The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-09-09

upon Is the Democratic prlnClple OF equal
rights and perfect freedom of conscience,
embodied in our Federal and State Con-
stitutions. The churches are powerful
and efficient instrumentalities for good,
and whatever many be mans belief, or
disbelief, in theological tenets, he cannot
truthfully deny their conservative pow
er over the morals and peace OF society.
But whenever they shall be dragged into
the mire of politics, whenever warfare
upon a church shall become high road
to political preferment, you may rest as
sured that a blow at their usefulness will
have been dealt that will require
many years of pain and suffering be-
fore its evil effects will cease to be
felt.
To hear Radical stumper talk Of the
Catholic church, you would think, if you
knew no better, that all the members of
that church are under the absolute do
minion of their priests; that the priest
has but to point his finger, and his whole
flock vote for the party to which be
points. There never was u more unfoun-
ded assertion, never greater libel pro-
nounced against body of American
freemen. In matters of religion the
Catholic reverently receives the instruc-
tons ofspiritual guide; in secular matters
he acts, as other men act, upon the die
tates of his own judgment. There are
tens of thousands of Catholics who vote,
and have always voted, the Republican
ticket; and ifthe number of such votes is
diminishing, it is not because of priestly-
domination, but because the spirit of
Know Nothingism again stalks abroad,
and threatens to obtain complete posses
sion ofthe Republican party.
1t is not manJ years since Archbishop
Hughes, of New York, and Archbishop
Purcell, of ofCincinnati, were open suppor-
tors of Iincoln's Administration, and
were much applauded by the Republican
leaders for that support. Then not one
of those leaders was heard to utter
word about priestly interference in poll
tics, or priestly domination. On the
contrary, these venerable prelates were
lauded to the skies by the Republican
party, and their example every where
cited a. an inducement to Catholics to
vote the Republican ticket. Nay, furth-
or, President Lincoln manifested his high
regard for the Archbishop of New York
by sending him on mission to Europe,
aud the whole Republican party applau-
ded the act. But did the course taken
by those eminent prelstes-none more
eminent or better entitled to the regard
of their focks and of mankind-control
the Catholic vote2 Every man of you is
ready to say, no, for it is as 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, and the Republicans contin-
ued to be Republicans. .u.
1t is little curious to hear Republican
speakers denounCe what they call the
interference ofthe Catholic priesthood in
politics. and then turn over few pages
of history and see what the Pre- testant
priesthood have done, not only with the
appreciation but encouraged by the
loud plaudits of these same Republic
cans. Have you forgotten the petition to
Congress of three thousand Il think that
was the number) Protestant ministers,
denouncing the policy of Democratic
administration and with what q flourish
oftrumpets it was presented and applau"
ded7 And it is not an undeniable fact
that no Democrat ever suggested or thot
of assallinga q Protestant church because
of that "priestly interference in pollticsf,"
Is it not an undeniable fact that though
the form and language of the petition
were criticised, though it was said to be
of questionable propriety for the petit
TONERS to appear in their clerical charac-
ter and not in their simple capacity OF
citizens, yet no one was found to deny
their right Of petition, or to Villify their
churches because they exercised that
right? Have you forgotten the advent
in Washington of a large body o. Protes-
tant clergy OF Chicago, who almost as
sumed to speak in the name of the AL.
mighty when demanding of President
Lincoln the issuance of the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation and is not every man
of you witness of the fact that that
'priestly interference in politics" ocCas-
ioned no Democratic assault upon Pro-
testant church while on the other hand
it was Justify applsuded by the Republ-
can leaders and by the Republican press2
And yet these same leaders and this
same press are ready togo into spasms If
a Catholic priest has the audacity to ex-
ercise his right as an American citizen,
and express, however modestly, a politi-
cal opinion that is not orthodox according
to the Radical creed.
Fellow Citizensl / am not a Catholic,
and | have no desire to draw compari-
sons between the Protestant and Catho-
lie priesthood, but since the latter are SO
freely denounced for what is called their
Interference in politics, itmay not be amiss
to ask few plain questions
What man ever heard political SER
mon from u Catholic pulpit? am sure
Inever 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
Plymouth church, down to that Of the
humblest edifice whose spire points to
Heaven ?
What man ever heard of Catholic
priest making stump speech l am
sure Inever did, nor do l believe that such
a thing ever occurred.
But who can tell how mlny Protestant
ministers have taken the stump, from
Henry Ward Beecher down to the Gran
vile Noodles?
What man ever heard of u Catholic
priest being a candidate for office |
know that 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 Hall of Congress and of the
State Legislature down to the humber
offices of the county, the city and the
town ?
Fellow citizens, you will much misun-
derstsnd nae if you suppose that, in any
thing l have said, mean TO censure,
much less condemn, any Protestant
church or any Protestant priest On the
contrary, stand here TO defend the