The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-11-28
From the Boston Pilot.
Catholic Movement In Behalf of the
Freedmen.

We sre not surprised to fnd some express
sion of disappFehstiop, On the part of ultra.
lists IN professionalism. to the movement Of the
church in behalf Ct the freedmen. There are
some men who would rstasr see race sink
back into bar 9arlam than rise 10 eahghtmsut
and Contamination, except through their
own exclusive efforts. To read some Of the
comments which the letter from Rome o. this
sub ect hiss called forth, enc would be I'D TO
suppose that Il was 81 entirely new idea for
the church 70 care for an oppressed and down
trodden race: that Il had always turned its
back upon such people, and left them to their
own degradation instead Ct as the history
OF the church abundansly proves, interesting
itself from the beginning TO the present time.
IN the welfare, the elevation and the CONVEX
sion of the human family. 1t has unfurled
the banner Of the CROSS IN all countries. It
has opened It's churches without distinction.
70 men Of all nationalIties. Its altar is III
one sscred and holy place before which prin-
ces aad bsggsEs, white, red, and black, bow
IN equal humility and supplicatIon before the
King CT Kings. 1t has no negro pews; no
exclusive privileges in religious rites Our
protestant seets cannot say as much or, if
tae negro peT,and a very marked discrimins-
ton In favor Of one set of worshippers no
| longer exist, Is is ocly very recently, within
few years. that they have been abolished.
There i, however, large and influential
portion Of the American people, who hail
with gratitude the preliminaries which the
church is engaged in, preparatory to entering,
systematically, into the new and interesting
field of labor. The 1rarelier very fairly rep
resents the prevailing views OF this portion
OF the people in the following paragraph:
As the catholics announce their intention TO take
the freedmen in hand. and provide for their spiritual
wants, some good people are alarmed; bat what
would they have! II proteEtsnts are nos equal TO
the work Of rlnisferng % the religious Of the
eolored in America, they should rejoice to know
that the catholics ready put their handwHc
Is strong one-to the plough, and to labor in so
great field. The main point is to elevate that large
mass Of freedmen who are, from their long sla-
very they must be in state Of spiritual restitution
and catholic aid In 80 grand a task ought to be
eoUrte6. not feared. We should not be ike Louis
XIV, who hated protestants more than he hated
Atheists, bat should welcome ali catholics who choose
70 enter the southern whey srd- There two good
things that likely follow from the appear anse
OF catholics as missionaries among the freedmen.
1he che Is, that il viii excite pretestants to harder
work than they would be apt to perform they
70 remain without competitors; and the other, that
II VIII help remove from the Irish mind that extra
ordinary prejudice against the eolered race which
now dominates IL and which bears very close re-
senoiance To the prejudice against the Irish them
/ serves that governs the minds of ignorant Ameri-
cans ana Engiishmen- The hostility OF Irishuen to
sAs hi's haa great effect politics, but when
I.sAael ma their church gathering eolored people
.Is0 1Sese1n Ihey VIII begin think that they are
not 50 DLaeH as they are painted,--and thougit il
| fatal 10 prejudAees en' -
An IDEA, persisssntly taugh., win gain Grad
1t and bear sway IN millions of minds ard
| through successive generations, who aeesn,
| 1t without examination, 10 matter how nm.
founded in truth it may be. The author o,
| the extract shows the prevalence Of such an
| idea in his mind when he speaks of s.,he ex-
srsordinsry prejudice against the colored race
| which now dominates the Irish mind" Tha,
| there is q prejudice we do not deny. Bus ar.
| the Irish, riore, sinners IN this respect? 4
pretty wide and careful observation in regarS
to this particular has disclosed to US precise
ly the same feeling, towards the negro, in ii,
mind of other nstionalities of the whit,
race; no more, nor no less prejudice. Ii
some instances it may have found more en-
| phatic expression than in others, just q tn,