The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-09-12

bers who vctsd for the Geghsn bill were
Protestants, or sympashige with Protestan-
tism. Not o few OF them were earnest and
active members OF Protestant churches.
Some of them represented constituencies
in which the Catholics are scarcely one In
hundred Of the people. Did these men
wish 70 succumb 10 Catholic dictatiOn ]
Were the seven Republicans, the Protes-
tant preacher included, who at arst voted
for the bill, servants Of the Popef Is there
any man not an idiot, or utterly blinded
by prejudice, who does not eco that the
charge ia. ebsurd, that 1t q mere trick OF
party managers. who are willing to leopard
ize religion, convulso society and SOW the
aeeds Of perpetual discord in order to
achieve party success To hear q Radical
stumper talk of ths Catholic Church ycu
would think, if you knew NO better, that
all the members Of that Church are under
the absolute dominion of their epriestS;
that the priest has but to point his finger,
and his whole flock vote for the party to
which he pointe. There never was more
unfounded assertion, never . greater libel
pronounced against body Of American
| freemen. In matters of religion the Catho-
| lie reverently receives the instructions OF
bis spiritual guide; in secular matters he
acts, as other men act, upon the dictates OF
his own Judgment. There are tena OF thou
sands Of Catholics who vote and have al
| ways voted, the Republican ticket; and il
| the number of euch votes 10 diminishing,
it 10 not because of priessly domination,
but because the spirit of Know N Notbingism
again stalks abroad and threatens to obtain
| complete possession of the Republican
party. 1t is not many years since Arch
bishop Hugbes, of New York, and Arch
| bishop Purcell, of Cincinnati, were open
supporters of Lincoln's Administration, and
were much .applauded by the Republican
leaders for that support. Then not one OF
those leaders wac heard to utter word
about priestly interference in politics, or
priestly dominion. On the contrary, these
| venerable preiates were aplauded to the
skies by the Republican party, and their
example every where cited as an induce
ment to Catholics to vote the Republican
ticket. Nay, further, President Lincoln
manifested his high regard for the Arch
bishop of New York by sending him on a
mission to Europe, and the whole Repnbli-
can party applauded the act. But did the
course taken by those eminent prelates-
none more eminent or better entitled to the
regard of their flock and of mankind-con'
. | troll the Catholic voteq Every man of you
, is ready to cay no for it is as notorious al
that the sun gives light to the earth tha
, the great body Of Catholics continued tt
vote as they had been accustomed to vote
the Democrats continued to be Democrat
and the Republicans continued to be Re
publicans. Fellow-citizens, / am not {
> Catholic, and l have no desire to draw
coMPARIsoNs BETWEEN TEE .PRoTEsTAN
AND CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD,
but since the latter are so freely denounce,
: for what is called their Interference in pol
o itics, it may not be amiss to ask afew plal
# questions. What man ever heard politI
p cal sermon from q Catholic pulpit al
Q sure never did, nor did ever read
! hear of one. What man can number Tn
70 political sermons preached from .Protestan
o pulpits, from that of Henry Ward Beeche
l. In Plymouth church down to that OF th
10 humblest edifce whose epire points t
If heaven What man ever heard OF Cathc
ls sufe never did, nor do believe such
d thing ever occurred. But who can te
20 how many Protestant ministers have take
Of the stump, from Henry Ward Beech'
le down to the Granville Moodiesf Wh
a- man ever heard of Catholic priest beir
m a candidate for oficef know that new
go did, nor do believe that any one of yc
i'd ever did. But how many Protestant mil
ad listers have held, and how many yet ho
We office, from the Hall of Congress and of Il
or State Legislatures down to the humbl
in offices of the county, the city and the to vi
Fellow citizens, you will much misunde
in stand me if you suppose that in anything
ID, have said I mean TO censure, much lie
cpndemn, any Protestant church or al
4s- Protestant priest. On the contrary, l stal
of here to defend the rights of every churc
ic- and to maintain that every B1an, te
ny Christian or Jew, Protestant or Cathol
I;c priest or layman, believer or unbeliever,
in. the fullest extent, his rights as Citize
Jus that he shall have the rights guaranteed
is oar coDstitutions-Federal aud State-t
,e: right of free speech, the right to petiti
us- the law making power, the right to VI
in ss he sees 1t, the right to hold Office, al
pie most sacred Of all, the right to worsl
los lSd Almighty God according to the dictates
,S" ons his own conscience. stand here to mai
les tain 6haS ne shai! NOS Do Iraouceo Sho ~
an scribed because he exercises these rlSh
no that q vindictive prejudice shall not be
ent cited against him because he exercises the
lily that he shall be, to all intents and purpOa
70 what the constitution makes him, g I
OIL" nam.
and -