The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-09-10

religion the Catholic reverently receives the
instructions of his spiritual guide; in Sec
uiar matters he acts, as other men act, upon
the dictates of his own Judgment. There
are tens OF thousands of Catholics who
vote, and have always voted, the republican
ticket; and if the number of such votes is
diminishing, it is not because of priestly
domlnation, but because the spirit of know
nothingism again stalks abroad, and threat
ems to obtain complete possession of the
republican party.
1t is not many years since Archbishop
hughes, Of New York, and Archbishop
furceli, OF Cincinnati, were open support
ters OF Liucoln's administration, and were
much applaudcd by tho republican leaders
sfGr that support. Then not one Of those
leaders was heard to utter a word about
priestly interference in politics, or priestly
domination. On the contrary, these vener-
able prelates were lauded to the skies by
the republican party, and their examples
everywhere Cited an inducement to
Catholics to vote the republican ticket.
Nay, further, President Lincoln manifested
his high regard for the Archbishop of New
ork by sending him on a mission to
Europe, and the whole republican party
applauded the act. But did the course
taken by those eminent prelates-none
more eminent or better entitled to the
regard of their fiocks aud mankind-con-
troll the Catholic vote? Every man Of, you
is ready to say no, for it is notorious as that
the sun gives light to the earth, that
the great body of Catholics continued to
vote as they had been accustomed to vote
the democrats continued to be democrats
aud the republicans continued TO be re-
publicans.
1t is a little curious to hear republican
speakers denOunce what they call the in
reference of the Catholic priesthood in
NH md r
OF history and see what the Protestant
priesthood have done, not only with
the appreciation, but encouraged by the
loud plaudits of these same republicans.
Lave you forgotten the petition to congress
OF three thousand q think that was the
number) Protestant ministers, denouncinp
the policy of a democratic administration,
and with what a flourish of trumpets it was
presented and applauded? And is it not an
undenable fact that no democrat ever sug-
gested or thought of assailing Protestant
church because of that ''priestly interfer-
ence in politics? Is it not an undeuiable
TACT that though the form and language Of
tho petition were criticised, though it was
said that i: was of questionable propriety
Tor the petitioners to appear in their cleri-
cal character and not In their simple cana
city OF citizens, yet NO one was found to
deny their right Of petition, or to vilify
right? Have you forgotten the advent in
Washington of large body of Protestant
clergy of Chicago, who almost assumed to
speak in the name of the Almighty when
demanding of President Lincoln the issu-
ance of the emancipation proclamation?
And is not every man of you witness of the
fact that that ''priestly interference in poll
tics toccasioned no democratic assault upon
Protestant church, while on the othe hand
it was Justify applauded by the republican
leaders and the republican press? And yet
these same leaders and this same press are
ready to go into spasms if q Catholic priest
has the audacity to exercise his right as an
American citizen, and express, however
modestly, a'pOlitical opinion that is not
orthodox according to the radical creed.
Fellow citizens! | am not Catholic
and have no desire to draw comparisons
between the Protestant and Catholic priest
hood but, since the latter are so freely
denounced for what is called their inter
florence in politics, it may not be amiss to
ask a few plain questions:
What man ever heard political sermon
from a Catholic pulpit? l am sure l never
did, nor did l ever read or hear of one.
What man can number the political ser
mons preached from Protestant pulpits
from that of Henry Ward Beecher, in Ply.
mouth church, down to that of the hum
blest edfice whose spire points to Heaven?
What man ever heard of Catholic
priest making stump speech? | am sure
l never did, nor do ] believe such a thing
ever occurred.
But who can tell how many Protestant
ministers have taken the stump, from Hen
ry Ward Beecher down TO the Granville
Moodies?
What man ever heard Of a Catholic
priest being candidate for office? know
that l never did, nor do believe that any
one of you ever did.
But how many Protestant ministers have
held, and how many yet hold office, from
the halls of congress and of the state legis-
latures down to the humblest offices of the
county, the city aud the town?
Fellow citizens, you will much msun-
derstand me if you suppose that, in any
thing have said, l mean to censure, much
less condemn, any ProtestanG church or
any Protestant priest. On the contrary, |
stand here to defend the rights of every
church, and to maintain that every man,
be he Christian or Jew, Protestant or
Catholic, priest or layman, believer or un-
believer, shall enjoy, to the fullest extent,
his rights as a citizen that he shall have
the rights guaranteed by our constitutions
federal and state-the right of free speech,
the rightto petition the law making power,
the right to vote as he sees fit, the right to
hold office, and, most sacred of all, the
right to worship Almighty God according
TO the dictates Of his own conscience. /
stand here to maintain that he shall not be
traduced and prescribed because he exer-
cises these rights; that vindctive pre-
judice shall not be excited against him be-
cause he exercises them that he shall be-
to all intents and purposes, what the con-
stitutiOn makes him, a free man. I stand
to deneunce the agitatOrs who would prac-
tically deprive any man of these rights, to
denOunce the know nothing spirit that
seeks to reduce Catholics and forcign-borr
citizens to the status Of degraded class in
the community, to denounce the hypocrisy
that our schools are in danger, or that our
legislation is controlled by any priesthood
whatever ; and l stand here to appeal to
you, whatever may be your religious belief
or disbelief, whatever are OF may have been
your political affiliations, whatever may be