The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-04-05
HISTORY OF 4 GREAT ORGANIZATION
From the 1. @. B. q. JournAl.)

CatlOIc Den0VOi0nG SOCl0tleb OF The conn.
try. It now numbers nearly four hund raa
societies located In nearly all the Statss
| though in Pennsylvania the societies coS'
| nected with the organization number mo,.
| than one fourth of the whole.
The Union owes its origin to the nneet;n,
at Piqus, Ohio, on June 9th. 1869, Of ths
societies of shat and eighboring town N
Ohio and Indiana on the occasion Of mn
laying of the cornerstone of q Cathos
Church. The societies of Piqua. Davs
and of Richmond, Ind. informally orrs}
lied with Hon. Dennis Dwyer,. of DaH
ton, and joseph M. Byrnes, of Piaua. actisl
as chairman and Secretary. An address WI,
issued for convention Of "Irish benev1
lent societies at Dayton, Ohio, on Monda'l
Aug. 10Th, 1869, to assist in building up III
organization which, by proper energy,n
become power in the land and unite
exiled countrymen in the United Statesth
the bonds of harmony aud love-"
1t will be observed that at this time q!
intention was to organize Union Of IYa5
benevolent societies and that nothing +
relation to religion was as yet considered
AT the Dayton convention the religioul
feature was introduced in an fort to mss,l
the organization one Of Irish CathoE,;
societies. And as the societies then reprs
sented were Catholics, the conclusion ar,j
rived at was that societies should be Cath.
Ollie, but that Catholicity should not be toa
strongly insisted on.
But that it should be "Catholic" in mana
rather than "National was the fual a.
termin alton, by vote, striking ont the latta
word and inserting the former.
The second annual convention was beaI
1870, at which Archbishop Purcell attend
ed and gave his appreciation to the organi
cation. AT this convention appeared The 4
first priest delegates, Rev. Jas Henry, (novi
Treasurer) and Rev. r. j. Hayes both al
St. Louis, and Rev. Jas. B. Donnelan, oil
Burlington, Iowa, (since deceased). ThsE
number of societies on the roll at this con.
vention was A.
The third convention was held at Louis
Vile, KY, October 1lth, 18th and 1914
1871, and from this time the Union msys
be said to have started as strictly and
practically a Catholic body, the consti
tuition being amended 80 as to require So
cietes to admit to mem bersnip only pracH
teal Catholics and prohibiting the election
of mem bers of condemned secret societiea
The roll of the Union at this conventions
numbered 81 societies, of which 81 wers
represented and the membership was about
6,0OO.
The fourth convention met at PhiladelE
phia, Oct, 10 17-ls, 1872. The delegata
were formally received in Old Independence
Hall by the President of the City Counci
after the delegates had attended Macs a
sold st. Joseph's," Church, Vikings Alley
At the convention &c societies were nj
presented and the questions of immigrstiol
| by M. Glennan, ESQ.,, of Norfolk, VAL sni
| of the union with the German Roman ca
tholic Central Association were considers
| aud essential improvements were made
the constitution of the Union. The Seer
tary, NJ. 1. j. Griffin, of Philadelphia, n
ported that the Union now numbered ~
| societies, "with a reported memb ershp
| l6 672 and an estimated mem bership
&C, 600" as several of the societies bad n
reported in time.
| The fifth animal convention wac held
st. Louis, October, 1873, at which the pub
lie school system was introduced, but Il
convention refused to pass a resolution d
mandatory of the system as ga curse TO OF
country and fl ondgate of atheism, sensE
atty and Of civil, social and na5Ional col
raption," but adopted q resolution declarins
'that the So stem of State schools now estad
iished in most of the States by it's failuIs
to provide proper religious instruction I'd
the young and enlightening the head to tb
entire neglect of heart culture, meets viii
our unqualified Reproduction, unjustly tart
Ing as 1t does, a large class of our peops
who cannot, without danger to the fait
and morality of their Cffspiring, avd
| GRAFTON ofthe school question caused cOnsie
cradle excitement throughout the county
| the action of the convention being misrep
resented. The press of the country discus
ed the action of the delegates, and meeting
of the Protestant National Alliance wsr
held in Philadelphia and other cities, de-
mandatory of the Union and falsely repre-
sentiDg its resolves.
The sixth convention met at Baltimort
October, 1874, His Grace, Archbishol
Bayley, gave, his sanction to the orga1E
cation and spoke to the delegates iu TIE
Cathedral in words of good counsel, adviE
ing them to let sach questions as the scbOa
question alone.
In October 1875, the seventh conveutia
met at Rochester, N. Y, Bishop McQaak
attended the convention aud addressed q
delegates in terms of approval. The won
of immigration, begun at St. Louis aud coz
tinued and advanced at Baltimor ore, gals
way now to tue work of Colonization
which the Union is now doing great ser
vice.
The eight convention was held last seq
TENDER at Cleveland, Ohio, at which 2
Colonization movement WAS the chief SUI