the lion's skin on the ass, to deceive, the sects, great and small, from
the Church of England down, down, down to the Mormons or
Transcendentalists, through the grades of Presbyterian, Methodist,
Baptist, all play the tyrant in their own way. All act the despot, and
would exercise spiritual tyranny, if in their power. For proof of this,
the history of the "Blue Laws" in the land of the Pilgrims is only to be
consulted on this side of the Atlantic; and at the other side, modern as
well as by-gone records show, that, wherever Protestantism had the
power, _there_ the few were oppressed by the many. Every sovereign, from
Elizabeth down to Victoria, acted the tyrant over the Catholics; and in
Sweden, Denmark, Prussia, and the Protestant Swiss cantons, persecution
is now a part of the laws of these several states. Persecution is not
sanctioned by the laws of the United States, if we except the
prescriptive code of New Hampshire, which comes under that genus; but if
it be not legalized, we are not to thank Protestantism for that.
Wherever it has sway in the family, in the town council, or the
assembly, there the cloven foot of intolerance and persecution is seen
from under the sanctimonious gown it puts on. Indeed, although the
compulsion of the conscience is not enforced by State laws, it is
attempted, as far as practicable, where its effects are more galling,
and its existence more intolerable,--namely, in the family at home, or
in the camp or barrack abroad. Catholic servants are not only denied the
right to attend their duties in many families, but actually forced to
hear the disgusting ranting or ludicrous prayer of any impostor who may
take on himself the office of preacher. And Catholic soldiers are
punished by fine and severe corporal chastisements for refusing to
attend the service of an heretical chaplain. And no senator, zealous
for liberty, raises his voice on behalf of the Catholic soldier, and of
the Catholic servant girl, while they are exposed to a persecution such
as no Catholic government, king, or despot ever attempted to force on