Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-12
Daniel Dougherty and Others Deliver
Eloquent Addresses.


BALTIMORE November 11th.-The twelve
hundred delegates to the first Congress of
Catholic Laymen of the United States was
called to order shortly before noon to-day
by w. J. Onahan, of Chicago. Every seat
in the hall was filed and the galleries
crowded.
The first applause of the assembly was
ELECTED by the entrance of Ex-Governor
John Lee Carroll. with Archbishop Ireland,
of st. Paul, and Onahan.
Cardinal Gibbons delivered the address
of welcome, in the course of which he said,
that for a long time he had desired to see
the clergy and laity come more closely to-
gether. The clergy, he said. had much to
learn from the laity and from their wis.,
dom and discretion, and above all from the
worldly knowledge of the laity and that
there is no country on the face of the earth
where the clergy and laity should be more
united and cooperate more with one an
-other than in these United States.
Archbishop Ireland briefly invoked Di-
vine blessing. In few remarks introduc-
ing Carroll as temporary Chairman, he
mentioned the name of Pope Leo. Instantly
there was hand-clspping and cheers all
over the hall, soon growing into a tumuit
of enthusiasm. The scene was notable
one as the delegates swung their hats an d
shouted greeung to the Roman Pontiff.
Carroll, on taking the chair, said: 1T
may be that the question will be asked,
BY what authority is this Congress held,
and under what law does it assembled In
reply TO this we would suggest, by the sane
ton of his Eminencs, the Cardinal Arch
bishop of Baltimore, and the distinguished
Prelates who now surround us. and by vir-
tue of the authority of the Constitution OF
the United States. The Congress has but
two great purposes at heart-the glory and
progress of the Catholic Church and the
continued prosperity of the American peo-
pie"
The following cable from Rome was read:
Cardinal Gibbons, Baltimore Having made
known to the Holy Father the expressions OF
devotion conveyed TO him on the part of the
Catholic Congress to be held in Baltimore his
Holiness grsciously bids me to say that he most
atfectionately imparts his blessing to all mem
bers. NJ CARD. RAMPoLLA.
Daniel Dougherty, OF New York, was in.
vited by the Chairman TO address the Con-
gress, pending the appointment of COM
mittees. The famous orator was in his
best form and voice. He was given per-
feet ovation by the Congress. He sketched
the history of Catholicism in this country,
and said:
In colonial times the Catholics suffered
the direst cruelties, in comparison with
which the slaves were high-bred guests
the only religious martyrs in America were
Catholics. They were spurned, slandered,
vilified. The highest hUnors of the Re-
public were denied them by prejudice as
strong as the constitutional enactment.
The consultations of religion were denied to
the sick and suffering Catholics in many
institutions of charity and to criminals in
prison. They could call themselves pre-
eminently American, for without Cath
olicism America to-day would be unknown.
Liberty, which is the freedom to worship
God, was established in America by Cath
olics alone.
Though the growth of the country hss
been marvellous, that of Catholicism has
outstripped it. From a despised people
they had become mighty power.
1.-The Catholic Church was the protector
of learning 1t was she who saved classic
literature from the ruins of the Roman
Empire. On the eve of the celebration of
the four huudredth anniversary of the dis
covery of America it was proper to say
that all tie tremendous results achieved
therefrom were due directly to the Roman
Catholic Church clone. Professionalism was
unknown when America was discovered. 1t
was a Catholic Columbus who conceived
the mighty thought A monk encouraged
him, Cardinal interceded with the sover-
eigns of Spain, and Catholic King and
Queen made his expedition possible. 1t
was to spread the Catholic faith that the
risk was run, and it was the standard of
Catholicity which was first planted on
these shores, and for over hundred years
the only Christian worship on the CONT
nent was Catholic
IL fhrOtroh nOY1OLart,,io alI
were outDursts of cheers, and at the con-
clusion the dignitaries on the stage crowded
around him and shook HIM warmly by the
hand.
Several other speeches were made by
prominent Catholics. Cardinal Gibbons
entered, accompanied by Cardinal Tssche-
reau, of Canada, and both were formally in
troduced to the Congress. Cardinal Glib
bons addressed the delegates, welcoming
them in his own name and that of the
people of Baltimore, irrespective of creed.
The temporary organization was made
permanent and a short recess followed.
Upon resssem bling the committees were
announced. The regular work of the Con-
gress was now begun by the reading of the
first paper, "The Catholic Congress-" by
Historian John Shea, of New York. The
next paper was by Major Henry F. Brown
son, of Detroit, and entitled Lay Action in
the Church."
Charles ]. Bonaparte eloquently discussed
the independence of the Holy See, the ne
cessity for which be enthusiastically up
held. He gave vivid sketch of the chang
ing conditions from the time of Charlie
magne to the moment of the Italian Gov
ernment's forcible deprivation of Plus TX.
of all temporal authority and tine enactment
of the law of guarantees whereby the
Italian Parliament professed to guard the
Papal rights. He thought that more i'm
portant feature of this guarantee should be
made a subject OF treaty between all the
great powers, making it worldwide. In
the course of Bonsparte's remarks great
cheering was elected by the declaration
Whether the Pope be an exile or cap
tive, subject he cannot be-
Adjourned until to-mOrroV