The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-11-23
DETnoIT, October End, 1860.

your letter OF the 10Th INST, ere this time.
You enquire Of me if " banner with a
cross on it, and bearing The inscription
Death TO tie ProteStantS. WAS not borne
by some lrishmen in a procession in Chi
cage" "A democratic procession, called
together TO do honor to the distinguished
Illinois Senator, Judge Douglas? | am
glad you do credit to your intelligence in
expressing your disbelief of such silly,
! thougl vicious, falsehool.
The were no Irish,ncn in the process
sion reIerred to they were all citizens,
some by birth, others by adoption. Few
Royalists or Tories join in democratic
procession. The only banner borne by
citizens of Irish birth in the procession and
on the occasion referred to by the repub.
iican Z" orator" of your nei gbborhood, had
inscribed -OUR Country, TIE UNION AND
CONSTITUTION, on one side; on The re
verse: Dorm agih Prescription The
latter, no doubt, WAS understood by some
honest republicans as specially aimed a:
them, for | regret to say, many Of them,
notwithstanding their many professions of
love for the negro, prescribe adopted citi>
!
people so bieotedly creduous as to believe
that such q banner was borne, or would be
tolerated in a democratic procession, there
will be, fear, little use in your or any
other honest man endeavorin@ to convert
them. They are either hopoes,ly and in
Curab'v ignorant, or lost to reason. Such
d poitico religious fanatic as the 'speal,
er " You advert to as having circulated
the faIsehood in your locality, is beneath
the notice Of all right blinking men. De
void Of all that makes man noble generous.
honored or respected, they dive down to
the lowest and tiIthiest depths of rascaitv
AMI meanness to attain their vile ends
They have set brother against brother
creed against creed, and out Of the ruin
which is ever sure to visit a 0ation like
house, divided against itself, they would
bring " freedom to few million Afri
cans
Thi, liboling Irish Catholics. you, Mr.
Pos, mus; hot notice. To even bestow
thought upon all such silly c0aards would
occupy al your time. Bad as they are,
they are never foand in the ranks of the
enemies Of their adopted country. The
third man shot down in lIarrer's Ferry
by the Agent Of Black Republican Massa>
chusetts, was an Irish Catholic-a soldier
in the army of his adopted country.
While informing you Of the utter faIsity
Of this Republican lie, let he also remind
you, Mr.. Post,-and through YOU your
henrers that when Catho,ics had had the
power in this country, they had not tue
will - visit with death those who differed
with them in opinion, politically or other
wise. When intoerant and hag ridden
Massachusetts,, in the exuberance of her
Puritancal zeal, eXiled the broad browed
advocates of federation and free thought,
Catholic Maryland gave them refuge and
a home. When the descendants Of these
rJugees subsequently had the power, they
did not hesitate to illuminate an insulted
Heaven with the glare of burning Church
es-nor did they scruple to exhibit the
bowie-knife from which dripped the hot
blood of American Catholics. When our
piously Protestant Mother Country -
made war upon us-when she set price
upon the sea- ps of our fathers, erected
gaIIows for oar patriot brothers, and her
hireIing soldiery were offered the booty of
our affairs aud the beauty of our sisters as
q reward of their merits in blotting the
Coloui>ts FROM off the earth, Catholic
France and Catholic Ireland sent their
best and brayest sons, their Rochambeaus,
La Fayettesb Barrys and Montgomeries to
breathe fiery life into the nostriIs of our
Republc-a republic besprinkIed with the
choicest drops of their hearts blood.
When William Tell winged the arrow
into the heart of Ge~ler, and saved the
bright subimities of his native hills from
he demonikm of despotisln, his Catholic
heart never pulsated TO the desire that
those who would come after him should
be visited with death if they held to opin-
ions adverse to his. Hofer-who carved
a path to freedom through the rugged
passes Of the Tyrol--never allowed his
Catholicity to interfere with his love Of
liberty. When Columbus established
bow of hope in the Western World, he
never dreamed that in after days those
protesting his religion would be ostracized
or despised on that account.
But must arrest myself The truth
is, Mr. Post, no Church nor creed can lay
especial claims to the establishment of the
freedom We, in spite Of all partnership
and bigotry, enjoy. 'Twere men of NO
creeds that gave us our Independence, as
well rs the good lessons and declaration
ia, I'D to It. Caating rellgionists are
seldom, if ever, foremost in an honest
struggle for freedom.
/ In conclusion | will say that there ha,
never appeared a banner with sn iuscrip
ton in the Irish language in any political
procession in the Union. On celebrations
connected with Ireland's Patron Saint,
there may be never otherwise.
With sentiments Of esteem and regard,
believe the, dear Sir, TO bs
Your very obedient servant
and Fellow Citizen,
| THOMAS T. EITZGIRR0N