The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-11-28
@afaiHg ,tar anG Carnelic messenger.
new oELEANs SUNDAY. NOVEMBER -. is7s
Bishop Me'Quaid Of Rochester ON the School Cues


1othe Editor OF the Democrat and Chronicle
SIR: Now that the election is over
that the country is safe until the next poll
ficai campaign-that the habitual amiabil'
ity of temper of our citizens has returned
may be permitted to cay word
1t is scarcely necessary for me to declare
that am no enemy of free schools, or OF
the education of the children of the people,
that do not want Protestant money to
further Catholic ends, that do not want
the Catholic Church or Catholic priests, to
grow rich on, or in come way get hold of,
public moneys, for no one with wit enough
or brains enough not to be carried away by
q scare, believed word of snch nonsense.
Mere babies in politics and the ways of
politicians, and they who for the fret time
heard the alarming cry of wolff" may
be excused for the disturbed state of mind
and soul into which they were thrown.
The school question is only in it's Gle
mentary stage, viz: that of discussion and
and examination. Every such election as
the last will do world of good-not to
politicians-but to citizens in general.
After the heat of the contest, some will be
led to enquire what the noise is about.
This will be great gain. Indeed, the
greater the uproar, the greater the gain. No
argument, no power of words, no statement
=, of tho case, equals the fact that 5000
children of the city of Rochester are in
schools built by their parents, who not only
pay for the education of their children,
but who also pay for the schools and edu.
cation of the children of their richer neigh
bors. Yet this large, substantial fact is
constantly before the eyes of the citizens
of Rochester without making the least'im
preston. The Injustice of the arrange
ment grows grOsser and grosser, day by
day, yet it is only at the time of an cleo
ton that q cry of distress is heard not
from those that suffer, bat from those that
lntict the wrong.
There are, however, citizens who sin
cerely desiIe to hear the question of public
school education discussed in calmness
and without passion, and who do not feel it
right to picture an American citizen exer-
cisipg his right of freedom of speech
rs a monster At only for the lannon's
mouth. Such are the members IF the Free
Religions Association of Boston, who
wish to hear what Catholic American
citizen has to say on this subject, and be-
fore whom it will be my duty and pleasure
10 give q lecture this winter at their re.
quest. The Discussion is only at it's begin
ming.
l have been in quandary ever since the |
election trying to find out why it is such
an awful crime for me to NEEDLE in politics |
especially as have not meddled-when it |
is entirely becoming and within the bounds
of ministerial propriety for such dignitied,
learned and sanity men as the Rev |
Messrs. Robertson, Pick and their asso.
ciates, to lend the full force of their cleri.
cal standing to serve the purposes of poll
ticans. A whisper comes to me that happen
not to be swimming with the current.
So, popular consent makes that right in one
which is wrong in another.
You are pleased to pay me some f1atter-
ing compliments. l hope always to de-
serve the one of saying what mean. You
do me injustice, however, in surprising
that it is possible to mako me afraid to do
~ hal 70, l,a ,;ohk
have no fault to find with the use made
by the press of tit bits of my discourses on
the echool question. The press serves up
its daily mental mess, but caunot be ex-
pected to supply brains for its readers rs
we'll.
Probably the most offensive quotation
you give from my lecture in Cincinnati is
the one in which spoke of those who edu-
cate their children at the partial expense of
their neiehbors as beneticiaries, to that ex-
tent, of the charity of others. This is
unquestionably a most offensive desigua
ton. Bat in using it humbly plead
guilty of plagiarism.
Judge TAFT of Ohio, a leading RepubIi
can, an active politician, n clear headed
judge, in hH carefully studied and written
opinion N the case of Minor ct al VS..
Board OF Education of Cincinnati, ct al
says: /,
We have this unequvocal evidence of
the reality of their conscientious scruples,
that whom they have paid the school tax
which is not q very high one, they give up
the privilege of sending their children I
rather than that they should be educated
in what they hold to be, and what, without
the adoption of one or both these resoiu-
tions, must be fairly held to be Protestant
schools. This, is too large circumstance
20 be covered up by the Latin phrase de I
nininiS ron curat Ter, to which resort is {
had. These Catholics are CON t
strained every year to yield to others 1
heir right to one third of the school {
money. sum of money averaging not less
han $500, 900 every year, on Conscientious /
grounds. That is to say these people are \
punished every year, for believing as they
10, to the extent of $500, 900, and to. that .
'xtept, those of US who send our children =!
o these excellent common schools, be- !;
,ome bere6ciaties of the Catholic money. d
We pay for our privileges so much less f
han they actually cost. Mercantile life =
8 supposed to cultivate in some relish for t
lard bargains. But If it were business c
natter, and not Il matter of religious con I
pnull huaiDnsn hr II