National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-01-17
CAruoIICIsUIN AMERICA.

The man who has not seen radical
change in the influences and asserted
power of the Roman Catholic Church in the
United States during the past twenty years
must have had his eyes closed to many
palpable facts, including the general pro-
gressiveness of American citizenship. AT
the same time the man who denies that an
offensive residuum Of those influences and
power still remains unchanged from what
it was twenty years ago is guilty of equal
blindness to equally palplble facts, includ-
ing the bigoted stugnation of an especial class
of our citizenship. Time was when nearly
every Catholic parish in this country was
presided over, ruled over in fact, by for
cign-bom priest, and when nearly all the
higher maguates OF the Church were also
un- American by birth and the ties OF self
interest But all this has changed, and the
institution of Catholicism. if such it may
he called, has become truly Ameri-
canizcd to an encouraging extent.
Foreign born priests or rulers and foreign
influences and ties have been gradually
weedcd out of il by the transition of death
and legitimate SUGGESTIONS, and a spirit OF
independence or liberality has by the same
process been substituted for intolerance and
exclusivcness.
The close observer will find that the pa
triotc promptiugs, especially in the North
of the late civil war also had much to do
with this gratifying change. That mo.
mentous struggle aroused in the breasts oi
hundreds and thousands Of Catholics, par.
ticularly those of Irish birth and extraction
new revelation regarding the manifest
duties and responsibilities Of true man
hood. Previous to ii their custom had been
to revere the Church us the only power
worthy Of their most uusellish devotion
but when the war came upon them and The
governmental institutions under which theil
ecclesiastical shrines found protection were
threatened with destruction they suddenly
discovered and willingly yielded n loya
allegiance to the demands Of patriotism
and with each successive sacrifice of blood
or treasure for the preservation Of thost
institutions they were insensibly weausC
from their previous belief in the politica
supremacy of the Church above the State
The intrepid loyalty Of Archbishop
. HUGHES, of New York, and BAILEY, o
/ Baltimore TO the Union cause, the trip o
/ the former TO Europe wherein he eXertet
his mos commanding ability in behalf 0
that cause with the Powers Of the Ole
World, and the sterling examples of sucl
military leaders rs MEAGHER, CORCoRAN
MUILIGAN, and dozens more, served I,
cryslalze this new development into a pos
tive departure from the habits and custom
Of the pnst-habits and customs that wer
bred Of priestly rule in countries wher
kings and potentates bowed to the man
dates of pontical authority, and which hu,
been trausplantcd to American soil only 4
thrive therein 50 long as they were permit
ted TO remain undisturbed
And it will be admitted that Genera
GRANTS deservcdIy popular speech at De
Moines has served rs an effective supple
mental agency in adding TO the force Of thi
new departure. II was an utteranCe calcu
lated to impress the public and especial.
the religious mind, with true and prOpe
conception Of sectarian freedom. No goo
Roman Catholic can or will reject its teach
ings, nor will any Protestant, who is no
bigoted to the extent of solf-righteousnes
and cruel prescription, repudiato it, becaus
IL yields to the religious sects Of the country
one aud all, a recognition of equality belor
the law and under the Constitution. 1t is be
cause the Roman Catholics Of the present do
are beginning 10 appreciate and adopt the Ill
eral sentiment of this great speech, and be
cause many Of them have learned to 'giy
"and takc"--to use homely phase-tlt
their existence among an overwhelming
Protestant people is no longer viewed wit
the same jealous eye that was formerly iiXe
upon them. The truth is, the dhy Of big
otry is passing away, and with 1t the Ell
yious and cruel antagonism5 Of the pas
And the cause Of Christianity is strength