The wisest course, since there are different religious denominations in the country, is to accept the situation, to recognize the fact, acquiesce in it, and make the best of it. Any attempt to unmake, by the direct or indirect authority of the state, Catholics of their faith or any denomination of its belief, is sure to fail. Each denomination is free to use Scripture and reason, logic and tradition, all moral and intellectual weapons, against its rivals, and with that it should be contented. Whatever may be the rightful claims of the church in the theological order, she is contented with the civil protection of her equal rights in the political order. She asks--with the wealth, the fashion, the public opinion, the press, nine-tenths of the population of the country, and the seductions of the world against her--only "an open field and fair play." If she does not complain, her enemies ought to be satisfied with the advantages they have. We have entered our protest against a party programme which threatens alike the genius of the American government and the freedom of religion, for so much was obviously our duty, both as Catholics and citizens. We are aware of the odds against us, but we have confidence in our countrymen that, though they may be momentarily deceived or misled, they will, when the real character of the programme we have exposed is once laid open to them, reject it with scorn and indignation, and hasten to do us justice. FOOTNOTES: [1] Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by REV. I. T. HECKER, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. [2] _New Departure of the Republican Party._ By Henry Wilson. _The Atlantic Monthly_, Boston, January, 1871. THE CROSS. In weary hours to lonely heights When thou hast travelled sore, A sorrowing man hath borne his cross And gone thy way before. Thine eyes cannot escape the sign On every hand that is Of him who bore the general woe, Nor knew a common bliss. But men, remembering his face, Dreamed of him while they slept, And the mother by the cradle side Thought of his eye, and wept. Now haunts the world his ghost whose fate Made all men's fates his own; So for the wrongs of modest hearts A myriad hearts atone. Oh! deeply shall thy spirit toil To reach the height he trod, And humbly strive thy soul to know Its servant was its God. Only earth's martyr is her lord; Such is the gain of loss: And, looking in all hearts, I see The signal of the cross. THE HOUSE OF YORKE. CHAPTER I. GENEALOGIES.