Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-05-01

eminent was in a very unstable and un-
satisfactory. and, indeed, almost chaotic
condition. Open resurrection had broken
out in Massachusetts; aud the wisest oil
American patriots began to fear for the
nermsnence of the Government of the Fed
Grated Colonies.
CALLED FROM HIS RETTRBNENT,
not alone by the voice of his OWL State
but of the whole country, Washington re-
paired to Philadelphia and presided over
the Constitutional convention then assem-
bled to remodel the then extremely defec-
tive form of government. When eleven
out of the thirteen States bad voted to
adopt the new Constitution under Chlaf
Executive. none ssve the Father OF his
Country was thought of for that high and
responsible office. Though his first presi-
Dental term should have begun on the
fourth of March, 1889, it was the first
of April before Congress had con-
yened in Nsw York 10 count the votes and
declare the result; and it was only on the
Both of that month that Washington, after
triumphant journey from his Virginia
home to the Temporary seat of government,
was duly .inauguraied in New York city,
amid the plaudits OF a grateful nation.
Reelected without opposition, ne served
a second term and then positively declined
to longer fill the Presidential chair, retir-
ing once more to private life on the 4th of
March. 1897. But when the threatening
clouds of war soon after began TO cover the
horizon, be again accepted the high honor
conferred on him By Congress, of General
in command of the Amer can forces.
We may say that to Washington WISE
administration az Chief Magistrate, we
owe the SUCCESS of cur American lnstltu-
tions, quite as much as TO his proves IN
war. His grand character has been htly
epitomizsd in the we'll known words
"First in war, first in peace, and first IN
the hearts of his cOun.rymen.
We would be false TO the noblest In
stincts of our manhood, if We failed to
honor the memory of O1e whose life was
devoted to the best interests Of his and our
native land, and to whom, under Provl-
dence, we are indebted for the unequailed
blessings of
CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
These blessing We would appreciate per-
haps more folly, were we to contrast our
condition with that Of most other nat obs
of the void. We are freemen. We are
soveregns. We know rot the cruel op-
preston of the tyrant, nor the chating re-
strictions of mock republics. All that
national liberty can exact is ours, with Its
untold privileges and eDjoyments. For
these blessings Of the freest and best gov
eminent in the world, we must render
fitting and public thanks on fitting and
public occasions to the God from whose
beleficent hand these blessings have come.
Indeed no class OF our fellow citiz lis
have reason for heartier Thanksgiving for
thess ineslimahle blessings of civil and re-
ligious liberty than the Catholics; for
nowhere in the world is our Holy
Church SO uutrammelled in the dis
charge of her divine mission for the
salvation of souls. Oar Catholic fore
fathers, according to their numbers, con-
tributed indeed 20 this glorious result as
effectually as any other Christian body IN
the land. Carroll afixing his name to the
Declaration of Independence; Moylan lead
ing the cavalry OF the Patriots army; Bar
~ dI lut uGdu VI kuC NOutllSAlAA A0f q
host of French officers or lard and sea, are
undying attestations 10 the noble part
which Catholics took in secCrirg our conn
try's fresdom. But even when the cause Of
FREEDOM HAD TRIUMPHED
there still fingered in many sections Of our
country an undisguised hostility towards
Roman Catholics This hostility was
shown in the animated debates over the
adoption of the sixth section of the Cousti-
tuition il the convention az Philadelphia
tho article having TeferepO" 20 ieiigious
tests for the holding o Office. There were
many so intolerant towards their Catholic
fellow citizens that they would have for
ever disfranchised men who had fought
and bled for American independence, sole
ly because of their religion. In fact, it
was in Virginia, Maryland, Penn
sylyania and Delaware that the
penal laws against Catholics we're
abrogated in the State constitutions
adopted after the separation of the colonies
from the mOther-country. During the
revolutionary war the tory papers made
use of the federation shown to Catholics on
various occasions as an argument against
the patriot and in favor OF the royal au-
thOrity which would continue to uphold
Professionalism! Tn aTch-tTaitor Arnold,
IN proclamation addle.sed to the officers
and soldiers of the Continental Army,
says: SHOULD the parent nation cease
her exertiOns TO deliver You, what
security remains TO you, even for
the enjoyment of the consultations Of that
religion for which your fathers braved
the ocean, the heather and the wilderness?
Do you know that the eye which guides
this pen, lately saw yoar mean and profit
gate Congress at Mas for 1.-THE soul of
Roman Catholic in purgatory, and par
ticipating in the ;ites of church against
whose
ANr-r r,tTprcTrA goppr-prrONC