The Portland daily press., 1889-05-08
MIR. John clImary shea's Letter.


Yours truly,
JAMES AUG. HEALY,
Bishop of Portland
Mr.. John Culinary Shea's Letter.
TO the Editor of the Press:
As an historical scholar l am astonished to
see respectable journal speak of "the very
dubious record of the Catholic church in the
days of the Revolution" and cite passage
of Baneroft's History of the Constitution as
though it were decisive. Mr.. Bancroft's
statement so far from being supported by
historical evidence, is tissue of mis-state :
ments and incorrect differences.
The Quebec Act, Oct. of I774, aroused an
anti-Catholic feeling in the Thirteen Colonies.
There is evidence of this feeling In the ex
pulsioD of the Catholic Scots from the Mo-
hawk valley, and of Catholics individually
In the Middle Colonies, but no evidence has
been adduced that Catholics then or later,
yolnntaTlly dIl tar Joined the English side against
their fellow s0l0nists.
Now to take up Mr.. Bancroft's statements.
He says the Catholics "were chiefly new
eomers in the Middle States" Is this true
Where is the proof? 1t is not true, and is
not even probable. The wars between Eng
land and France from 1744 to 1868 interrupt
ed the tide of immigration. An examina-
tion OF the Colonial newspapers, published
IN various parts OF the country, will show
that the great immigration was prior to 1740.
Inc Catholics were small percentage of
this body. There was no general immigra-
tion OF Catholics as such. Those who came
settled mainly in Pennsylvania, and at the
period OF the Revolution the original immi-
grants mad been mainly generation in the
country, and their children were born and
reared as Americans. Maryland gained
nothing by Catholic immigration after 1858
as penal laws prohibited the introduction Of
Irish servants" The Catholic population
was almost exclusively American born. The
Catholics in Indiana and Illinois were born
on the soil. The Catholics were not chiefly
new comers; many could trace an American
lineage almost as old as any man in Massa.
chusetts Bay. Here is one misstatement Of
Mr.. Bancroft.
His next assertion Is that the mass of the
members Of the Catholic church, chiefly new
comers, followed the influence of the Jesuits.
From the settlement of Maryland the Catho-
lies in Maryland. Virginia, Delaware and
PENNSYLVANIA had no priests except Jesuits,
aided for about 30 years by Franciseans
They had grown up under their direction, and
showed the good effects In their piety and
zeal. The newcomers. as any one familiar
with the history of the Catholic church
knows. did not take to the Jesuits at lall.
Many were from Ireland, where the Jesuits
never have exerted any great influence over
the people at large. Those from Germany
came embued with the literature created to
crush the Jesuits. TO talk of the newcom-
ers as being influenced by the Jesuits is abb
Smyth, the German opponent of Graessel In
Philadelphia, all show that the newcomers
were strongly prejudiced against the Jesuits.
MI Bancroft's next assertion is that the
Jesuits cherished hatred Of France for her
share in the overthrow of their order. The
Jesuits in this country belonged to the Eng
lish province. That body had not suffered
specially at the hands of the French govern
ment. In all the documents published by
Henry Foley, in his yoluminous records and
In all the unpublished writings, it is impos-
sible to find any denunciation of France or
anything TO- show any such hostility as Mr..
bancroft alleges. In fact his own volume
shows that his only authority for this and
his other charges against his Catholic
countrymen was despatch of Barbe Mar
bois, who was scbeming to have the Catho-
lies In the United States placed under a
French bishop, to be nominated by the King
OF France and the Continental Congress, and
VINO was 10 reside in France. And Mr.. Ban
croft makes that despatch an authority.
The next statement, "In Philadelphia
Howe had been able to form a regiment of
Roman Catholics" This is historically false
Howe had been unable to do Sole made the
effort to raise a regiment of Roman
Catnollc volunteers, and found some
gentlemen willing to take the Temporary
american commission which alone could be
granted to Catholics. Alfred Clifton. John
WI LIN oh0 oouC-OtucIo nave Dt6H l0eQLl-
ned as members of ST. Mary's church. Ban
croft says Howe raised the regiment. Howe
himself says that when he left America, in
May, 1778, Clifton, the lieutenant colonel.
had raised only 1S0, rank and file. BY July
the recruiting was transferred to New York,
as appears by the "New York Ga
zette." published in that city; but Capt Nc
Kennon and Major Lynch showed their
guineas in vain. "The British and Ameri-
San Register for 1779," published in New
York at the close of 177S, heads the list of
officers Of that organization thus: "Late
Roman Catholick Volunteers" The regi-
ment, so far from having been raised by
Howe, was given up as failure by Clinton.
Where, then, is the proof that during the
Revolution, "the Catholic church showed an
unhappy teadency?" OF all the Catholic
priests then in this country not one has ever
been accused Of sympathy with England
against their fellow citizens. Not one has
ever been accused Of being Tory, or is
claimed by Loyalist writers of the time as
being on their side. Even those English by
birth took the oath to the new constitutions.
The effort to place the Catholic church In
this country under foreign and royal infiu-
ence emanated from Barbe Marbois, and was
opposed steadily and successfully by tie
Catholic clergy of the United States, whose
memorials show the most intense American
feeling. JOHN Culinary SHEA