Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-08-14
The Catholic Church and the * nights
ofsabOr

Rome has finally spoken upon the ques
ton of the Kni ghts of Labor. The society
is unequivocally condemned by the holy
see, snd the bishops of the church are en-
joined to proceed against it as against all
the secret societies under the papal ban.
The following is translation of Cardinal
Taschereau's letter 10 the bishops on this
subject
Your LoRDsHIp: On the 18th of May last
/ represented to his eminence the cardinal
project Of the Sacred Congregation of the
Propaganda the Emergencies of opinion ex.
pressed by the newspapers of Canada and
the United States on the subject of the socie-
ty Of the Knights of Labor, condemned in
september, 1881. AS it was pretended the
effect of this sentence stood suspended by
an appeal affirmed to have been car
red before the holy sac after modilica-
this society, | begged his eminence to make
known with certainty the position of
the church in regard to it. A letter from
his ,minence Cardinal Simeoni, dated the
18th Of July, informs me that on the 9th of
June last the sacred Office, after Il re exam.
nalon of the question, maintained its judg-
ment of 1854 absolutely in tho same terms,
which are reproduced in his letter, as fol.
lows:
"Conside,ing the principles. organization,
and rules Of the society of the Knights Of
Labor as they are set forth, this society must
be classed among those which have been
condemned according to the instructions Of
this supreme congregation, on the 10th OF
May, 1854; that The bishops be eujoined to
proceed as well against this society as
against others of The same kind. and TO en-
ploy the remedies ordered or advised in said
Instructions"
Your lordship will recall that in my con-
sultalion Of the 9th of October, 1883. made
no representation of my own upon The priu
ciples of the organization and the rules OF
the society, but ! merely and simpy trans
mitted TO the holy see an authentic printed
copy Of It's constitution, with ~ prayer
to examine it all the more carefully,
because this society seemed to embrace
all branches Of work ana workers, which,
moreover, its name clearly indicated.
The pretended appeal 10 the holy sec has
been long invoked to create the b.lief that
pending the final decision persons continue
to enroll themselves or to remain in the
society. provided always that they were
sincerely disposed to obey the final sentence
upon the appeal. If that appeal had been
really made it is impossible that the sacred
Office should not have been seized Of it, be-
cause this matter belongs to its exclusive
resort. Consequently, the decision of the
9th Of June, communicated 20 me by his
eminence Cardinal Simeoni, is i'll reply to it.
Tbs original sentence has been confirmed in
its fol and tenor. Where's in this last
decision, rs in the first, the holy Office re-
commends the bishops to proceed against
this society ia the manner prescribed in its
instructions of the 10th of May, 1884.
cannot SEQ that there can any longer be
| any doubt as to the rule to be followed by
the Catholics Of the whole world over whom
the jurisdiction of that sacred congregation
extends.
Having discharged my duty in convey
ing to your lordship this decision OF the
holy see, beg you to accept assurances Of
my devotion.
E. A. CAR. TAsCHEREAU,
Archbishop of Quebec.