The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-10-12
New York World, Oct 8.
Gen. Garfield as a Know Nothing.

Gen. Garfield as Know Nothing.
4 Gen. Garfield may or may not have
been enrolled as Know Nothing in his
time, but on the 22d of June, 1874, he
Showed himself to be Know Nothing
In spirit. The House Of Representatives
loo that day was considering the "Sundry
Civil Appropriation BILL" in which the
Senate had inserted-"For the Little
Sisters of the Poor in Washington City,
to liquidate debt on the building and
to complete said building, $25, 900" Mr..
Hoar, Of Massachusetts, supported the
item in an effective explanatory speech,
iduring which he observed:
HThe property is held in strict trust
to- be used sacredly as home for aged
lpersons 1t is an incorporated society
of this District under no ecclesiasticai
authority, although to be sure it consists
LOT Catholic women. AS we have abol-
lished the government OF the District it's
charities are now left dependent upon
Jour action, and it is one equally deseh
ling with others that We have recognized.
The managers exercise no discrimination
ofsex, color or religious belief"
Mr.. Garfield Immediately opposed the
item In speech which, as reported in
the Globe OF the date Up. 1884, was
longer than the speech of Mr.. Hoar.-- -
Gen. Butler next began TO catechise Gen.
Garfield as to whether he had not voted
for an appropriation for the Women's
Christian Association Of the District, and
Gen. Garfield admitted that he had, but
claimed that there was an obvious dis.
tinction between giving an appropriation
TO q society composed Of many eects
and to society composed Of only one
sect. Mr.. Cessna, Of Pennsylvania,
"asked the theologian from Ohio whether
Protestants as well as Catholics are not
allowed the benefit of the institution for
which the appropriation is asked" Gen.
Garfield answered afilrmatively, when
Mr.. Cessna added: "Then l may say
they ought to have the money" Mr..
Parker, of Missouri, who was afterwards
Chief Justice OF Utah, followed with
what has been described by his auditors
as one Of the most eloquent and touch
ing speeches ever delivered in Congress,
and in the course Of II he said:
81 am no Catholic, and practically !
am not much of Protestant, but, sir, l
want to call the attention OF this House
to one fact, and especially that OF my
friend from Ohio. Mr.. Garfield }, who
gallantly led one Of the divisions Of our
army during the late war, and that is,
when the noble women Of these different
orders we're upon the battle-fields OF our
country gathering up the wounded and
the dying and pouring consolation into
their souls, moistening their lips with
cold water, talking to them Of home,
mother and friends, cheering their dying
moments BY leading their minds to the
mercy Of that God who was 80 soon to
judge them-when they kneeled before
our brave soldiers upon their dying
bed6s Old The gentleman or the loyal peo.
kpfe ever stop to inquire what was the re-
|ligious faith of these people2 Did they
stop to inquire whether they we're Cath
olic or Protestant, Jew or Gentle p
When the white -bonneted nuns were seen
carrying consolation to the gallant SOL
diers OF the Republic upon every battle
Geld where our patriots struggled for the
national existence, they were not asked
as to their religion. Now for the Amer.
ican Congress, made up of distinguished
men from all parts Of the country, wed,
ded to our institutions, devoted to the
cause of liberty, after what We. have
done already here to-day, to refuse to
give this institution what is asked here,
must be done upon grounds which We
cannot justify. 1t is too narrow view
to take Of It, Patriots and gallant men
cannot do this. No citizen of this re-
public can undertake to maintain any
such position as that. Do you know.
Mr.. Speaker, that it is fact that these
Little Sisters Of the Poor are not per-
mitted under the obligations OF their or
der to partake Of single mouthful of
food until the inmates of the asylum are
first fed2 Do you know they 60 to the
hotels and restaurants and wherever they
are permitted to go in this city, and
gather what is left of the crumbs which
have fallen from the tables for the pur-
pose of feeding these poor, aged, outcast
men and women who are not able to
take care Of themselves / ask the
House to stand by this appropriation. L
ask the House to give this amount Of
money 20 this worthy object"
Gen. Butler then followed With sim.
liar eulogium upon the services Of Cath
olic women during the battles and among
the hospitals as he had observed them,
and when he had concluded there was a
closing scene which is thus officially re-
corded in the Globe:
Mr.. Randall-What is the question ?
The Speaker-Concurring In the SEN
ate amendment.
Mr.. Randall-n we concur that. leaves
It in.
The Speaker--It does.
Mr.. Randall-That is all right.
Mr.. Garfield desire to say single
sentence in reply.
Cries of "voter' "vote!" "vote!"
The question being without yeas
and nays-on concurring in the Senate
amendment, there we're affirmative 102
and negative 43.
From all this it appears that Gen. Gar
field was impatiently "choked off, by
the House. Not even his Republican
colleagues could stand the spectacle of
the Chairman of Appropriations Sighting
an appropriation for the sick and dying
| in q District Asylum when precisely two
years earlier, for fee Of $4,000, be had
championed au appropriation for Dis.
trict job in the De Golyer pavement con-
tract.
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