St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-13
EVERY ONE kPATRIOT
Catholic Laymen Devoted to
the Laws OF Church and
Country.
they Declare There Is Nothing
Antagonistie in the Laws
of Either.
& Demand That the Independ-
ence Of the Pontiff Be
Respected.
Concluding Sessions Of the
Congress Of American Cath
OlieS at Baltimore.


charge the preparation Of the platform
was in nearly continuous session last
evening and through to-day until almost
the moment when the report was sub
mitted to the congress. Judge Morgan
O'Brien, of the New York state supreme
court. presented the document before
the assembled spectators and delegates.
The full text is as follows:
The meeting OF the first congress of Cath
Ollie laymeG in the United STATES to celebrate
the huudredth anniversary OF the establish
ment Of lie American heir0r hy Is an event
OF the greatest importance Il our churcn
and country. Il would seem emInepIIy
proper IhSJ we. the laymen OF the church,
should meet and renew our allegiance 10 the
doc thine we process; thar We should show
our fellow COunrymen the true relations
that exist between the church that We obey
and love and the government OF our choice;
that we should proclaim that unity of Senu-
menI upon all SUI jects presented 10 Us which
has ever been the source Of Catholic Strength.
and that IN q spirit OF perfect charity to-
wards every denomination we should freely
exchange views in relation 10 matters which
affect us IS members of the Catholic church.
In the first place then, we rejoice al Il 9
marvellous development OF our country, and
regard with just pride
TIE PART TAKEN 81 CATHOLICS
in such development. In The words of the
pastoral issued by the archbiShOpS and biSh-
OPS Of the United States assembled in the
third pleEary council Of DaltimOre-We claim
TO be acquainted bOtn with the laws, iDstitu-
tons and spirit Of the Catholic church. with
the laws, institutions and the spirit OF our
country. ana we emphatically declare that
there is no antagOniSm between them We
repuGiste with equal earnestneSs the aSSer-
ton that we need TO lay aside any of our de-
YOtednees to our church to be true Ameri-
cans, the inSinnatiOn We reed IN abate any
of our love for onr country's principles and
institutions 10 be faithful Catholics. We be-
heve that our cOuntry's heroes were the in
struments of the nations in establishing this
home Of freedom; TO both the Almighty and
TO His instruments in the work. we look. with
grateful reverence. and to maintain the in
heritance { freedom which thew have left
Should Il PVeT-Which God fOrbid-be i'm
perilled our Catholic citizens viii be uund
inst and 10 waru as one man ready to pledge
anew their lives their fortunes and their
sacred honor We cannot however shut
our ewes TO the many dangers that threaten
the destruction of that social fabric upon
which depend our peace. our liberty and our
free institutions. Although our wealth has
increased and our prosperity. abounds. our
cities have multiplied and our states in
creased. we find under the shadow of this
system inCiIient paupeTiSm, diScontented
men women and children without the bene-
fits OF education, without the advan ages OF
religion. deprived or any snare in that abund-
ance, or participation in the blessings which
through our free institutions God Almighty
has designed for the people of our land. Re-
membering the distinction between
PAGAN AND CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION
as TO the heed to be paid to the right of the
individual. we favor those means. measures
and systems by which these are TO be secured.
We recognize next in importance to religion
itself education as one of the chief factors in
forming the character of the individual the
virtue of the citizen and prom citing the ad
vance Of a true civilization. Therefore we
are committed TO q sound popular education
which demands not only physical and intel
lectuaL but also the moral anG religious train
ing of our youth. As III the state schools no
provision * made for teaching religion we
must continue to support our own schools,
COLLEGES a universities already estai lished,
and multiply and perfect others SO that the
benefits of a Christian education may be
brought within the reach OF every Cath
Ole child within these United States.
