The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-11-25

Radicals generally, aud radical newspa.
pers particularly, have chronic habit Of
pitching into catholics, on all occasions, and
especially catholic priests and bishops, arch.
bishops and cardinals while His Holiness,
the Pope they always represent ssome half.
human monster. And they never cease to
ding dong in the ears Of their hearers the
stale puritan ISLANDERS about the ignorance
Of catholics, and the venalty Of the priests
representing them as selling the sacraments
of the church. and all that sort Of ridiculous
nonsense which springs from ignorance and
prejudice on their part. Radcas, and radi.
cal newspapers, no doubt, do this because
they are profoundly ignorant Of the faith,
the doctrine, the principles aud practices OF
the church, and, no doubt, think it their du.
ty to pursue that course. They seem to have
no desire to know the truth, as they never 20
to the proper source for information. And
by remaining in ignorance themselves, and
bringing up their children in the same igno.
rance and prejudices under which they
themselves were reared, they are doing their
best to perpetuate the race Of bigots and
fools. And whenever they find rebelIlous
catholic, or person who claims to be be-
lever in the catholic faith, though never
obedient to the requirements Of that faith.
they pat him on the back and encourage
him in his work of mischief. Such case
occurs this morning in the Rim Union, in
relation to certain resolutions said to be the
work of catholic Irishmen in Chicago Ths
Rim and other radical papers, pat these fell,
lows on the back and call them "bod Irish.
men" thinking, probably, that they can
make little political capital out Of it, and
feed the Ignorant prejudces of protest
ants against the catholics. This is the sto-
ry About year ago, three misguided,
reckless men, named Allen Larkin and o..
BFlen, were tried and executed ut Manches.
ter, England, for the murder Of q policeman,
at fenian riot. For political purposes, it
is sought to make martyrs Of these men and
to press the catholic church into the service
of a political party, The wisdom of the
bishops and clergy VIII prevent it. The
catholic church is not a political church
aud it is about the only church in the United
States which keeps clear of politics. For
this reason radicalism ISLANDERS it ; and polit-
ical professionalism, enyious of the high posi-.
ton OF the catholic church, is ever ready to
help on these SANDERS and help breed insub-
ordination in its members. But they will fail.
The catholic church cannot be made the
tool of a political party, for any purpose
whatever. And the designs Of these Chicago
tools of radica llsm were fully exhibited when
thew we're told that Masses would be offered
for the repose Of the souls Of the three men
alluded to, every day in the year. if desired
but not as al anniversary, at the instance
of any political organization. But that
didn't suit these people who wanted to use
the church fer political purposes. 1t was
not, after all, the souls of poor O'Bren,
Larkin and Allen that they cared for-but
it was to be able to dictate political anniver
sary prayers to the bishop, and to prostitute
the church to party purposes. 1t failed, as
it deserved to fail Ifthese uneasy Chicago
people are really anxious for the eternal hap.
P'ness Of the executed men, let them con.
stant!y offer their prayers to that end-but
let them not seek to get up public pageant
and try to make martyrs of men who did
not die IN defence Of religion, but rashly
threw away their lives in the cause of 20.
Htical organization. The church will sur.
vive all such attacks, and live and flourish
when rebellious people who seek to prosti.
tute it to worldly purposes are forgotten.