, 1876-01-15
CATHOLICISM.
II IT INTEnEYTEu tn pUi.{TfCa2

To he Ed,t.r Of Tie Chled9o TritGn<:
LINCOLN, ILL.,. Jan. 11.-1n your iaaue Of Jan.
appeared MI article written from aian,towoc,
Wis, and sigued by Charles Wedoistedt, doing
Injustice to lae Catholic c1creY and to tue Catl,-
'olic people. I, an American citizen mud an
American Catholic, t3ecu, il my duty to correct
Mr., Wclolhtedt In lila misrepresentation. Tho
Catho'io clergy do not dcBre to become
engaged In politics, and. III their dis.
coutses from tho untpit. they have a.
wnya avoided allowing politics 10 enter;
aud alr. Wele!a:elt canno: prodnre hn Instance
whorcin they hayo doyiateo from this rule.
Wcdelssedt'B argument Is calculated 10 create \
prejudice against Catholics among American
people: At least. an obseryant reader would 80
infer froin Ills manner OF tp:xklhE. Iln tx-
claims Nten the Catholics gain the ascen-
dcucy In this cornt.y, then religious freedom is
Ut m end !" and ho lreHumcs tllrt At Some fu-
tuto day they will 10 III tho a4cendoucY. Upon
what rcasons ho baaea his holicf tia. religious
frecdom will bc at An allu, l cannot
surnlise. ALLOW mo 10 rcter him to countries
wlcre Catluliren, IL In Tho aaroudency. will
reler him. for inatAnco. to Frauea Austria, Italy,
and Belgium. Is rolieioua freedom 1t an end III
tlanso countries! CerIa'uly not. All dcpomtna-
tions uro tolerated in tiiosn countries, mud the
reopfo ate ftco to worship God as thoy choose.
linen, dorh LRtholicinm IN those counties
mean me, ,..Ia. "tndisdua " aespotEm of bot. soul
utato of atni1s IN Irnasil. where M
protcstantism Ii iil tl,o ascendency. Arc Catho-
lies allowed the privilege Of exocsins their a,l-
tlorty 1n mattesa pertaining 10 their church af
fairsi Tho IcodlnE public are awpro Ut tho
fact That the Catholic BiAhopa are imprisoned
and re1sccntcl. Aud why Simply Cceaaae
t!'oy have undertaken to exercise thoF authority
i't regard to Mei,. church akars,-a right that is
allowable in all civilized countrica. Then, docs
Professionalism III trusaia "nlcnn i,,dsviJ-
,,al liberty anl ,trco government T."
Al! n but ,..l tho friends l, of bismarck viii
auy of our incn'bora. lossoss that We have tho
Ba1ne right to eScunnlCN:CEto or e1pcl mcln-
bars that eny other church laH,
Catholicism hbB conceded M 1nEch, II not
more, for liberty n thib country. ns Protestant
ihIn. Aniericans Ecccsnpany INC back to tho
st,,say hand of pasriots were hattug for FREQ
don. tnaany Of tbeM being Catholics). the Brit
iHh Gnsoluuont {n Protestant one}, seeing that
1t could not c0nqucr our forefathcra, decided
to betld to our chores o number OF Hcssnn hire
Tonga to Eubdno tncm. They we're hired from
Tho Protestant Prince Of IIceee- CaBse!, hnd their
deeds OF cruelty will ever be remembered by tIle
Atnnrican people. When our tesouretu had al
mont Ecconle exhausted, onr forefAtterB applied
to Catholic franco lor n,a; and how nobly she
responded. furnl1hing IFS with men and money
to resist the British! Now, In view OF n! thcsa
facts, low can conscientious man .uRscrL that
Catloltcltn means lespotlaln aud tyranny Tor
both Roul and bntiy?
Mr.. Weatoletedt says tlera eau hs no alliance
between Irotc6tAntitu, and Catholicism. Iaprce
with A1n, and thinl: there canno. bo 80 l6uj; aB
euch ileGs aB he pcesetHes are approved or tn
tefaca by tue rcoplo; and the soouez Bt'ch itoas
aro condemned tho SOONER Ec tho People Of this
freq aud independent Goyernmart, will enscr
into M era OF prosperity and peace. ]1carect-
fully. J. k1Et 'tpAoSDs.