The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-03-03
Magnanimous Journalism.

Some eight or ten days ago, the follow
ing paragraph appeared in the Republican
of this city:
Perhaps these friends of the MORNING STAR
who are petitioning the Legislature for boun-
ties, will not take it amiss if their request is
to that liberality with the public moneys that
has brought the State to bankruptcy. raised a
DEBT OF two millions to forty-two, and Increased
taxation eight times what it was. Private
bounties ought not to be solicited from nor en-
couraGed by n straitened community.
An idea SO utterly at war with every
sentiment of propriety and decency as
the prescription here implied, could
hardly be considered, at the time of
its publication, as seriously uttered or
Intended for anything but kind of grim
pleasantly, but later developments entitled
it to graver consideration. According to
the best information that we can command
at this time it is to be feared that the Leg
lslature has actually acted upon the above
suggestion and refused to make the usual
appropriations for Catholic charitable in
situations.
If this is really so, THAT an insight it
gives Unto the governing principles and
policy of the party in this State which
calls itself Republican and of it's newspa-
per organs! An-orposition paper does not
hesitate to chronicle its crimes and COM
ment plainly upon its voice. Its spite is
aroused it cannot strike that paper itself,
but it's managers are Catholics and it de-
termines to strike them through the chart
table institutions of their Church. Two or
three or at most a half dozen Catholic gen.
tlemen are responsible for the course of
the paper, yet they choose to identify the
whole Church with it. 1t is nothing to
lie paper, says but little, if anything,
about them, yet they choose to vent their
spite on the whole Catholic community in
hopes of thereby acting on the few really re-
sponsible ones. If the Archbishop himself
had written most strenuously against their
conduct that would not justify them in
transferring his responsibility to the shout
ders of others.
But what are we to say of the magni-
minity which yields its arms against help
less and unfortunate childhood Thous-
ands and thousands of children are cared
for and protected by the sanity women
who tear themselves from the ties of kim
ired and the endearments of thei: own
families to spend themselves in the SER
vice of misfortune. These gentle women
md these poor orphans know nothing of
he political struggle going on around
hem /; they take no part whatever therein
he good Sisters never ask whether G help
ess babe or sick man is Republican or
Democrat, yet the whole weight of the
'low is to come down upon these unoffend-
ne ones because, forsooth, of the objec-
ionable course of q writer or two in the
FORMING STAR. Oh! honorable and mag
luminous warfare.
The Republican feels itself unable to an
wer the STAR and, therefore, concludes to
hoke it off. 1t breads the bold and open
disclosure of the misdeeds of its friends and
therefore, threatens dire vengeance upon
he innocent heads of those whose wants
nd misfortunes appeal SO powerfully, as
t knows, to the sympathy of its opponent.
thousands of little innocents will go to
'ed many night cold and hungry and
Weeping, but then they are dear to the
STAR and through their misery the STAR
will be punished.
But, in publishing its threats, the Re
publican ought at least to state facts correct
y. Catholics do not appeal to the Hbcrality
IF the State for the support Of their charita-
ADMINISTRATIONS. They appeal to its justice.
They voluntarily assume the burden of
which naturally onght to fall
upon the State. They take from tie
shoulders of the public burden which,
under the usual style of administering such
things, would be exceedingly gricvous and
merely ask, as assistance, for some small
of the amount which the State
would, undoubtedly, have to furnish if it
were not for their interpositiou. These
charitable institutions, in fact, DO an i'm
ncnse service to the State and nut it
lnder an obligation far in excess of the
nittance which it is usual to dole out to
hem. Thus justice, as we'll as humanity, is
leartlessly sacrificed in an insane attempt