“I wish to relate to you a few facts, the faithful consideration of which is pertinent to the present time,” so began a speaker in the Fulton-street Meeting. He is an old clergyman who once labored long and earnestly as a pastor in the West. “It is just thirty years ago that I was walking down Main street, in Cincinnati, Ohio, in company with a Roman Catholic priest with whom I was acquainted. He was a scholar and gentleman, in the usual acceptation of the word. Our conversation turned upon the aspirations and designs of the Roman Catholic church. He confessed that it was his great desire to see the day when their religion would have universal sway in these United States, and the Roman Catholic faith have its place as the religious faith of the country. The time must come when it must be supreme, and to its authority all hearts must bow. “‘You know,’ said he, ‘you Protestants have no religion. You have sectarianisms, but you have no common faith.’ This he said good-humoredly, smiling all the time, but having a grim meaning.” “‘Do you think,’ said I, ‘that yours will ever be the established religion in this country?’” “‘Certainly I do. It must be so.’” “‘No, never,’ said I, with vehemence. “‘Now, now,’ said he playfully, ‘not so fast. Don’t be so positive. Why do you think ours may not one day be the established religion?’” “‘Because our Constitution and our laws are against it.’ “‘But we will change your Constitution and your laws.’” “‘Yes, change them—amend them.’” “‘But the people will see that you shall not do that.’” “‘We will change the people too.’” “‘Not in your day, nor mine,’ said I resolutely. “‘Perhaps not,’ he answered very coolly. ‘Perhaps not. But we have purposed it, and it will be done—if not in your day nor mine, then in the days of those who shall come after us.’” “I looked at his face with astonishment, as if I could not believe my own senses. He saw, and added quickly: “‘Oh! do not be alarmed. It will be done very quietly. It may be a long time coming—but it will come, when the Catholics will rule the nation, and the Catholic religion will be the ruling faith of the country.’” “‘Oh! you cannot believe it.’” “‘Yes, I do believe it. We are at it now. And you know what we Catholics are. When we take hold, we hold on, and never let go. This was said with a very solemn and determined look, and he then added: ‘We will upset your institutions and establish our own.’” “‘We parted company at the foot of the street, I scarcely realizing the amount of meaning there was in the priest’s thrusts; for in that day we had no such apprehensions as now.” “‘We come down thirty years. Whether this priest is alive or dead, we know not. But the work which he said was begun, of supplanting our institutions, is not dead. Quietly, persistently, encroachingly, the Catholics have gone on in their work, proselyting where they could, buying up votes where they could, till at last they fill our places of trust and office with creatures of their own. Our judges, our lawyers, our military leaders, our senators and representatives, are fast becoming Roman Catholics, and the profession of this faith which was never ‘delivered to the saints,’ is a sure passport to office or preferment. The politician has found it to his advantage to confess his sins to, and get absolution from, a priest, and be accounted a good Catholic.’”