St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-04
REPUBLICS SAFETY.
A Subject of Natural Interest
on the Day Of indie
pendence.
Is the Growth of Catholicism
a Menace to Our Lib
critics ?
The Startling Prediction At
tributed to the Marquis
de Lafayette.

states be QeSLrOy6Q III Will NC Wy AeOhiA7iA
priests" For fifty years these ominous
words have been attributed to the greaG
Catholic defender Of America, the lntl-
mate friend and admirer of Washington.
the MARQUIS de Lafayette. Though the
authenticity of the somber prophecy has
been disproved time and again, yet II
continues, like the man in the topical
song. to bob up serenely," at tunes ana
places where least expected. Let me
therefore repeat once more, the words
are shameful and malicious perverSlon
of the following paragraph IN letter
from Lafayette to Washington, to be
found in ''Memoires ct MANUSCRIPTS de
La Fayette,n published by his family,
in Paris, 1878.
Icannot but admire your noble sentiments
OF devotion and attachment to your country
and its institutions. Nevertheless, must be
permitted to say that the fears Whlcn' IN
YOUR patriotic zeal you seem to entertain,
''that if ever the liberty of the United States
is destroyed it will be by priests OF Rome,
are certainly without any shadow OF founoa-
ton whatever.
Though Lafayette evidently uttered
these words only to denounce their
falsity, the persistency with which the
calumny is repeated to this day shows
clearly that there is still lurking sus-
picion that there may be danger ahead
for this republic from the church Of
Rome. Nor does the phenomenal
growth of Catholicism in America,
where it is already numerically.
though not officially, the representative
religion of the land, tend to eradicate
entirely this feeling from the minds of
Americans, who, while they see. that
the Catholic church is flOurishing in the
vi in 0nnnfrU in
the world. yet fail to recognize in this
fact a proof of its congeniality with
freedom and our peculiar American
institutions. Let us, then, on this glori-
Gus Fourth of July morning, boldly face
the question and examine whether there
is really any danger to be apprehended
for the republic from the Roman
Catholic church in America. AS the
words attributed to Lafayette have been
proved unauthentic. perhaps. too, the
proposition they contain may be found
to he equally false and absurd. If there
is any real and serious antagonism be-
tween Catholicism and the republic it
must be found in the fundamental prin-
eiples either of the American republic
or of the Roman Catholic church. 1t
cannot be found IN those of the republic
for the following reason: The republic
rests on the constitution as its fOunda-
ton: and the corner stone OF the constl-
tuition is religious liberty, with it's guar
antee that mo law shall ever be passed
prohibiting the tree exercise there
Of" But the moment that the
Catholic religion shall be pro-
Scribed in the United States,
that moment the constitution shall have
become a dead letter and ceased to exist,
Therefore, the fate of the Catholic
church in this country and that of the
constitution are indisSolubly bound to-
gether, and the violence that would
destroy the one would be suicidal to the
other. There is, therefore, no antagOn-
ism on the part of the republic. Ii, on
the other hand, this antagonism exists
on the part of the church, it must be
found in the fundamental principles of
her teaching. What if they should be
found to be identical with those of the
republic?
The fundamental principles of the
republic, as expressed in our Declare
ton of Independence, consist in the
emphatic affirmation of divine truths,
as the belief in Creator; the natural
inalienable rights of man, as life, liber-
ty and the pursuit of happiness; and
the objects of government which are to
secure these rights. Now, all the
fathers and doctors" of the
Christian church, from Clement
in the first, to Liguori in the
eighteenth century, have written more
or less fully on these subjects. But the
greatest expounder of Catholic doctrine
that the church has ever produced, and
the one whom Leo XIII. has appointed
as the highest authority in all the Cath
Ollie institutions OF learning in the
world, is the great st. Thomas Aquinas
the "Angel of the Schools" Let us
then compare in parallel columns the
teachings of the Declaration of indie
pendence as penned by Thomas Jeffer
son with the teachings of the immorta
"Summa Theologie' by Thomas Aqui
mas. The comparison will prove curl
Gus and instructive:
Declaration OfSt. Thomas Aqui.
independence. mas.
'When i'll the course you will ask me il
OF human events it be- the second place
comes necessary for whether the prince
one people to dissolve receives this civil leg
the political bonds islative power imme
which have connected Idlately from God.
them with another reply, 1t is universally
and assume among admitted that prince:
the powers of the receive this power
earth the separate and from God, but at the
equal station to which same time it is main
the laws of nature and Iained with more
of natures God enti- truth that they do no
tied them. decent re- receive it directly, bu
spect to the opinions through the medium
of mankind requires of the peoples con
that they should de-Isent for all men are
clare the causes which naturally equal. anG
impel them to the sep there is no natura
aration. distinction of superb
I'VE hold these ority or inferiority
truths to be self evil Since nature has no
dent that all men areIgiven any individual
created equal; thatIpower over another
they are endowed by God has conferred
their creator with GER this power on the com
tain inalienable rights, munity; which, as i
that among them are may think it NOR
life, liberty and thelproper to be ruled By
pursuit of happiness. one or by many ep
That to secure these pointed persons, trans
rights governments fers it to one or Il
are instituted among many, that by them
men, deriving theirImay be ruled.'' Est
just powers from the Thomas, vol 1, 2
consent of the gov ques. 80, art 3 and 2
erned; that whenever Compendium of Sala
any form of govern mahca). 1.-THE king
ment becomes de dom is not made TO
structive OF these ends the king, but the king
1t is the right of the for the kingdom: TO
people to alter or abol- God has constituted
ish it, and to institute kings to rule and gov
new government, ern and to secure Il
laying its foundation every one the posses
on such principles, sion of his rights
and organizing its Such is the aim O.
powers in such form their institution: bu
as to them shall seem if kings, turnin,
most likely to effect things to their owl
their safety and hap profit, should act 9th
piness. Prudence, In erwise, they are III
deed, will dictate that llonger kings, blu
governments long es- tyrants.'' de Reg
tablished should not lPrinc. chap. 1D.
be changed for light Laws are unjust il
and transient causes, two ways: Either be
and, accordingly, all cause they are CD
experience b IMPOSED to the common
shown that mankind veal, or on account O
are more disposed to their aim, as when
suffer, while evils are government impose
Eufferable, than to upon its subjects on
right themselves bylerous laws, not for tn
abolishing the forms common good, but TO
to which they are &C. the sake of self inter
customed. est or ambition
'sBut when long Tor they may be unjus
train of abuses and in form, as when tn
usurpations, pursuing taxes are unequall
Invariably the same divided among tn
object evinces a de- multitude, although
sign TO reduce them i'll other respects tend
under absolute despot- ing to the public good
ism, 1t is their duty Such laws are rathe
TO throw off such gov outrages than laws.
ernment and to pro- (St. Tn. l, 2, CUES. sc
vide new guards for art. y.
their future security" ''They are praises
who deliver the PEG
ple from tyrannica
lint