The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-10-07

cd two extracts from this journal Of a year
ago, and devoted to them a column Of
comment in which occur several false
statements which we proceed to correct.
Passing over the verbiage which precedes
it VIC come 10 the following passage in the
Sentences article: After some remarks
about Governor Carroll's election and the
Roman Catholic Church, the Sentinel
proceeds to say:
eWilh respect to the religious question, the
Advocate holds novel position; its attitude
is that Of tAe elton and the Kid lying down
together one of them is Protestant in his
belief, while the other was, but is not now,
having left the Protestant faith, in which he
was born aud reared, to join the Catholic
Church
The concluding part of this statements
utterly false, as the writer Of it might have
informed himselfif he had taken the pains
to ascertain the truth. But suppose ii
were as true as i is false, whose business
is it? Is it not the privilege of every
man in this country to adopt such religious
creed as to him seems best2 Would the
editor Of the Sentinel constitute himself
his "brother's keeper" and deny to him
the sacred right Of free exercise Of con-
science, right guaranteed to all in the
organic law Of the land2 To deny or to
question such right is the very essence of
despotism, utterly at variance with the
fundamental principles of liberty and with
christianity ITSELF Again we quote from
the Sentinel;
at is well known to all that there is not a
single Catholic in this county, who does not
vote the Democratic ticket; what is true of
them in local point Of view, is, in larger
and more comprehensive sense, true, not only
of the State but Of the country at large. 1t
is fact then, that the Catholic Church, or
rather its members here, as well as in the
country at large, act almost exclusively in the
interest of one party"
We are not acquainted with the politi-
cal sentiments of all the Catholics in this
county. The Sentinel appears to bamuch
better posted on that subject than we are
If there is a Catholic Republican in the
county he must have more charity than
falls to the lot Of ordinary mortals, to
maintain his allegiance to his party, de-
spite all theacrimony and bitternesscvinccd
towards his faith by his party organ in
this county, As to the members of that
Church "acting almost exclusively in the
interest of one party" in the country at
large, VIC have reason to believe that it is
not true. In Washington, Philadelphia
and Boston, large proportion of the
Catholics are opposed to the Democratic
party, and we make no doubt that the
same is true as to other Republican cities.
In our own State we know that the Catho-
lies are not all Democrats. Mr.. Booth,
late Collector of the port Of Baltimore, is
Catholic, and there are other Republi-
can Catholics in Office, We have been in
formed, in Baltimore city. But, wherefore
discuss question like this? A mans
religious faith is not proper subject for
newspaper discussion. 1t is something
which ought to be sacred from intrusion,
as it is matter which rests between his
conscience and his Maker. A year ago
when the Sentinel preached this subject
We took no notice Of it, but as it has seen
fit to reiterate this false statement con-
corning the religious faith Of one of the
editors of the Advocate and has attempted
to use such statement for political pur-
poses, we characterize it in the only way
in which it deserves to be, as utterly false.
This is not the only false statement
which that article contains. 1t Classics
the State Senator from this county as a
Catholic, classification which is not true.
We only mention this instance in connec-
ton with the other to show that the Sen
ti,lel is at fault in its premises and neces-
sarily erroneous in its deductions. Men
may have Catholic ties, connections and
associations, and yet not be Catholics. All
Protestants are not as rabid as he appears
to be towards Catholics. They concede to
the members of the Roman Catholic
Church the same right which they claim
for themselves-the right to worship their
Creatoraecording to such tenets, and under
such forms and ceremonies as they see
proper. Their political rights, also, are
as fully conceded by such Protestants as
their religious. If, according to the Sen.
tiners peculiar idiosyncrasy, they are seek
ing to gain controlling political influence
in the country, we have yet to see the
evidences OF it. When their clergymeu
60 by thousands to the Capitol to dictate
to the Executive what he shall or what he
shall not do; when they nominate Presi.
dental candidate in one Of their religious
conferences, and desecrate the sacred desk
by preaching politics instead of the gospel
we shall begin to feel alarm, and to think
that political supremacy is their aim.
These things have been done in this coun.
try, but they were not Roman Catholics
who did them. Catholic or Protestant
we care not which it may be, whenever
sectaries are found grasping at the reins Of
political power, they will meet the opposi-
ton Of all right thinking men. But let