The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-09-12
})olitital.
For Tie Cecil Wig.
Priests ami Politics,

One of the most prominent features in the
Platform of American Principles, is opposition
| to Uuion of Church and State.
So thoroughly averse were the founders Of
our Government to such union aud 50 fully
does this feature enter into our Federal and
State Constitutions, and pcrvade all our
American ideas, that the reasSertion of the
principle at this day, by the American Party
would seem to be the mere utterante Of Il
truism, and that no political Party in the
country was at issue with us in regard to it.
This, however, is verv far from the true state
of the case. Oar political opponents, whether
Democrats or Republicans, while they profess
to admit the truth of the aphorism, do not
hesitate to do all in their power to support
and encourage Jesuit priests. and religionists
of different denominations, in their attempts
to control the balance If political over and
while they are either blindly or wilfuly re-
fu,.ng to admit that these religious organiza-
tons have been brought to bear on elections
it is notorious that fl II the Presidential ele:-
ton of 1914 down to the Presidential election
he is sometimes called Gross lt) John, {"
has been cons family intc,meGdling In po-
litica matters and that he, OH one occa-
sion. went so far, in the city OF New York
as to mount the political rostrum and propose
a ticket for cleo ton to the state legislature.
The American Party has placed itself in
opposition to this species of aggression upon
our free Institutions, whether the attack
comes from Irish Priests of New England
Fanatics for this opposition we have been
denounced, as proscriptive and as interfering
with the rights Of conscience and the attempt
has been made, in this way, to cover the
wicked designs of these foreign. priests on
our institutions.
In order to show what the conduct of Irish
Priests is, in their own country. in reference
to political affairs, let the following extracts
from the Dublin correspondence of the New
York Observer suffice. 1t appears that
the British House of Commons has taken
the matter in hand and that committee of
Investigation has been raised for the purpose
Of inquiring into the conduct of the priests in
regard to the late Irish elections in the coun
ticsof Mayo. Galway and other places. The
evidence before the committee shows that the
Roman Catholic Archbishop, MacHale took
a warm interest in the election; that in MAYO
Mr.. Moore was a candidate against Col.
Higgins. both being Roman Catholics, that
Mr.. Moore was warmly supported by the
priests, with all the power of the Church
that on one occasion priest at the altar.
standing in his vesmcnts at the altar, said,
The curse of Goa would come down upon
any one voting against his country and his
country,s cause, and voting for Col Higgins
was doing so.
The correspondent of the Observer writes:
Turn we now to the conduct Of the priests
1t appears from the evidence of Sir r. O.
Donnell that the priest of Kimena RYAN,
acted as poll-agent or poll-clcrli for Mr.
Moore : that he brought up voters to the poll
and patted them on the back. saying God
bless them" when they had done as required:
that he has dispensed whisky to other voters
on Sunday out of jug, and that certain
others were placed at Newport by their own
wish through fear Of being abducted because
OF the altar denunciations of the aforesaid Rev
Luke Ryan. MIR. Moore said Sir Richard
ODonnrll did not seem to have any legal
agent in bringing up the voters at Castelar,.
but the priests were the best agents he could
have had"
AS to altar addresses and denuncations at
elections. such things appear to be common
at SwinefCrd and Bohola. and a witness nam
cd Cannon stated that he had remained away
form Mass through fear Of being spoken
against in the chapel. Cannon further stated
that the Rev. Mr.. Cahill said he would make
an example of him if he did not vote for Moore
and Palmer, and that when he pumped for
Higgins he was severely spoken to in the
Street by Cahill. and kooted, and that his
Easter offering was rejested