The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-10-18
The Irish Benevolent Societies.

Amendments. Altef u UrleI ul6CuBSlOn
was announced that Henry ]. Spaunhors
and Rev. A. Schewinger, President an
Secretary OF the German Catholic Asso
citation, were present, and on invitation
both took seats on tho platform and mad
brie! speeches, congratulating their Irisl
fellow. citizens upon the good work the.
are engaged In, referring TO the grea
power and influence Of united action, ant
expressing the hope that In the near lutur
o convention Of all Catholic organization
OF whatever nationality may be held
with view to still further promote tn,
interests and temporal and spiritual wei
fare OF the Catholics.
Right Rev. Bishop Ryan also visitet
the Convention and was invited on tht
platform. He also made brief speech, II
which he urged the Convention to perse-
we're In the work they are engaged in, tina
the union may be strengthened in powcl
aud in good. lie referred TO the schemt
to establish an Emigration Bureau, urged
It's necessity, aud advised them to study
the plan adopted by their German friends
which has resulted 10 such great benefit
to emigrants Of that nationality and adop'
so much o! It as will the needs Of tht
Irish.
The Convention then proceeded to bust
ness and is now discussing some amend
ments 10 the Constitution, which, how
ever, are oi no interest to the general
reader.
After the disposal Of the constitutional
amendments Father Philan, chairman Of
the Committee on Resolutions, submitted
the following report:
Resolred, That the present deplorablc
attitude oi the government toward re-
ligion and religious institutions is the re.
suit Of the abandonment Of tho true, nee.
essary and saving principles, conditioned
of God and expressive OF His holy will.
ReSolred, That the conduct OF govern.
ments and rulers in permitting the dc.
thronement OF the Pope, and the absorp-
tion Of his dominions by the kingdom OF
Italy, Is fragrant Injustice to Romo and
the whole Catholic world, and crime
against truth, social stability and legiti-
mate authority; that in the present i'm.
prisonmcnt OF tho Sovereign Pontifi, they
are 10 be held for the contamination ofihe
hellish conspiracy, whose offspring will
some day return 10 torment their authors;
and that to our venerable Plus In his raw.
ished city Of Peter, we extend our pro-
toundest sympathy, joined with the wish
and prayer that he may live to see his
crown and kingdom once more wresled
from the grasp OF the usurper
D.nnI,.I That rt,a hnrnhty artnr nNr col :
emn protest against the unjust persecu-
ton inaugurated against our Mother
Church by the government of Prussia, and
offer to the German Archbishops and
Bishops, as well to the German Catholic
clergy, the male and female religiuse, the
assurance OF our best sympathy.
ReSolred, That morality grounded on
religion and religion grounded on
fixed and dogmatic principles, are
the surest guide and flrmest sup.
port Of man 10 all the circumstances and
situations OF this life, that sobriety in con.
duct, honesty In intercourse, and truth in
everything will prove the greatest sale.
guard against individual demoraliz llion
and national degeneracy.
ReSolped, That secret societies and other
dangerous associations ol men, untaught
in the principles Of religion, and bent,
through tortuous ways, on purely mate.
rial ends, are subversive Of social order,
and fatal to the faith, as 1t Is destructive
Of the morality OF the. Catholics.
ReS0lred, That Catholic can not be true
to his country II he be false to his church,
or faithful In his duties 10 secrecy and his
fellow man, II he be a stranger TO sacra'
ments and recreant to his God.
ReSolued, That the best interest ot tue
State and ol society centre In ploper cd.
ucation Of the young, and that the educa.
ton to be effective Of good and condu.
sive OF social and national advantage
must be christian;begin with the oatechism
and end with the knowledge that God Is
our gold, and Heaven is reward OF vir.
tuous deeds and holy lives.
Resolved, That the present system Of
public schools ignoring all supernatural
authority, and making God, the first
knowledge, the last thing to be learned,
Is curse to our country, and tloodgate
Of atheism, and oil sensuality, and Of civil
social, and national corruption.
A long, spirited and somewhat acrimo.
nious debate ensued on the last resolution.
Kelly, ot Virginia, thought the resolu.
ton should be recommitted to the COM
mittee, with instructions to modify. He
was, by virtue Of his Office, as Mayor Of
Richmond, President Of the Board ol
Public schools. He had been elected
Mayor by . constituency which were
about 80 percent Pfotestants. The Bible
was not read in the schools In Richmond,
and had the assurance Of the Board that
no religious instructions was taught 10
them; that he was not In sympathy with
the resolution, nor could he vote for II
without stultiiying himself, which he did
not propose to do.
Father Phelan, Of st.. Louis, defended
the resolution, he said we have moth.
Ing to do with Richmond or It's schools, II
religious instruction was excluded from
them as Mr.. Kelly said, then they were
most Objectionable Of all schools. The
public men OF America were educated In
public schools, and were exhibitions oil
tho system, and they were the most cor
rupt and dishonest Of any country In the
world. Men can steal in this country
with impunity, providing the amount Is
large enough, and that the children Of the
country who go head over heels, must be
attributed to the education they received
in public schools, which does not fit them
Tor the temptations Of the world. In
these science are honored. and eulo.
gized, but the name Of Jesus Christ
Is not allowed TO be mentioned.
With reverse these children turn out to
DO learned horse thieves, scholarly coun.
terleiters, and well posted in all schemes
Of deviltry.
Mr.. Harry, OF Pennsylvania, denounced
the resolution. It contemplated union
OF Church and State.
President Dwyer said the resolution
mnant m auch thing and he did not wish