one at St. Louis, well endowed, and possessed of
great wealth. They exercise a powerful yet unseen influence over the minds
of the members of the Catholic faith where they reside, each naturalized
citizen of which has an equal voice in selecting all officers of state and
general government. An eminent writer has remarked, that everything in
history has its time, and the order of Jesuits can never rise to any great
eminence in an age in which knowledge is so rapidly spreading. We think
differently. A society so capable of adaptation to any circumstances,
whether political, religious, or social, plastic in nature to meet every
desired impression, talented, highly learned, wealthy, and among others,
embracing in its order some men of such pure and admirable life as to be
cited as examples of virtue and Christian character, with the protection
the American flag throws around all under its folds, is to be carefully
observed. Human nature is always the same. The past history, then, of this
society merits the study of every philanthropist and patriot. Once, in
Paraguay, it became a blessing to mankind. Within due limits, it may be so
anywhere. But its interference in any political affairs, under pretence of
serving him, whose "kingdom is not of this {103} world," is not to be
tolerated, as it may prove a most dangerous engine in the struggle of the
cause of popular self-government. An unconditional surrender of one's own
convictions to the will of another man is at variance with _every_
principle of republicanism.

* * * * *

{104}

CHAPTER V.

The Struggle between an alleged _Jus Divinum Regum_, and Popular
Sovereignty.--And the Efforts now attempted to destroy our Grand
Experiment of Self-Government.--Practical Results.

With the differences of religious bodies as to dogmas of faith, this essay
has nothing to do; but so far as churches connected with any religion,
interfere with temporal governments, by mystic confraternities, that is a
topic directly within our scope. Any union of church and state must, from
these authorities, appear in opposition to the unprejudiced action of the
citizen in the government of his country.

The great struggle for political power, the contest as to the source
thereof--whether a fancied divine right (_jus divinum_) in any family, or
in an individual by anointment of a priest; or the free voice of a free
people governing themselves by framing