Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-12-02
LETTERS FROM The PEOPLE
CathOlicity Favors Freedom.
the Editor of the DEMOCRAT

To the Editor of the DEMOCRAT:
To prove that the profession and
practice of the Catholic religion is per-
fectly congenial to republicanism, one
should suppose to be unnecessary at
this day, yet the invectives of I'M
scrupulous opponents and a hostile
press, induce me to say something on
the subject. There is no fact of history,
no truth how pxlpable soever, which
prejudice and party spirit are not capa-
Die OF denying. How have those men
who deny that Catholics are true repub-
ilcans. read the bright pages which re-
cord the establishment of the republican
form of government at different periods
since the christian era. Have they
perused the history Of our own republic?
they are unaware, perhaps, that Catho-
Tic blood crimsoned every battlefield of
the revolution, and from the natal day
of our liberty to the conquest of Mexico
and Lee surrendered at Appomattox,
the Catholics have invariably displayed
TO the world a chivalrous devotion to
the honor and fame of America This
devotion has been faithfully trans
mitted from sire to son-it has been
hallowed by our divine religion-cathe-
oral and parish church, university, col
lege and academy, celebrate with en-
thuslasm, the anniversary of our indie
pence. 1t might improve those revilers
OF Catholicity, to mediate upon the
dark and stormy days, the long and
gloom nights of agony and despair
struggled, and to remember the fact,
tnat it was Catholic army-God-sent-
which effected the glorious work of
American emancipation-the triumph
OF liberty on the western continent.
Catholic France hesitated not to pour
into the treasury of the United States
millions of dollars sums which were
absolutely essential to the prosecution
OF the war. Who is ignorant that
Catholics, foreign and native, shared in
all the dangers and tolls of Americas
struggle. The mention of those illus
trlous Catholic heroes, who took
prominent part in the war of independ-
ence, should silence our calumniators, if
truthful history receive any respect
from them. Who were the Barrys, Nc
Donoughs, O'Briens, Lynches and Sulli-
vans! What was the religion of the
immortal Lafayette? What was the re-
!lglon OF Pulaski, Decatur and Koscius-
ko! Kosciusko the pride, the bulwark
OF subJugated Poland. Did he not Grim
son his blade in the hearts blood
OF lordllngs, and raise liberty's banner
to float on the breeze. Albeit he was
Washington bore witness, he struck as
warrior. a warriors blow. But what of
insulted. Ireland? Colonel Fitzgerald
was the chief of Washington's staff and
his bosom friend. And what of the
Pennsylvania line? There were 10000 in
number, nine-tenths of them Irish
Catholics banished by the misrule of
English tories, but they showed no dis
position to betray the country, or de-
liver it into the hands of the king of
England, or the pope of Rome. They
knew they could never have better
opportunity TO strike for the accumu-
lated wrongs of poor Ireland, than by
lighting bravely for the liberty of the
| western world. What was the religion
of the CAROLS. One Catholic bishop of
Baltimore, ambassador with Franklin
upon memorable and most important
mission to Canada, frustrated by anti
Catholic bigotry.5 The other Carroll,
the richest of the signers of the declara-
ton OF independence, who periled five
millions of dollars and life itself in a
doubtful hour Of freedoms cause
| Charles Carroll of Carrollton, devoted
Catholic, the last survivor of that heroic
band. Was he not the true republican
as he was the faithful son of the Catho-
lie church? Nor can it be said that this
strong attachment to America and to
freedom is of modern date, it is con-
| temporary with the planting of the
colony of Maryland, where, for the first
time in the history of this nation, the
flag of civil and religious liberty was
unfurled to the breeze of heaven. The
historian, Bancroft, the eulogist of
puritanism, freely acknow lodges this
proud fact: America glories that
liberty's noble form attained majority
on her soil, and is it not to Catholics
to that love of justice and fair play,
which their holy religion inspires-that
she ows this high honor. 1t should
be remembered, that at the very time
when liberty was furnishing in Catholic
Maryland, the doctrine of Geneva was
producing nothing for republicanism
except it be that cutting off the ears,
boring tongues with red hot irons,
whipping and hanging for religious
error, so called, be the harbinger of
peace and freedom. Ignorance accuses
tighten it. Were they not Catholics
who founded republics in Milan, Flor
ence, Genoa, Pisa and Venice? In
Catholic Italy, where the arts and
sciences fourished and still flourish,
where eloquence, poetry, history, paint
ing, architecture and philosophy, and
every accomplishment which adorns
society and dignifes humanity received
fostering care, republicanism fourished
centuries before the birth of what is
called the reformation. Florence sus,
tanned her truly democratic government
for centuries, Catholic Venice upheld
her republic five hundred years. San
Marine, the Oldest republic existing, has
stood over thirteen hundred years. Are
not these facts proof that the creed Of
Catholics is congenial to republicanism.
The Catholic church has placed modern
society in it's present position. Liberty
OF and c o,v1 Oe Wbs are Is syn bt
origin of those rights and of that civil
liberty which we enjoy under the con
stitution of the United States. A mem
Der of the British parliament, William
Cobbe Protestant replies that the
laws ed to, came originally, no.
from .hmen, Dutchmen nor Hes
sions, not from Lutherans, Calvinists Of
Puritans, but was the work of our owl
L ,AD.c 49,