Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-01-18
WHO OWNS THE DEMOCRATIC PAR
From the Catholic Reyie,c.

AfVHt tfst ONttVtN AtSttNsef
The debate in the Senate of the
United States OH the resolution
recognizing the republic Of Brazil
gave the bigots in that body chance
to disclose themselves. 1t is true
that the preponderance of the Know
Nothing vote in the palmy days OF
that stupid and vicious organization
was foand below Mason and Dixon's
line. But that fact scarcely accounts
for the more surprising one that in
the Senate the line of religious bigo-
Try against the Catholic Church
should be within a party which owes
its very existence to the Irish vote,
which is overwhelmingly Catholic.
To make Brazil a pretext for insult
ing Catholics is as shallow as it is
odious, for we have not up to this
time any authentic information from
that country which would warrant
rational man in founding any opin-
ion relative to either the present or
the future of the republic. The big
OF, of course, is at his best when he
has no foundation for his opinion,
when be draws his pretended facts
from his Imagination. To be live
working blgot is to be Know. Moth
ing In more senses than one.
The democratic Senator from Ala.
bama, Mr.. Morgan. began the TRADE
on the Catholic Church in the most
gratuitous manner. He had intro
duced the resolution proposing that
the republic of Brazil be recognized
BY the government of the United
States. He surely might have spok.
en- in support of it without assailing
the religion Of Brazil or that OF ten
millions OF his fellow citizens 10 the
United States. But the essence of
bigotry is dullness and blindness.
When Senator Morgan went on to
say that ecclesiastical aud monarh
ical influences" might give the re.
public of Brazil " trouble" he ventur-
ed conjecture which reflects as
much upon his intelligence as upon
his candor aud his respect for the
conscences of others.
Ecclesiastical influences" Mr..
Morgan Jagged in without the least
warrant. The man who can be
Senator of the United States and
thus implicitly assume that the
Catholic Church is opposed to repub
lies is phenomenon worthy ofstudy
by Wallace or Spencer. Our
own Republic is proof that the Cath
Ollie Church is happiest and freest,
and most fruitful, more fertile and
more expansive than under any
monarchy. Ii the Catholics were
fairly treated by the infdels who
now control France the church there
would be vastly better off than she
ever was under empire or monarchy.
If England become republic, as she
doubtless will before another centu.
ry shall close, the first gamer will
be the Catholic Church. Will not
some plying Senator loan Mr.. Nor.
gan summary of the Philosophy
of st. Thomas" or Balmes's work on
"The Church and Civilization 2"
Or is he incapable of understanding
either ?
Where did Senator Mcpherson, of
New Jersey, who owes his place to
Catholic votes, get his information
that church influences are against
the republic of Brazil, and that the
monasteries are plotting its down.
fall ! He should have been request
ed to authenticate his assertion. The
courtesy of the Senate ought not to
be shield for bigots. 1t is curious
that the two Senators who swept
aside the clouds of invention aud
put the question on its proper basis
were two Republicans, Sherman and
Ingalls,. Senator Sherman said
pithily that the question was not a
religious one. He moved that Sena.
tor Morgan's recognition resolution
lie referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs. When we have
the facts in relation to Brazil,1 he
said, "we can act understandingly."
This republic in Brazil" said Sena.
tor Ingalls,, &C. is based on a military
usnrpation." O.,
We know that there's bigotry and
plenty OF it in the Republican party.
There ought to be less of it in the
democratic, which could not exist
twenty-tour hours if the Catholic