The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-03
MR.. BLAINE AND sEOTARIANIsM.

In view of the Infamous attempt ON the
part of the Democratic press to hold Mr..
Blaine responsible for the words used by Rev.
DIR. Burchard in his address at New York,
which have been construed into a sheer at the
Roman Catholic Church, the following speech,
made by Mr.. Blaine at New Haven Conn,
on Saturday last, should have the widest pos
sible publicity. 1t shows the high character
and broad minded iberality of the Repub-
lican candidate:
''There has been placed in my hand since my
arrival in New Haven an address from the cler-
gymen of this city, expressing their respect and
confidence. and, through the person who deliv-
cred 1t, the assurance that in matters of public
right and in matters of public participation I'M
der the laws and Constitution of the United
States they know no sect-they know Prot
estant no Catholic. no Hebrew-but the equali-
ty of all. ICries of Good good and cheers.
In the city of Hartford had IA letter put in my
hands asking why had charged the Demo
cratic party with being inspired by rum, Ro-
manism and rebellion; IA vOce-'You
never said that My answer, in
the first place, is that they put
into my mouth an unfortunate expression of an
other man. and in the next place it gives me an
opportunity to say, at the close of the campaign,
that in the public speeches which l have made
have refrained carefully from making any dis
respectful allusion to the Democratic party. I
differ from that party profoundly upon matters
of principle, but have too much respect for the
millions of my countrymen whom it embraces
to assail it with epithets [Cries of Good
good, and cheers. In the next place, am
sure that am the last man in the United States
who would make a disrespectful aliusion to
another mans religion. The United States
guarantees freedom of religious opinion and be-
fore the law and under the Constitution
fba tha(t A1,oI Iol,
stand entitled to absolutely the same recogni
ton and the same protection loud cheeringi,
and if disrespectful ausion is here to be made
toward the religion of any man, as said, am
the last man to make it, for, though a Protestant
by conviction and connection with a Protestant
church, | should esteem myself of all men the
most degraded if, under any pressure, or under
any temptation, ! could in any presence make
disrespectful alluson to that ancient fath'in
which my revered mother lived and died" Jap
plauSe
A dispatch from New York last night said
that Mr.. Blaine, being fatigued from his con-
tinuous labors during the week. did not leave
his room at the Fifth-avenue Hotel during
the day Late in the evening delegation
of Catholics, headed by Patrick Ford, called
to extend congratulations upon the manner in
which he had, in New Haven, referred in his
speech to Rev. DR.. Burchard's remarks. In
reply Mr.. Blaine said:
Religious liberty is the absolute law of
our land. Freedom of conscience is
the inalienable right of every Amer
lean citizen, native or naturaliZed
Whoever violates that freedom strikes at the
foundation of the Republic. As Protestant
demand for the Catholic precisely the same lib
erty of action the same respect for conscientious
belief, that l claim for myself"