Raftsman's Journal

THE NEW INQUISITION.

The last Clearfield Republican contains a letter of J. A. McMasters, editor of the Freeman's Journal, the mouth-piece of Bishop Hughes, and an organ of the Roman Catholic church, in which the following occurs:-

"A man who will lie about a serious fact in his own history, ought to be denounced, if he pretends to run for President, even of so mean a coalition as Black Republicans and Choctaw K. N's. If Col. Fremont will assert that he has never given himself out a Catholic, I WILL CLAP THE HOT IRON ON QUICK AND SURE."

We have little doubt that the Archbishop, McMasters, and even their worthy compeer, the editor of the Republican, would dearly love to establish the Inquisition with all its diabolical tortures, in this country, and then "clap the hot iron" on the back of Col. Fremont and every other "heretic." How the mouths of these "hale fellows well met" must water at the prospect of such a luxury, and doubtless their "hearts leap with joy" at the anticipated agony and cries of their victims. Things have come to a pretty pass, indeed, when an insolent Jesuit can thus denounce an American Protestant citizen, and threaten to "clap the hot iron on, quick and sure!" But Buchanan is not yet elected President, and Hughes, McMasters, and our down-town 'neighbor' will have to postpone their branding operations for a while. All the opponents of Fremont clutch with rapacity at the Inquisitor's threat to "clap the hot iron on, quick and sure!" But, is this the evidence you bring that Fremont is a Romanist? Is this the argument you intend using? Americans, friends of freedom, of whatever name, party or sect, will you lend your votes and influence, directly or indirectly, to give this Jesuit and his abettors a victory? Can any one doubt, after this assault of McMasters & Co. upon Col. Fremont, that he is a protestant? Would the organ of the Roman Catholic church in New York, dare to assault him thus, if he were in the remotest degree connected with its church? No one can with truth assert it. The "hot iron," the pincers, the rack, and the thumb screw, to be followed by an auto da fe—wouldn't that be a pretty "spectacle" in this civilized land of ours? Protestants, Americans, Freemen! are you prepared to give Buchanan, McMasters & Co. such a triumph? "We shall see what we shall see!"