The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-01-29

Letter By fl6jI Il fi6S6 i
yFrom The "a ISs<s,xs|
| The great power and q I
| this country, which is tIi liil1a5i0
Iof the world, is in a great n53'IsI}Ea NJ
to her religious freedom, andaA orlle
to guarantee and preserve this precioll
liberty. her citizens should be very eau
tious before casting their vote for
Presidential candidate Of the Roman
Catholic faith, for if such candidat,
was elected it would cause untold alarm
throughout the country.
CATHOLIC PRESIDENT MUST ACT ACCORD
ING TO THE, ROMAN CREED.
The Roman Catholic, neither as ;
President, nor as a private citizen, car
support the clear distinction expoundee
by Mr.. Roosevelt when he SAYS tina,
privately President can follow any
creed, providing that in his public and
government acts he shows respect fol
all creeds.
The Roman doctrine obliges its fol
lowers, be they kings or Presidents, te
refuse any distinction whereby they
must think and act in private different
ly from what they must do in public.
In both instances they must act under
expressed rules laid down by the Roman
creed.
1t can be assured that the Syllabus,
which, so to speak, is the fundamental
code OF legal and religious principles Of
Romanism, has as its principal object
the energetic condemnation of any dis
tinction between the public and private
manner of thinking and acting of a
Romanist Its teachings and com
mands are conclusive, that whether in
private or in official position they must
at all times defend Romanism against
any and all opposition.
A Roman Catholic President is re-
quired by the Church to believe that
the great American Constitution is rep
rehensible and an unnatural crime, pre-
cisely because OF its claim Of religious
freedom, and he must by all possible
means within his power bring about re-
forms favorable to RomaDism.
He must believe MISUNDERSTANDING
his being the first magistrate of the ma
ton, he is at the same time and by the
same concept, subject of the Pope.
He must understand and firmly believe
that above IL, sovereignty of the nation
there stands the Pontiticate sovereignty,
which he must obey over all, as it is
within the power Of the Pontiff to re-
lease the subject Of any oath Of allie
glance.
I, A Roman Catholic Presidentmtlstb be-
Iieye that the ecclesiastical power is SUI
perior to the civil power, that the canon
law is above the public law, that the
Church and not the State must be the
adviser in all matters appertaining to
morals; and in mixed affairs between
he State and the Church, the Church
md not the State must decide and be
9beyed. And it is the duty Of a Presi-
lent, according to the Roman Catholic
aw, to use his best endeavors towards
governing his nation according to these
Jews. This | leave to the good judg- |
nent of the American people, with all
Iue respect to Mr.. Roosevelt, to decide
rhether or not such state of affairs
fould be consistent with the sovereignty
/ the nation.
OMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND ROMAN
CATHOLIC RELIGION DIFFERENT.
1t must also be borne in mind thatth
,oman Catholic Church and the Roman
atholic religion are two different
lings. Theoretically one may accept
ne latter while not accepting the form
r. In practice this cannot be so, ac-
ording to the Roman thesis. The Ro-
ian Catholic Church, according to its
wn vigorous claims, is political or
anization since it claims temporal
over, all Of It's acts likewise being in
with that contention-it be-
e the only religious body to make
lch political claims. Since it main
ins that it is a political tenn
oral power, why should it not be ac-
'pted at its own valuation? 1t has so
aimed by its words and acts for cen
ries-why not accept its own state-
ent Of the case on this point? It's
'urse in France, Spain and Italy, for j
ample, where it has exercised politi- ;
j domination for SO long is an undis- j
tied fact, and the uprising Of the peo-
6 against such political domination
id the expressed desire on the part of
large part Of the population for a sep
alton of Church and State, has been /;
ID is vigorously resisted by the Church ,
lich bitterly assails those who would !
priye her of her political power.
Ii she strenuously contends for polit- i
Il power and domination in Europe, :
~ should she not claim it in the :
lited States? for she boasts that thet
aed is for all parts of the world Can ],
E Ethiopian change his color or the !,
,pard his spotsY Would the Catholic !
lurch change her fundamental claims :
temporal and political power if she !
uld2 Hardly, for it is by such power !,
3 maintains her supremacy. To de- r
oy her power would end her suprem- :