the Catholics are crushed and gone, some others may find
their turn come.

This was the first step taken; what next? Resistance to the
anathematized has been proclaimed ! How shall it be made ef-
fectual ? " By the advancement" (says the next clause of this ar-
ticle) " to all political stations, executive, legislative, judicial or
diplomatic, of those only who do not hold civil allegiance, directly
or indirectly, to any foreign power, whether civil or ecclesiastic."
How does this make the resistance announced effectual ? For
aught that appears or is expressed in words here, the means pro-
posed to effect a high duty, solemnly resolved upon and proclaimed
by an august assembly of men, appealing to " that Almighty Being
who rules over the universe," actuated by and inculcating " a pro-
foundly intense American feeling and passionate attachment to our
country, its history and its institutions," who were full of "admi-
ration for " and laboring to restore " the purer days of our national
existence" by "resistance to the aggressive policy and corrupting
tendencies of the Roman Catholic Church in our country," are
wholly nugatory. The mode of resistance prescribed is to ad-
vance to office "those only who do not hold civil allegiance, di-
rectly or indirectly, to any foreign power, whether civil or eccle-
siastic." Who does hold civil allegiance to any foreign power,
civil or ecclesiastic ? Nobody. Then you meant nobody and
nothing, and all this parade of words, platforms and articles, is a
mere farrago of nonsense.                     '

Some, if not of yourselves, gentlemen of the Convention, some
of your best friends and warmest supporters, have said you meant
by this clause nobody and nothing; and they have so argued in
quarters and latitudes where such statements and arguments were
necessary and useful to the great end, the success of the party.

Some believe them, though such a statement stultifies you and
the party you lead. No matter, the scheme worked well for
some time, and men of all sides were to some extent deceived and
misled. The object has been partially accomplished. This mys-
tification of words and ideas can deceive no longer. Let the truth
come out. You were not blockheads,—far from it. Some of
you, at least, were talented men and most adroit politicians. Some-
thing was meant. This negative-positive was intended to apply
to some class of persons. What class was that ? It is not said ;
but a particular Church was first denounced as aggressive in pol-
icy and corrupt in tendencies, and to be resisted. Attention was
thus fixed upon that Church.

What constitutes a Church ? A number of men holding cer-
tain religious doctrines, peculiar or otherwise. You know the
doctrines of all churches are liable to be misrepresented by their
enemies or rivals; this particular church had not escaped this
common fate. The members of this church had been falsely

36