We also recognize among the three great ed
Vocational agencies. besides the church and
school, The Christian home. The root of
the commonwealth is in the homes of the
people" Whatever imperils its peTmanancy,
security and peace is blow aimed not only
al individual rights but 1t is al attempt 10
subvert civil society and Christian eiviliza-
ton Therefore, we denounce The existence
and development of MormOnism and the
tendency to multiply causes of divorces, a
VinculO as plague spots on our civilization.
9 dlScTedit to our government q degradation
of the female sex and standing menace to
the
sANCTITY OF THE MARRIAGE BOND.
I'VE likewise hoId that it is not sufficient
for individual Catholics to shun bad or
dangerous societies. but they ought to
take part in good and useful ones.
the necessity Of union and concert of
action to aecomp lish aught are manifest
These societies should be organized Oh a re-
Igious. and not race or national basis. We
must always remember that the Catholic
church knows no North or South, no East or
West no race. no color. National societies,
as such. have no place in the church in this
country: but. like this Congress itself they
should be Catholic and American. We COM
mend the plan and form Of the st. Vincent
de Paul society as typical Catholic society.
1t is impossible to enumerate all the societies
whose labOrS have done so much in the past
TO succor the poor and alleviate human mis-
cry; and it must therefore be left 10 individ-
ual action to select the field IN which each
shall aid in religious and charitable work.
As our young men, however, are the hope of
the future, We especially commend them to
the support and encouragement Of Catholics.
As these were commended in a special
manner by the plenary council. we recon-
mend the establishment of these societies.
throughout the land and urge upon the Ialiy
the importance OF supporting them by every
means within their power. We recommend
the extension of societies designed to assist
the widows and children O. deceased men,
bers. societies for the relief OF The poor and
distressed, not forgetting measures tending
to improve the condition of inmates of our
penal institutions Another danger which
menaces our republic is the constant conflict
between capital and labor We, therefore,
at all times must view with feelings of regret
and alarm any antagonism existing between
them, because thereby
SOCIETY ITSELF Is IMPERILED-
With the church we condemn nihiiism, So
cialiSm. and communism, and we equally
condemn the heartIeSs greed of ca pital. The
remedy must be sought in the mediation of
the church through her action on the indi-
vidual conscience and thereby on society
teaching each its respective duties. as well as
rights; and in such civil enaetments as have
been rendered necessary by these altered
conditions. As stated by his eminence Card
inal Gibbons. Labor has its sacred rights as
well as its dignity. Paramount among the
rights OF the aboring classes is their privilege
to organize or to form. themselves into soeie-
ties for their mutual protection and benefit.
In nonoring and uphoiding labor the nation
is strengthening its own hands as well as
paving tribute to worth For a contented
I'D happy working class are the best safe
puard of the republic" We diSapprOye
of the employment Of very young minors.
whether male or female. in factories a. tend
ing TO dwarf and retard the true develop
ment OF the wage-earners of the future. We
pledge ourselves to cooperate with the
clergy in discussing aud in solving those
great economical, educational and social
questions which effect the interests and well
being of the church. the country and society
at large. We respectfully protest against any
change in the policy of the government in
the matter of the education of the Indians,
by which they will be deprived of Christian
teaching. That The amelioration and polio
ton of the physical and moral
CULTURE OF THE NEGRO RfCE
is subject Of utmost concern. and We 1!adge
ourselves 10 assist our clergy in ali asys
tending to affect any improvement in their
condition. We are in favor o. retholics TAX
ing greater part than they have hitherto
taken in general philanthrOpic and reforma-
tory matters. The Obligation TO help the needy
and to instruct the ignorant is not limited
to the needy and ignorant Of our COM
munion; but we are concerned. both as Cath
olcs and Americans in the reformation of
all the criminals and the support of all the
poor in the country By mingling more 10
such works of national virtue as our non
Catholic citizens are engaged in. and taking
our proper share in the management of pris-
ons and hospitals. we might exert Catholic
influence outside of our own body. make our
selves better known, and infuse into those
good works something of supernatural char