Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1855-09-15
WASHINGTON. SEPT. II. 1855.

your courtesy, the public; but, relying
upon the justice of my cause rather than
upon my ability to defend it, | have
thought it not inappropriate to propose
few reflections to the thinking portion Of
my Protestant fellow citizens, some of
whom possibly may have been carried
away by the infatuation of the day, and
been blinded in the estimate of portion
of their countrymen.
| hope l shall be excused if appear
egotistioal in my remarks; for l assure
you that it is the farthest from my
thoughts to parade myself before the
public, but rather to plead the cause Of
class than of an individual
am Roman Catholic. Not only
that, but Natice Catholic, (born in this
city, when in its infancy and descended
from parents both natives of this coun-
try. On the maternal side my ances-
tors were Professionals, who emigrated to
Virginia upwards of three hundred
years ago, and my paternal grandfatber's
remains lie buried in cemetery in
Frederick City, Maryland, in which city
he died in the active military service of
his country. My own father Ga native
Of Baltimore) shouldered his musket du-
ring the war of 1912. These gentle
men were both Catholics; and is it pos
sible (now that they have both passed to
their final abode) that it is necessary for
me to defend the purity of the mo-
tives which actuated them in taking
up arms for the defence of the land
that we now enjoy? But forsooth, some
wiseacres have made the discovery (great
and wonderful it is y that, as they were
consistent Catholics, they could not pos
sibly be good patriots. Mr.. Editor, if
this were not so absurd and preposterous
proposition, | would attempt to discuss
it. | could tell those individuals who
(under a concealed name and secret Or
ganization, pirate so loudly about patri-
otism, and those reverend politicians,
who lay aside their sacerdotal robes and
enter the dark recesses of obscure localities
to stir up the feelings of jealousy and an
ger Of the inexperienced and vicious, that
they little understand the precepts of the
church they malign, when they assert
that her followers are less susceptible TO
the honor of our common country than
themselves. / speak advisedly when
say that obedience to the laws of the
land and reverence for the executors of
them. are inculcated upon all proper
occasions, by the Roman Catholic Clergy,
and the love of our country is stimulated
among the people as if it were one of
the cardinal virtues. What, for exam
pie, do we sec and heer at the annual
commandments at our venerable college
at Georgetown? Banners with inscrip-
lions calculated to infame the minds of A.
merican youth with reverence for our past
history, and speeches, and sentiments,
uttered Of the most patriotic and enthu-
siastic character. The students who ut
ter these sentiments, do but reflect the
thoughts Of their preceptors, and if they
had been imperfectly or improperly train
ed, why is it that the sages and states
men, who yearly congregate there, have
not been able to discover the lurking hy-
pocrisy (Which is attributed) to Catholic
teaching and teachers? Every seati-
ment that is uttered is purely patriotic,
refined by religion; and wheI, in after
years, after passing through the vortex
of the world, these students Catholic
and Prctestsntl revisit their Alma Ma
ter, they refresh themselves with anoth-
er draught of the same principles and
maxims, which have aided them in their
struggle through life, and which if ad-
hered to with fidelity, will pave the way
to blissful immortality. But to return.
Upon what principle of justice can |, an
unoffending American citizen, be perse-
cuted and held up to the scorn and de-
rision of the unthinking of the commu-
nifty? | would inquire is the constitu-
ton of my country fiction or truth ?
Does it guarantee to me right to think
and act for myself, or am to remain
passive to the dictates of others? Does
1t consider me a man or pulpit to
stand, to lie down, or sit up, as the man
behind the scenes pulls the appropriate
wiref Does it view me in the light of
an active or passive agent2 DO | be-
long to the masculine or neuter gender {?
In fine, am | a man, endowed with in
telligence, and yet not allowed to use it
in my own way; man of activity, and
yet to use other peoples crutches; of ar
dent temperament, and yet to accommo-
date it to the quiet workings of secret
cahal with natr;ot;cr, o,, "a, .s.,