
politician of modern times has come to regard
the wiring of polcDIic pamphlets against the
Vatican as a far more Imperative duty than
that of leading his party in the House OF Com
mons.
In the midst of all this agitation throughout
the world the Church enjoys in America the
benefit OF perfect calm. II is tOrmcntcd by no
Sclisms within aud by no exercise OF authority
from without. It's ministers OF every grade
cnioy the privilege of unrestricted comn,lnlra-
ton with each other and with their supcrlors
beyond seas, without question or even critl-
cism. When, the other day. Il leading eccesl-
astc of New-York was elevated to the highest
dignity in the Church, there was no official
comment or interference anywhere, and the few
who imagined they saw in ii IL portent Tor the
future, gained only smile of dcri,iOD for their
pains. The spirit Of our institutions, IA well
as the prevailing public sentiment among our
citizens, is favorable Ia morality and to re-
ligiOn but as between various forms OF religion,
it is against all our traditions and habits
of thought to discriminate for or against any
sect or creed. so iealOusly was this impair
tiality guarded by the founders OF the Rcpub-
lie that not word was admitted into the
Constitution which could ever give rise to
Theological wranghng or disputati0n. This was
not an oversight defect, and the action
Of the builders of the Constitution haa been
justified by the often repeated refusal OF Con-
gress and the country to alter that instrument.
by the introduction of any implication OF
creed. In perfect freedom, therefore, the
Catholic Church has grown up in this country,
side by side with other confessions and has
gained its natural and healthy development.
independent at once of Government opposition
and Government aid.
All intelligent people must admit that its
strength in this country has lain i'll this fact,
and that disaster would follow any deviation
from the course which has proved 80 advan-
tageous. The condition of things in America,
which has caused the Pope to say more than
once that it is only in this country that his
Church Is perfectly free. is founded on that entire
independence Of religion and legislation which
has been one of our most cherished principles
of government A church which asks nothing
of the State, need never fear the States inter-
ference. But if these wholesome conditions
are changed, if one particular sect claims es-
pccial privileges or exemptions from the Lcgis-
lature OF Congress, what bounds can then be
placed TO the demands which would follow,
and TO the bitter h0stilities which would glOw
out of them 7 Unfortunately, this Is not alto
cether Il hypothetical case. lnsevcIal quarters
there is disposition to administer tho School
Fund so as to assign considerable portion of
it for the exclusive benefit of the Catholic
Church. The only possible argument by which
this claim can lie supported is that
positive religious instruction should be
omitted from 10 system of education,
and that sound religious instruction can only
be given under ecclesiastical authority. II is
not our purpose for the moment to dwell on
the fallacics of this proposition. 1t is enough
TO say that it is an innovation OF the most
dangerous character, entirely hostile To all our
precedents, aud calculated to bring the worst
clements of theological controversy into our
politics, from which they have heretofore been
happily absent. Ii is TO he hoped that the
leaders of the Catholic Church in this country
will havo the wisdom To see that the regimen
Of freedom under which their Church has pros
percd 50 long is the only safe and wholesome
one, and will discourage all ill-adNised efforts
to interfere with legislation for the purpose Of
gaining sectaIian advantages, which would
surely end in serious damage TO that prosper
ity and peace which have hitherto excited the
envy Of their brethren in other countries
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