The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-12-25
De2lH9.teG.

1875. 1t is therefore fitting that something
should be said. concerning the years events
They have been marked in some respects for their
prominent Importance.
1875 was the centennial year Of several import
ant events. Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill
and the Meehlenburg Declaration Of Independence
all celebrated their centennials. The Rebel and
the Union soldier congratulated each other on
the famous field of Lexington that we still had
free country. Fitz Hugh Lee and Gen. Hawlsy,
South Carolina Rebels and Massachusetts, Absli-
tionists, assembled under the shadow Of Bunker
Hill monument and renewed their devotiens to
the "Stars and Stripes" South Carolina plant
cd the palmetto and the pine where Warren fell
fighting for freedom. The Mechlenburgsrs, who
claimed the credit of adopting the FIRST Declare
ton Of Independence, May goth, IT'S, at Mech
lenburg, North Carolina, celebrated their centen-
tennial The Bunker Hill affair was the most
largely attended OF any Of these cslebrations.-
The Southern visitors returned to their homes
convinced that the Yankees were not all mud
stills" and that they understand how to show
genuine hospitality and to cultivate universal
amnesty.
The angel of death has brought down his
shining marks. Andrew johnson, Senator Fer
~ and Vice President Wilson were victims Of bis
arrows.
Secretary Bristow's raid upon the whisky
ring has been a marvel of success. Men who
considered themselves impregnably fixed in their
places and secure in their wickedness have been
made acquainted with United States court rooms,
District Attorneys and juries. They have had
their scenes of operation transferred by authority
Of the United States from distlleries to State
prisons And still the work goes on. Secretary
Brstow is as relentless as death. He is deter
mined to carry out the mandate of President
Grant that "no guilty man shall escape"
Right Honorable VIM. E. Gladstone, during
the year, paid his respects to His Holiness, the
Pope, in phamphlet in which he makes the is
sue that if Catholics endorse and live up to the
letter and spirit of the dogma of infaibility they
cannot be loyal subjects Of the British Empire
The phamphet brought out diversity of opin-
ions from leading Catholics, both lay and clerical.
The discussion revealed the significant fact that
there is considerable difference of opinion among
even the clergy concerning the scope and appli-
cation Of the infallibility dogma to the duty OF
Catholics to the State.
Closely connected with this subject is the fact
that in the year 1873 the first Cardinal that has
ever been created upon American soil came
about by the comforting of this title and rank up
on Archbishop McClosky of New York. A sps-
cial nuneio was dispatched from Rome with pow
er and authority to confer this rank upon him.
A singular sequence of this significant movement
is the agitation of alarms concerning what many
believe to be secret attempt ON the part OF the
church to make encreaehments upon the power
and authority Of the State. In several States OF
the Union considerable agitation has troubled the
body polite concerning an intuition that the
people have that there exists danger to the public
school system from this quarter In Ohio and
Illinois attemps were made through the medium
of the Democratic party year ago to divide the
school fund in order that the Catholics might ap-
propriate the tax they paid to the support of
Catholic schools to the use of their own schools.
Their efforts failed. In consequence of these
things and the suspiciens people have about the
motives behind Cardinal McCloskey's elevation,
constitutional amendments have been submitted
in one or two States prohibiting the division Of
school funds and the appropriation of public
money to sectarian Institutions. An amendment
Of this character was adopted in New Jersey
The Catholic clergy distributed ballots against its
adoption from their churches and the church
made desperate fight against it. A gentleman
of considerable distinction in the West has issued
document something similar to that published
by Mr. Gladstone, foreshadowing the future cen
corning this unpleasant question, indicating that
Democracy and Catholicism are destined to be
one. The question has worked great upheavel
Of the political elements in Maryland. We be-
lieve that the mass Of the Catholic people have no
intentions of a similar character ia the premises.
Those who are doing the mischief in this partic-
ular are the worst enemies of the church.
Apropos of this question was President Grants
speech at Des Moines, Iowa, few weeks ago,
ration of church and State and no appropriation
Of public funds for ssctariau uses. He followed
up these uttersnces by embedying these recon-
mendations in his message to Congress. Hon
James G.. Blaine has put the same ideas in the
shape of bill in Congress proposing constitu-
tional amendment to that effect This would set
the agitation to rest
English diplomacy has made brilliant stroke
in the purchase of IT. 900 shares Of the Suez
Canal from the Kedive Of Egypt for $4,000, 900.
French genius aud capital contrived and execu-
ted this great work and completed it just prior
to being brought submissive to the iron will Of
Bismarck 1t held the key to England's connec-
ton with her East India possessions. Germany,
France and Russia have evidently allowed Eng
land to acquire great advantage in this trans
action. 1t is looked upon toe as the initatory
step to the acquisition Of Egypt.
The TiltOn-Beecher trial, occupying the first
half of the year, attracting the attention Of all
civilization, battling and perplexirg the under
standings of men everywhere, is certainly the
NEST marvellous episode known TO the American
pulpit.
On March 4th, at IL NJ, the power Of The Re-
publican party in the House Of Representatives
ceased for the first time in fourteen years and
Hon. James G. Blaine descended, amid the APP
plause Of Congress and the acclamations Of the
people, TO the floor. On December 7th the Dem
ocratc Congress commenced its existence by the
elevation of Hon H. c. Keer to the Speakers
chair.
Let the work Of the year pass with its moments
and let US learn lessons of wisdom from its folliss
and mistakes and appropriate all Of it's teachings
to the proper improvement OF the future.
Mxs~ When the "third-tirm" resolution was
up in Congress the other day Ex-Speaker
Blaine declined to vote. The wisdom of the
Democratic press bas been busy ever since in
making capital out of the fact. We don't
know what capital is to be made out of it ex-
opt that it demonstrates that he is not in ia