The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-07-13
COMMUNICATION.
KENosHA. July 18th, 1871

KENosHA, July 18th, 1871.
Mr.. EDITOR: In your last Issue appeared
a communication in regard to the alleged
removal of a body from the catholic ceneter.
/ in Madison, making comments on the same
and enquirirg by what right it was done, etc
The article is almost beneath contempt bu
fol. the fact that it represents the feelings of
certain class of people who are eternalll
trying to make gigantic bug. bear of thu
poor old Pope, and who are always afraid o
awakening some morning to find their throat1
cut, if may be allowed the Gallicism, BY
the bloody Papists. The question seems tx
me to be very simple. The catholics have {
belief. or perhaps some would call it a super
Istition, in consequence Of which they wisf
to have their dead buried in consecrateG
ground, that is ground consecrated by relig
ious ceremonies for that purpose. AS part
of the tax paying community it would look
as if they had the right to make use of the
ground paid for by the taxes, and even have
a portion set aside for them if they desired
it. But in this free country and nineteenth
century such a thing could not be tolerated
because don't you see that the portion so set
aside would be under the control of the
bigoted priests and bishops. And just sup
pose for momen5 that some poor protestant
should be buried there, and you know the
Pope is infallible too, leave you to guess
what would be the oEsequence-something
dreadful certainly. suppose nothing could
save him from purgatory, of which all good
protestants have such holy horror. Conse-
quently it is only just and right to make the
catholics pay for burying ground which
they cannot use, because-this is free coun-
try. 1t is owing to this state Of things, and
to avoid all appearance of religious dissen-
tions, that Catholics all through the States
buy and own burying grounds for themselves.
They then have a perfect right to place
them under the Bishop or anyone else they
see fit, and of course can make any regula-
tions they choose. The grounds are not pub
lie property, and the rights of the public are
notsinterfered with. am as ignorant of the
facts in regard to the Madison case as the
writer of the communication, but believe a
true statement would place the matter in q
different light. But even admitting it to be
as represented admitting that tie body was
aiken up and removed because the person
had belonged to the order of Odd Fellows,
do not see how it can affect the writer; nor
do see how the defect he speaks Of in the
laws can be remedied. The man by his own
act in joining a secret society ceased to be a
member of the church and of course had no
rights in theschurch and could no more claim
the rite of catholic burial than could the
writer. We might question the propriety of
the action, but the Catholics of Madison GER
tainly have right to do as they please with
their own ground. If they are satisfied, that
should be the end of it. But perhaps the
writer has g great desire to be buried IN q
catholic cemetery when he dies in that case
it would be easier for him to be baptized and
join the church than to try to have the laws
amendeded so as to force Catholics to receive
his body. He ought also to know that none
can be buried even in the city cemetery with
out permission from the proper authority
When person boasts Of being q reader O
''Young's Night Thoughts" and quotes his
sickly imagining as history, we may expect
almost anything, and so all the writer's allu
sions to priestly intolerance, bigotry, ghoul
lsh propensities, ETC., may beltaken for wha
they are worth. They do notdeserve notice
much less reply. l would only ask him tc
look in the dictionary for the meaning of the
words bigotry, 'and intolerance, and compare
his letter with the definition given 1t is thc
great boastof Protestants tina the reforma
ton gives to every man the right Of private
Judgment, and that the laws of this country
guarantee to every man perfect re- gious lib
erty. This of course does not apply to Papists
who are too ignorant to have any Judgment
and who have to do as the Priests tell them
There seems to be disposition on the part
of some people to think that Catholics have
no rights that white men are bound to re.
| speet, or as O certain Eastern divine expresses
it, we are only tolerated. We have always
had the idea that we were an integral part o.
the people, and OF the Government, and that
we were entitled to the full protection of the
laws in the exercise or our religious belief
but it would seem we have been mistaken.
| wonder if the people OF this city fully
appreciate the great calamity from which
they were. saved by the heroic devotion O
the Common Council. The Catholics had tht
audacity to ask, not as they had right to
that a portion of thecemetery they are tax
ed to pay for, and keep in order, be set apar
for their use, but, they asked to buy part o
it and navffha M ~ r, r tI,o - r
looked SO innocent that the Council actual,
passed resolution granting the request ant
authorizing such sale. But they had for
gotten that the Pope Was infallible, and tn,
/ remarkahle fact that tttha Romish Risho,