Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1915-02-03
Senator MisulQerstands Menace ,

Which Brings Forth a Full and CompIste
Explanation Of Interest to all.
United States Senate,
January 1, 1915.
The Menace Publishing Co.,
Anrora Mo.
Gentleman: I am in receipt Of
your letter of the 17th inst. AK
me to read the latest issue of
your paper and oppose the move-
ment designed to exclude it from
the mails. M
Whatever my opinion may be
about the policy ,Eof your paper.
l have no intention of voting for
any measure whlch would exclude
it from the mafls. 1 believe both
in liberty Of conscience and the
press. You deny the first and
clamor for the last. Those who
oppose you assert the right to ex-
ercise the former for themselves,
and to deny the latter to you.
Such condition we'll illustrates
the dangers which must inevitably
flow from successful attack upon
any Cor stitutional right now
guaranteed TO our people. Your
paper would exclude those whom
you disagree as to matters of
religion, from part in govern.
mental affairs. Those whom you
would thus condemn naturally
retaliate by dems nding the Sexclu-
sion of your paper from the mails.
Candidly, but with no desire to
give offense, the movement against
which you protest is quite as inst
and reasonable as is the movement
which you champion. Both are
fundamentally wrong.
Yours respectfully,
s(signed) G. s. Shomas. \.
+ We certainly feel no disposition
to take offense at any part Of
Senator Thomas letter. On the
We are more than piyAs-
ed with his frank statements Of his
adherence to freedom of consoi-
ence and of the press. The one
is of equal Importance to the
other, If there is any difference
in the value of the two, freedom
of conscience might properly be
given the first confederation,
But Senator Thomas is serious.
ly mistaken in supposing that The
Menace is denying freedom of
conscience to anyone. The pos
sibility that there may be others
who have formed the same erro-
neous opinion suggests the pro-
priety of discussing that phase of
the question in these columns.
1t is precisely because Rome,
through the decrees of her popes,
denies the liberty of conscience.
thought. speech, and press, that
we take issue with her and oppose
the activities of Romish clergy
and orders in American politics.
One papal document. alone, is
sufficient to prove that the papal
system not only condemns free
dom of conscience, but condemns
popular schools free from her own
authority, and condemns all reli.
gions but her own. This height
of intolerance was deoreed by
Pope Plus TX in his notorious
"Bull Against Civilization" is
sued Dec, 8, 1864. My authority
is The History of Romanism by
John Bowling, D. D., 1881.
On page 800 of the volume men-
toned may be found the more
important items of the syllabus
of errors which formed part of the
"encyclical against errors" to
each of which is perfxed the num-
Der it bore in the original docu-
ment. These are the words CT al
"lnfallible" head of the .papal
system that no ecclesiastical au-
thority has attempted to set aside.
They are today the law of Rome
subject neither to repeal nor re-
/ vision. Permit me to quote:
21-It is an error to say that
"The Church (Church of Rome,
of oourse) has not the power of
defining dogmatioally that tho
religion Of the Catholic Church is
the only true religion "
42-It is an error to say that
"In the case of conflicting laws
between the two powers, the civil
| law oupht to pravaii -