The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-09-28


This is all very fine, and we have heard it a hundred
times before To it there is but one serious objection
It is not true. No. not solitary word of it.
Reason and logic" not absolutely confined to the
brains of Maynoothbred eccesiastcs tits Just possible
for poor laymen like ourselves attain in the present
day. to such an amount of education and intelligence as
to enable us to investigate and decide for ourselves This
We have endeavored honestly to do and we shall here
state the result.
We are informed that the Church and clergy have
been instituted instruct in things necessary for
the salvation of their souls that they may thereby
attain to happy eternity With this we neither have
nor claim interference of any kind Our simple duty
as politicians and journalists to let it alone And SO
long the Church and clergy conne themselves their
proper functions which purely SPIRITUAL they shall
have respect and every protection which it is in
power to afford
But when the Church is dragged down from its high
and holy place in Heaven and turned into instrument
of tyranncal power earth-when its clergy turn their
backs upon the altar and its sacred duties and become
gadators in the arena of the worlds political strife
more especially when they dare to prostitute the influence
which they draw from their spiritual character to rivet
the chains of enslaved and suffering millions of men, and
prop up the murderous desposms of the earh then
we take leave to think that the Church and clergy when
they have become this, have become something which
they ought not be- and that first duty to God and
is to expose and resist them.
Thinking and acting thus we are the best friends of
the Church and of religion The men who confne
themselves to their spiritual functions as
" the ministers of the Lord of Hosts" But the men
".
different light We the crozier and cross
when they employed, they intended, to pro-
tect mems rights and them But those unfaithfu
stewards who hire out the artillery of heaven to defend
the he-born tyranny that destroys mems liberties and
lves-these are the men who for the sake of wealth
and power trampe both crozier and the dust of
degradation and contempt.
The reverend writer of letter which appears in
present issue, under the signature of "a Maynooth
Traitor tells that he, although "a Maynooth priest
has endeavored " to do patriots SHARE and that to the
truth of this statement several Deputies" and Cen
ters' of the I. R. B. could testify. We do not for
moment doubt the sincerity of his words But he never
took the oath. This explains all.
We have, however, a serious accusation to
prefer against him one to which no man of
his calling and character ought ever 10 expose
himself He inuents statement, and imputes it to
U.S. to aohch neUer gaze aHerance. And, then, on
this fasehood he erects elaborate argument which,
matter of course-its foundation being gone-alls
in ruins to the ground Our readers will better under
stand this when direct their attention to syogsm
which he constructs. Here it is
l. "The Maynooth priests took the oath Of allegiance"
Ito Engand).
2. But "mine out Of every ten priests IN Aneerico
are Maynooth priest"
g. Therefore nine out of every ten priests in America
took the oath of allegiance to the English Queen)
Now here this of God deliberately ochat
&c mot the TRUTH We never said that nine out of eyery