In the Antebellum period, the Irish and German immigrants looked upon America as the Promised Land. It was the land where milk and honey were available in abundance. With the new immigrants in town came a modern culture and a new religion, Catholicism. They started a business with the hope that there are at least better than their compeers in their old country did. Mere trading and successful companies did not catch the eye for most people, what did is the religion with which they came. It divided the American people.
It is apparent that the American people perception about the “word of God” vary greatly. Thomas Whitney sets off by explaining that the Roman church in its whole character and spirit is hostile to the character and spirit of American free institutions. He further explains that Romanism is an enemy to development ( Arnold, 2011). Thomas further compares the Romish church to American republicanism and notes that the “word of God” suppresses intelligence instead of cultivating it. Besides, the Romish church does not give its men the right to trial. Instead, their fate falls into the hands of a prelate who judges them and determine the punishment they face. It according to Thomas is not what the “word of God” admonishes. Concisely, the Romish church is slavery and not freedom as the word of God should be ( Arnold, 2011) .
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Thomas had his fears against the Romanism in the United States. Among the concerns was political effects it came with, but setting that aside he still noted that Romanism was an enemy of development ( Arnold, 2011) . It stifles its subjects’ energies and teaches more about superstitions instead of being taught how to work and pay their debts. Instead of encouraging people to work hard and be more profitable, it aims at converting many people to its own dogmas (146). Romanism places a rosary and a cross to its people’s hands instead of promoting civilization. The whole structure of Romanism lacks the elements of sympathy and encourages oppression. Its leadership is monarchical, “pope is the prince of all nation,” which from Thomas understanding has nothing religious about it. In short, where Romanism exists, there is no development, no public prosperity, and public fatigue.
Samuel demands are that Roman Catholic Immigrants should not be allowed to participate as citizens yet the politicians of both sides have made peace with the priests to obtain the votes of their people ( Arnold, 2011) . He is urging the American people to back his idea, but the political leaders have gone behind that and done the exact opposite. Besides, he speaks of denying immigrants’ rights as citizens yet in his facts, he states that the influence of American free institutions in European institution is more significant than it has ever been. It implies that many Americans must have migrated to European countries to cause the influence. Samuel also states that a member of Austrian Cabinet noted that the United States is “a great nursery of destructive principles; as the Revolutionary school for France and Europe,” and whose Democratic Liberty would give trouble to the rest of the world ( Arnold, 2011). After this statement, we expect that none of them will set foot in America, but to the contrary, they set up a society right after the speech and migrate to America. He says that effects of the community are already apparent with the increasing number of churches and priests in every part of the country.
In flashback, it is evident that since the potato famine in 1847, many immigrants have been moving into American Soil. For others like the Romish church whose effects have already been felt in America and have settled; it will be hard to chase them or deny them a chance to participate as citizens.
Reference
Arnold, K. R. (2011). Anti-immigration in the United States: A historical encyclopedia . Santa Barbara, Greenwood Press.
