The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-03-19
NO.51
Eloquent Tribute.


dinner speeches by representative Roman
Catholics from all parts of the country
were Of more than common interest. Dan
Dougherty. the ''silyer tongued orator.
of Philadelphia, was unusually happy in
his remarks, which will be read generally
with pleasure for the patriotism and inn
pressiveness of the statements and senti-
ments declared. He said d"i
"We Catholics, Roman Catholics, Amer
lean Roman Catholics, in our every act in
the varied walks of life prove we cherish
for those who differ with us charity and
kindly regard. They are our daily compan-
ions, our dearest friends, our nearest
relatives, linked to us and we to them by
indissoluble ties. We share alike their
joys and sorrows. We vote for them, we
pray for them and, if need be. would die
for them.
Why should differences Of belief :engen-
der discord? We Catholics have for three
hundred years been oppressed wherever
our English tongue is spoken. In the
mother countries penal laws, diabolical in
severity. punished us for fidelity to our
faith. Here in colonial days we were the
victims of harsh laws, aye, to-day in many
communities we are prescribed and in al
most all denied perpect equality. Yet we
know, too, the days of prejudice are
departing. The enlightened spirit of the
age, liberal Professionals, clergy, as well as
laity, an independent press are owning the
injustice done us and realizing that the
best interests of our common humanity
proclaim eternal brotherhood and the alb
solute and inyiolable right of freedom to
worship GOD.
Our country is doubly dear to us. She
is our mother we are her children. Be-
yond this our hearts beat high with love
for the land where the old faith has fair
play. Our temples, where eight millions
of worshipers keep holy the Sabbath day,
rise not from the revenues of unstable
governments, but are the free offerings of
the faithful. Our schools and colleges
flourish second to none ; they teach all that
is taught in others and teach more-they
teach the geography of the realm be-
You'd the skies-that there is a God in
Heaven to whom all are accountable. Our
charities are ever open our priests and re-
ligious supporters never shrink from con-
tagion, but are ready to die at the post Of
duty. Our citizens in peace are faithful
to their trusts and in war have bathed with
their blood every battlefield of the Repub-
lie. If we are true to our God we cannot
be false to our country. Our country re-
pays our devotion by jealousy guarding
the rights Of all her citizens. This is
strikingly displayed in the event especially
called to our attention.
While the Kingdoms of Europe without
protest submit to the spoiliation Of semi
naries of religion and learning, almost a
stroke of the pen from the President, of the
United States flashes telegram through the
waves to the kingly government of Rome,
Hold off your hands from the American
College" and 10 the sacred ediice is I'M
touched and perpetuated And where is
the American Catholic who is not to the
very core Of his heart proud of the identity
Of his faith with the land of his love
The earliest history of America is the
history of its Catholicity. Catholicity is
lndelibly stamped on the Western Hemis-
phere. The sanity names in the four cor
ners of the continent tell that Catholics
were it's founders. Civilization within the
confines of our Republic was planted at st.
and Santa Fe fifty years before
the Puritans saw the Rock Of Plymouth.
Catholic missionaries, Jesuits and Fran
ciscans, for the conversion of the savage
and the glory of God, did not loiter on the
shores of the Atlantic, but traversed the
lands lying along the northern lakes, fol-
lowed the streams and rivers, explored the
great valley, and, discovering the Missis-
sippi, tracked its course from the falls of
st. Anthony and were the first to see the
Father of Waters empty into the Southern
gulf. mot a cape was discovered nor
river entered but the Jesuits led the way''
They penetrated into the primeval forest
and carried the cross to the shores of the
Pacific. The exploits OF Cartier, Balboa,
Melendez, De Soto, Ponce de Leon, Mar
quette, La Sale, Champlain and others
can never be obliterated. They are
moulded in enduring bronze on the mas
sive gates OF our Capitol.
Aye, more proclaim it tothe four winds
of heaven, sound it to the remotest cor
ners of earth, shape it in epigram, embalm
it in song, engrave it ON monument and
boast of it eyerywhere-a monk first in
spired Columbus with hope, Catholic SOW
ereigns sent the first ships across the
trackless main, the Catholic Columbus,
with his Catholic crew, discovered the con-
tinent. and a Catholic gave it the name of
America, the new found land was dedi-
Gated to the patronage of the Blessed
Mother, the first strains of song ever heard
along the western wave was the hymn to
the Holy Virgin, the earliest worship of
the true God was the holy sacrifice of the
Mass, the first standard planted was the
of the cross, the first. the only
martyr that ever here, upon the soil Of
New Y ork rose from the fires of sacrifice
to heaven, was a Catholic. The first in
stitution of learning and the first institu-
tion of charity were Catholic. Catholic
Maryland alone established liberty, Catho-
lie France aided with an army our revolu-
tionary struggle and Catholic powers were
the first to acknowledge the independence
of the United States a3 l3
These are the sentiments, the proofs
and pledges of the loyalty of the Catholic
citizen, which he may exultingly give ex-
preston to on this festive, this exceptional
occasion My endearing hope is that the
time may shortly come when as citizens
all differences will be forgotten and we
only vie with each other in devotion to the
inestimable blessings which God i'll his
mercy has given US.
Last Thursday President Cleveland sent
in the names of his Cabinet for coniirma-
tion. Objection was made to the con-
iirmation of Senator Bayard by Senator
Riddleberger, on the ground that Mr..
Bayard was too un-American to be en-
trusted with the control Of the nations
foreign policy. AS evidence Bayard's
anti-dynamite resolutions were referred :