Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-12-17

Mr.. Foster, the New Jeney editor who
leaped into fame a one bound by the pub
heation Of letter to Mr.. Blaine, anent .
great anti Catholic secret society, rises to
explain. 1t seems that his information con-
corning the society was derived from ''re-
liable gentlemsn"--the sane one, probably,
who had so much to ~ during the war
who, apparently, stuffed the g eaaious
Jerseyman in way that was really sinful
According to this reliable gentleman" it
is the ''Order Of American Mechanics" that
is going to do the business for the unsus-
pscting Catholics The organization, it is
said, i growing with amaz:r. rupidiiy all
over the country; has its branches in every
State Of the Union, and will be a great
directing power" in the next presidentlAl
campaign. Furthermore, President Grant
is deeply interested and active member oil
the order, and a score of Congressman and
hordes Of public officials belong to it,
Such il the narrowing tale which the
gentle Foster attempted to whisper in the
ear of ex-Speaker Blaine, bu which, BY the
wiles of the opposition, has been published
to the world at large. This publicity, it
may be said incidentally. i. fortunate tor
the Roman Catholics, who might other
wise have walked up, one OF these hne
mornings, and found their noses gently but
firmly held to the grindstone whereas they
now have full warning oi their impending
fate. The story seems to US highly apocry-
phal. If such such q society really exists
and if it does, its parturition was re-
markably quiet one and the attending ply
sicians have been singularly retlcent-no
doubt number Of Congressmen and Office
holders belong to it, for there are swarms
of men inside politics who would join
any organization that promised IN the re-
hottest degree to advance their own SELL
ish interests. But that President OF the
United States would become an active mem
Der Of partisan secret society, whose sole
motive is the arraignment OF one portion OF
the citizens of this country against another,
is absolutely incredible. Open and manly
opposition TO an institution, religious or
secular, Is one thing warfare upon II
through the contemplate medium of Sc
cret society is quite another. President
Grant il placed in a false ttitude and one
quite foreign to the whole tenor OF his lie ;
and We refuse to place any credence, what
ever, in this part Of the story.
As to the extent and power Of the | nited
Mechanics. we have no means OF Judging :
but we conceive them to be very circrm-
scribei, it. indeed, they have other than an
imaginary existence. Of the chances that
this OF any similar society will have
any influence, however slight, on the next
Presidential election, the less said the bet
ter Wrong alike in principles and prae-
tice, the sterling cCmnon-sense OF ise body
of the people will turn with contempt from
such dark lantern organization. Though
ours is free country in the widest sense OF
the term, there are still eternal limits even
to liberty When any institution, calling
itself divine or human, steps from the boun-
daries of liberty to license remedy will be
found But It will be found in the broad
daylight and not in the shadow oi the night.
The struggle to which the sigus Of the times
now point will be fought in the open field
and not under any disguise