St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-06
A LANCED CARBUNCLE.

Ii is not pleasant operation the
GLOBE performs this morning, but it is
a necessary one Every citizen who
realizes what it is to be an American
citizen, who understands the duties, the
rights and the responsibilities of Amer
lean citizenship, will agree with this
statement. We have lanced this maj
lignant carbuncle on the body polite
our society, the American Protective
association. 1t is endangering the pub
lie health; threatening the body with
blood poisoning.
The Democracy of the GLOBE is built
Oh the bed rock. 1t insists on the nom
interference with the liberty of the citi-
zen, no matter whether it comes from
legislative enactment OF from secret or
open religious or nonreligious organiza-
tons. 1t opposes every encroachment
on those rights and on the republican
form of our government, regardless
whence the infringement comes. 1t
knows no religion, while it recognizes
the fights and limits of all religions. 1t
believes that the most sacred right of
man is to have religious belief, and it
feels that it can perform no better duty
than in defending that right and in ex-
posing and denouncing all efforts to
abridge it.
We prefer to believe that most of the
men who have become members of this
dangerous association in this state do
not understand their obligations as citi-
ZenS of the nation and the state. They
may never have read the constitutions
which guarantee to them their liberty
as they guarantee that of those whom
they would ostraciZe. They, perhaps,
do not know that in joining this associa-
ton and taking its oaths they renounce
their allegiance to their state and ma
ton; that they decitizenize themselves;
that they violate the constitution of the
state. Possibly some of them are not
citizens of this country, and do not in
tend to become such; but they, too, VII
late its laws.
In the hope that these men wish to be
loyal citizens, that they wish to be
Americans, that they are not advised
what the duties Of such citizenship are
aud what rights it gives, and that, when
SO advised, they will renounce their as
ISOLATION with this una merican order.
we ask their attention to some of the
provisions of the constitutions. The
Declaration of Independence says that
''all men are endowed with certain in
allenable rights, among which are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness
and ''that governments are instituted
among men to secure these rights"
Article 1 of the amendments prohibits
congress from establishing church or
prohibiting the free exercise of relig-
ion.
The preamble to the constitution of
the state of Minnesota declares that:
1--WE, the people of the state of Mime
sofa. grateful to God for our religious
and civil liberty, and desiring to per-
petuate its blessings and secure the
same to ourselves and our posterity, do
ordain and establish this constitution
Section 2 of that constitution declares
that mo member Of this state shall be
deprived OF any of the rights or priyi-
leges secured to any citizen thereof, I'M
less by the law of the land or the judy
ment of his peers"
Section 16 declares that ''the right of
| every man to worship God according to
the dictates of his own conscience shall
never be infringed nor shall any
| control of or interference with the
rights of conscience be permitted"
When, therefore, you members of this
| un-ChTistian association make oath that
you Twill not employ Roman Catholic
in any capacity" that you twill not
countenance the nomination in any
caucus or convention of Roman Cath
Ollie for any Office in the gift of the
American people," and that you twill
not vote for nor counsel others to vote
for any Roman Catholic. but will only
vote for Protestant" you solemnly
swear before Aisighty God that y.u
will violate the declaration of princ:-
plies underlying your government, al d
you swear that you will violate the COLI
stitution of the very state which pc
mits you the liberty of forming your
shocking and disgusting association.
We wish to call the especial ate ntion