The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-05-06
ROMAN CATHOLICS
Forbidden by the Holy See to Join the
Knights of Labor.


MONTREAL, April 29.-Arch Bish
op Tarschereau's mandament, for
bidding Catholics to join the
Knights of Labor, has caused the
most intense excitement among the
working classes. 1t will be read in
all the Catholic churches next Sun
day. The following are a few ex-
tracts: SIN our mandament dated
June 30, 1884, we warmed you, dear
brethren, against ali dangerous So
cieties and in particular against
Free Missionary, so formally con-
demned by the sovereign pontiffs,
and particularly by His Holiness
Pope Leo XIII. We believe it our
duty to remind you, dear brethren,
that the church forbids any one TO
enroll himself in any Masonic So
ciety under the pain Of excommuni-
cation. You know well that excom-
munication is the most terrible pen
atty the church can inflict on a
guilty person. Serious riots, at
tended with disastrous confagra-
tions and great loss of life, have
just occurred in a number of cities
in the United States, and if the pa
pers are to be believed, these mis-
fortunes are the result of strikes or
ganized by society whose ramifi-
cations extend everywhere and
count as its members men of every
kind. Having learned that dele
gates of a society known as the
Knights of Labor had endeavored to
recruit members in some parts oil
this province, we believe it our duty,
dear brethren, to place you on your
guard against it, and please remark
that we do not speak in our OWE
name, but in that of the holy see
In fact, during the month of Octo
Der, 1888, we sent to Rome an au.
thentic copy of the rules and con
stitution of the above society, which
copy had been handed to us by one
of It's members who wished to find
out what right or wrong there was
in it. Almost one year later the
congregation of the holy office, af-
ter having examined these consti
tutions with all the necessary pre-
cautions in such a case, sent US the
following answer which should bC
for you an absolute rule of conduct
and keep you away from the socie
ty of the Knights of Labor. Fol
lowing is the translation of the an
swer:"
son account of the principles, or
CARNATIONS and status of the
knights of Labor association tha
association is to be relegated among
those which are prohibited by the
holy see in accordance with the in
struction of this supreme congrega
tion, given on the 10th of May
1884. Under the pretext of pro
tecting poor workingmen agains
the rich and powerful who would
Cypress them the heads and insti
gators OF these societies seek to ge
rich and raise themselves in tn;
world at the expense of these un
fortunate and oftentimes too credu
lous workingmen. They sounC
very high, the honey-coated word
of mutual protection and charity,
so as to retain their victims in I
continual agitation and to fomen
troubles, disorder and injustice
And the results for the working
men are great misfortunes, They
expose themselves to lose thei
faith, good customs, and every sen
tIment of honesty and justice in as
sOclating themselves with stranger
who unfortunately show themselves
very cunning in communicating tC
them their own perversity. W.
have witnessed in France, England
and the United States the sad re-
suits of these conspiracies against
public tranquility. The poor work
ingmen were left with nothing else
than deep mystery, a total ruin OIL
the industries which gave them
their daily bread, and after the rigor
of human justice has added to il
exemplary punishments."