The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1881-03-15
CATHOLIC ChAPLAINS.

The delegates from the various
Catholic Beneficial and Literary Soci-
cites of this State, held an adjourned
meeting Sunday afternoon, and
unanimously adopted the following
resolutions, asking that Catholic
Chaplains be appointed in the U. 5.
army aud Navy:
WHEREAS, IL is one of the funda-
mental principles of our government
that Congress shall make no law re-
specting the establishment of religion
or prohibiting the free exercise there
of, the principle is thereby established
that it shall give no preference to any
religious denomination nor in any
manner restrict or embarrass any one
IN the free exercise thereof; and
WHEREAS, The Army aud Navy of
the United States is believed to be in
greater part composed of Catholics,
We hold that those defenders of our
country should not in justice be dis
eliminated against in the selection or
appointment OF spiritual advisers or
army chaplains, but they are entitled
to the free exercise OF their religion as
fully as it is enjoyed by those in the
service Who receive the illustrations
OF chaplains Of other denominations /;
ana
WHEREAS, An unfair and we believe
uninlentlonal Discrimination has been
heretofore made in The appointment
OF chaplains by which, until 8 months
ago, the army had one Ca holic cnap-
lain and now has but two, while the
Protestant army chaplains number %
and OF The "a appointments allowed by
law for the navy not one is Cath Ole.
Therefore be it.
ResoEOed, BY this convention repre-
sentln2 the Catholic Societies of the
5 ate of Delaware, with an aggregate
membership OF 2, 500, that the honora-
BILE Sena -ols aud representative of the
STATE OF Delaware be requested to vote
for the passage of bill No. 4, 800, Of
fered by General Auson g. McCook,
Of New \ ork, entitled, "A bill 10 regu.
late the appointment, assignment and
duties OF chaplains in the army and
navy ard for other purposes" now
before the Committee on Military AT.
| fairs, or such other bill or amendment
as may the better, in their Judgment,
secure "a redress of the grievances com.
| planned OF. And
WHEREAS. Our brethren, the Catho
lie Indians of the West, are suffering
injustice by being denied the right t.
worship God according to the dict ates
of their conscience !; while PROSECUTING
efforts are being constantly made u
cause them TO abandon the faith in
which they have been taught, and to
prevent them from practiclng its pre-
crpts while the Catholic missionaries
are declared by Protestant agents,
sustained by the ruling of the office OF
| Indian AhalIs, from continuing the
Efforts bsgun centuries ago to convert
Indians from Plagiarism to Christian.
| ty therefore, be 1t
ReS0tced, That We protest against the
- Called peace policy, by which 10000
Catholic Indians have been assigned Il
| Protestant agents aud are by them de bar
| Ted from all privilege Of enjoying tie
free exercise of their religion, ami Cath
| olIc missionaries restricted in minister
/ ing u a. IN.
Resoiced, That our Honorable Senators
| aud pIesentdtIve DO requested TO vote
ior The adoption OF the bill entitled
| Ah MI Rtaht tqudl privileges 10 al
| denominations IN the Indian reserva
tons" or such other law ar may III theII
Judgment remedy the evil comphned oi
and which will secure tor the Catholic
| Indians tue right of practiclng their re.
hglon anu the right OF Catholic missi o H.
aries tn labor for their conversion.
Resoteed, That copy OF these resolu
liobs tic transmitted To the honorabl,
Senators, Mr.. I. +. Bayard and Mr.. lei
salisbury, aud to the Hon. L. L. Mar.
I'm, our representative from this State
aud that copy be sent to the press fo
publication.