Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-15
To tho Rev Mr. ElsdoA.

The policy of silence which you seem
to have adopted will add nothing to
your prestige in the community. The
charges brought against you were seri-
GUS, charges involving. your veracity.
In a public hall of this city you wanton-
ly assailed the your Catholic fellow citi-
zens. With what l now believe to be
malice prepense, you accused them of
disloyalty to American institutions, of
seeking the overthrow of our public
school system, and of favoring illiteracy.
Your attention was called to these grave
statements, but so far you have deigned
no reply. Now, either you believe your
assertions to be true, or you do not. If
you believe them susceptible of proof,
why have you not the courage to stand
by them, and defend thena in Il manly
manner? If you do not believe them to
be true, or if you doubt your ability to
prove, would not sense of justice
prompt retraction, or at least, an apol-
ogy? But men who trade in reckless
conscientious scruples about SO trit1ing a
matter as veracity, and we always look
in vain for justice from them.
Why is it, sir, that you entertain SO
bitter hatred against the Catholic
church? OF course your private opinions
are nobody's business, but when you
give public expression to them. they are
every DOuy business, anu we nave
right to demand the why and wherefore
of your statements. Has the Catholic
church ever injured you or yours
Have you ever heard from Catholic
pulpit slanderous charges against the
Baptist denomil alton Can you point to
one act of treason or disloyalty among
Catholics. to our free institutions? Can
you show me when we have sought to
destroy what you are pleased to call
our actions have always been open and
| above board. You must have known
that the struggling colonies would not
have thrown off the yoke of England,
| were it not for the assistance they re-
ceived from Catholic France and Spain.
| If you refuse to these heroes the tribute
of your praise, the immortal father of
his country was more generous. And
during the civil war Catholic blood
flowed as freely as Protestant blood. We
| were not accused then of hostility to
American institutions. Catholic names
are among the most honored of those
| who won undying fame in that awful
| struggle. Nor are the conquests won in
| time of peace less brilliant than those of
| war. Catholics are found in every walk
| of life, and they yield to none IN their
| allegiance to the institutions of the land.
And should the occasion ever arise that
will cause the citizens of this republic to
| fight in defense of their liberties, l as
sure you, sir, that your Catholic neigh
bors will be among the first to respond
to the call to arms, for their dear love
for the land of their birth or adoption is
to say the least. as profound as yours.
| Az to our position on the school ques-
ton, it may be we'll to say that harsh in
vective, unmanly abuse, detraction
and calumny will not bring us to your
way of thinking. 1t is too serious a
question to be handled by demagogues
or hot headed men. 1t requires on the
part of the one who discusses it, candor,
tact, GOODNESS, respect for the opinions of
others, above all intelligence. There
fore, it is that we seldom hear the
school question intelligently discussed.
Our position that we do not consider the
public schools as the proper place for
our children, finds Justification in the
spirit that animates so many Protest.
ants, We do not propose to submit
them to the chilling influence of secta-
rian hate, we desire rather to train them
up under the inspiring influences Of
leve. What is done in Boston shows
the spirit that animatcs the public school
system of this country. Is it impossible
that in the course of time the Cathelics
of this state may not like their Boston
brethren. be made the victims of tyran-
nical laws: Be that as it may, if we
Catholics choose to spend our money in
the erection and support of parochial
schools, it is our own business. If we
choose to believe that child should re-
ceive religious as well as a secular
education. again it is our own business.
If this can be construed into a desire to
destroy the pubic schools. the fault is
not ours. If the public schools are good
Eenough for your children we will not
complain if you send them there. You
are simply exercising your right; Why
abuse us for exercising a like right?
Allow me, sir, in conclusion. to refer
to the unfortunate occasion that brought
you to Music hall last Wednesday even
ing. Your presence on the platform by
the side of that woman who is gaining a
livelihood by vilifying her neghbors, was
Il spectacle seldom witnessed in this city
You were there. not as an individual
but as the representative of the Baptis
denomination, for it seems that YOU
church has taken this woman under it.
the published testimonials of leading
Baptist clergymen testifying in the mos
fulsome manner to the mobile" "chris
tian'' work of this female. Is this thu
spirit of your church Are you prepared
to begin here an anti-Catholic crusade
Win you stain your pulpit by fomentine
strife and discord III a community
where naught Dut harmony snoulC
reign? If such be your intention W.
wish to know it, that we may be pre-
pared for the attack. But if you arr
moved by the sweet AZ holy influence
of love, you will heed the divine com
mand to love your neighbor Ss yourself
Sir, the gulf that separates us is nov
wide enough, you should not try to in
crease it.
rev JAMES H. O'DoNNELL.