The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-28
MONDAY. NOVEMBER 2s, 1855.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOrHINe.

Of preaching new crusade, by publishing
communication containing a charge of dis
loyalty against Catholics, and with comment
ing favorably upon It. The Age forgot to
mention that the remarks of the Press included
the severe reprobation Of any attempt to cast
suspicion upon numerous body of our fell
low-citizens But the Press is able to take
care Of itself Our object in noticing this
attack Is quite different from that of tlking
up the cudges for another paper.
We feel quite sure that the Catholics do
not wish the championship of the Age. whose
advocacy would damn any cause but one
which Is already damned; and that it is by no
means 80 devoted to Catholic interests, as
deslrous to identify itself with a respectable
portion Of the people, and hopeful. that some
existing misapprehension in the public mind
may have caused irritation among Catholics,
and rendered them disposed to throw them
selves into the arms Of the proprietors Of the
Age and-buy their papers.
Our chief object is to ex plain the origin of
the mistake which induced some persons to
believe that there is anything In Catholicism
which Is inimical to the Government. The
impression to that effect which has arisen in
the minds of some persons, is derived from the
very common error of mistaking effect for
cause.
When the Rebellion commenced, the people
of the North, both Catholics and Protestants,
were of one accord As it progressed, persons
from both religions became disaRectcd. Yet
both religions had remained precisely the
same. SO both loyalty and disloyalty have
shown themselves to be perfectly compatible
with both religions. 1t is very clear, then,
that Il any change occurred, it could not have
been effected by religion.
There are various causes which conduced
10 make changes in men of all denominations,
and Of all these none was so potent as the
Emancipation Proclamation. Upon the Irish
population, the Proclamation acted with an
effect tenfold greater than that produced upon
any other people. This very act, which con-
hrmed the Germans in their loyalty, alienated
thousands of Americans and Irishmen. Yet
although the act was the same act, the aiena-
ton Of most Of the Americans who fell away
in loyalty, was superinduced by an essentially
different motive from that which ruled Irish
men. The first still had the faulty to believe
in the Constitutional rights of the South, while
the latter were thinking of themselves.
1t seems almost work of supererogation to
show why the Emancipation Proclamation
alienated the Irish more than others. There
can scarcely be man Of ordinary observa-
tonwho does notknow that there is antago-
nism existing between the Irish and colored
populations. The Irish imagined that the
liberation Of slaves would prove injurious to
them as the laboring population Of the North
by reducing the price OF labor; and, i'm addi-
ton, they were fearful lest the liberation of
slaves was a step in the direction of move
ment which would place the free cOlored popu-
lation of the North on a footing of political
equality with them.
Now the greater number Of the Irish popu-
lation in this country are Catholics; anC
when, ON the occasion of the Emancipation
Proclamation, revulsion took place in tht
feelings Of some of them, they were affected
merely as individuals, and not having ceased
to be Catholics, shallow thinkers thought pro
per to impute disloyalty as a consequence o
Catholicism. The matter is in a nutshell, ant
this is the kernel.
Let us all deplore and deprecate the attemp
to introduce the spirit Of religious lanaticisn
into this war. mol that is not enoughl Let
US scotch the serpents who dart such venom
Reason is the antidote for their bane. w
only ask the perfect liberty of speech, whcl
we are willing to accord to all men.
JoMINI enumerates three kinds Of war;
the national the civil-pOliticol, and the civil
religious. He might have added scrvile wal
he defines a national war as that which
made at the same time against the armies an
the population Of country. The nationG
element ofwar exists In this Rebellion, beclus,
unlike other civil wars which have occurre
in the history of the world, the line of divisio
is geographically not less defined than IL /
abruptly drawn between the sentiments Of tn
people. Referring TO the invasion Of a coun
try in a national war, JONuNI says :-"Th
army which enters such a country possesse
only the ground whereon It encqmps. It
supplies can only be obtained at the sword
point. Its trains are everywhere thrca.ouc.
or captured"
The national and ciyil-p3litiaal elements ar
the only ones which have entered inio th
strife. Let us be- tbani,ijll that the violence o
the Others has,boon avarteL Our difficulties
are surely great enough. The territorial so-
lation of the Rebels combines with their civil
fury, to render this contest the amazing spec
tacle that 1t presents, Of men SO madJeucd by
their ruitess efforts that, to conquer, they are
ready to sacrifice the Thing whose lancied inse-
curity aroused their ire against the people who
scarce tTod except with caution near It's re-
speeted shadow.
Thank Heaven this war stin lacks selvle
insurTection and religious inatcism. We do
not need or wish q San Domingo even at the
South, and we should feel deeply grateful that
no religious differences direct our arms
against each other. Shall we introduce them
into our own household? We must stand
shoulder to shoulder Creeds make no divi-
sion where the maintenance OF a counuy's
cause is service 10 the God whom all confess.
Loyalty belongs to no particular creeds
Incompatible with none, it comprehends all,'
Sone are even adverse TO It. This very hour,
'neIe are thousands Of Catholic Americans
ana Oa'hohe Iriahlnen fighting, as officers and