Morning journal and courier., 1888-04-13
FoUNDFRU DAx PARADE.
Town Agent Reynolds and tho Atti
 tude of the EPglIsh And Scotch Sc

Town agent Reynolds and th0 AtGl.
 tude of the English And Scotch Sc
 cIeties Regarding the Parade.
 To the Editor of the JouHEAL AND cosAIzE:
 Iregret very much to learn from your col umns that the invitation extended to the Irish and Catholic societies to participate in tho celebration of Founders day has vexed the sensitive members of the English and Scottish societies of New Haven. I had sup posed that on that day the spirit of muni- cipal brotherhood would be abroad, that differences of nationality and jsalousies of creed would not lift their heads to disturb the harmony and unity of the occasion. I was under the impression that societies of all nationalities, of all religious professions, of every nature of aim and object, were to march together under one banner to conn- memorate the foundation of those muni- cipal institutions under whose influence our town is shaping it's cosmopolitan character, and in which we all, of whatever nationality or creed, should take common pride. If was mistaken. if the committee on invitations and those who conceived the civic character of the cele- bration were in error, so much the worse for those who have not succeeded in profting by the iberalizing tendencies of our free institutions.
 Your article would call for no answer were it not for the false impression it created con- corning the attitude of General Smith and myself in the premises. General Smith, when he accepted the position of grand marshal, was naturally desirous, as a sup. plement to the military pageant, of 8 full and complete display of the civic organizations of the town. As 8 consequence he expressed the wish that would use all nay efforts in arousing the interest of those societies with which would be supposed to possess partic- ular influence; just as he would urge others to devote their attention to those with which they had particular affiliations. That his wishes as expressed in the matter should be tortured into an affront to any particular organization or to any particular race or creed could he conceived only by an or- ganization or a class which had sinister motives in making the miseonstruc- tion Certainly the Irish and Catho- lie societies have no special req son, beyond that common pride in the growth of our town and it's institutions which should animate all good citizens, for rejoicing on Founders day. It commence rates nothing in which they, as separate class from the general community, have an especial interest. And recognizing the fitness of things, they have found no fault, ,and have muttered no surIy complaints, that the re- ligious portion of the days exercises, in so far as the celebration may be assumed to have any religious character, should be in the line of another creed than theirs.
 It seems strange that in these enlightened days, when no interest of nationality or creed is at stake, when the eommemoration ofour municipal growth and progress should awaken all our energies and clothe them in the grand spirit of unity and brotherhood, that the bigotry of race and creed should crop out from quarter which should be especially circumspect in it's attitude towards dis- tinctively American celebrations. The citi- zens of New Haven will hardly take kindly to the present attitude of the English and Scottish societies, and their vail of bigotry, l unique in it's meanness, will be greeted with the contempt and censure which it deserves. JAMES REYNOLDS,
 Chairman committee of arrangements. Nruu vEN T,ri1 12S2