The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-04-11
Misrepresentation.

| In announcer column we accuse tine SVte-
tiaa Adrocate of this city of misrepresent-
ing the Catholics in their application for an
appropriation to the parochial schools. As
our readers probably never see the paper
in question, and as it may be desirable for
them to know the obstacles which they
win find in the way of obtaining justice on
this question, we will cite few of the mis-
representations to which allusion is made.
First misrepresentation @
The Catholics are again clamoring for more
of the peoples money. @ -a5 ~
Are not the Catholics themselves part
of the. people7 Is it possible that they are
to be considered as foreigners and outcasts,
merely permitted to remain on sufferance,
provided they pay their annual tribute in
the shape of q tax which shall belong to
the people," and in which they have no
Interest,"
/" The peoples money!" The Catholics
claim to be part of the people, with all
the rights of the people, and it is their own
money that they object to being swindled
out of. They don't want any other portion
of the people's' money than what they
contribute themselves to the school fund,
and not even half of that. just give us one
half of our taxes which find their way inso
the school fnna, and we viii willingly con-
tribute the balance to your schools.
Misrepresentation two and three:
The case is about this: the city provides for
furnishing to its children the PLAIN branches of
an English education. 1t lovies a tax for this
Catholics are not satisfied with this much for
their children, but they want them also trained
in the eatcchism and in the art of repeating
prayers to the Virgin, to st. john to st. Jo-
cent, etc, and for this extra training they wish
the city to pay. In Catholic schools the chill
dren are called to say long praysr-that is,
nine, twelve, and three; then between
times-say every half hour-they repeat
short prayer.
There are in this paragraph two gross
Misrepresentation of the Catholic position,
whether Intentionally made or through ig-H
n0rance, we cannot say. The first is in the
assumption that their chief objection to the
public schools arises from the absence of
instruction in eatechism and in the " art of
repeating prayers" If this were the only.
objection Catholic children would attend
the public schools without the least scru-
pie or hesitation.
The Advoeate certainly ought to know,
of its own knowledge, and without even
having recourse to the multiplied express
sions of Catholic sentiment on this subject,
that our objection to the schools is not
from the good that is left undone, but from
the actual and positive evil that is done by
them. We do not object so much to want
of religious instruction, which could be
.suPplseu elsewhere, as to the absence Of
that religious influence which ought to be
as aIl-pervading in childhood rs the air
which affords it breath. We object to that
indifferentism to religion which impercept-
IDLY takes possession of even the best be-
haved children when separated from it's
influence during considerable portion of
their time, and especially during those ex-
ercises which they regard with the most re-
spect. We object to that carelessness as to
their faith which is evident in nearly all
who have been reared at public schools,
unless their teachers happened to be
strongly imbued with religion careless
ness which in many instances has ripened
into utter infide1ity.
No doubt the Advocate may think that
the result of indiffereutism to the Catholic
faith in a Catholic child would be yery
desirable one, but it ought to know that
Catholic parents don't think SO, and it
ought te.-be-e candid enough, moreover. to
admit that this is thcirrcaf objection. in
stead the=ene which il pararies in the
above cited paragraph. = ----,
AS to the other misrepresentation in that
and contained in its concluding
1T is, we presume, intended to be
and witty. We have no idea
that there is any parochial school in this
city where one-tenth of the time there in i
dicated is consumed in prayer And even
if such should be the case, no doubt that
time could and would be reduced SO as to
conform to the most PuritanicaI standard
Of shortness, if the city authorities would
support the schools and should demand
such concession. There is no intention
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