The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-10-28

MN X1Nv U1a0I0 ~ 0OOVAS0A OAsAs0 sFeESs.eAsSSse
to the constitution, an amendment to
the same, the sense Of which is that no
cdtizenso this country shall be imperiled
IN bis civil rights, shall be debarred from
the enjoyment Of life, liberty and the
pursuit Of happiness because OF his re- e..
ligion. Is there sublimer thing written
by man for the government OF tis fellow
men? Is there moro widely recognized
principle in the world than this christian
teaching, that man shall not be prosely-
tized by fofoe but may be converted by
reason2 That conscience is the supreme
arbiter between man and his God, against
which governments have nothing to say
Is there anything more American than
to say mans religious faith shall not
debar him from the rights given by the
constitution Of the United States?
II a man or society of men hold or
teach overly Or coyertly that life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness must be de.
MED any part Of the citizens of the
United States, they are running counter
to the sentiments and princip es OF the
trainers OF our government and are un-
American. These principles seem to- be
elementary, very elementary indeed, and
yet have you not heard OF false and dan
gerous ideas OF citizenship and patriotism
mooted abroad? s
The priceless boon Of liberty was
known to our intrepid forefatherH; it was
known to the Pilgrim Fathers Of Mary
land as to the Pilgrim Fathers of Massa-
chusetts. Our forefathers wrote the
constitution in their blood, that they
might build this government on the
principle of liberty, and the most fnsidi-
GUS enemy OF the land today is he who
ignores the spirit OF the Declaration Of
Independence and the constitution of
the United States.
1t is easy to see the claptrap which
self styled defenders of citizenship make
use of. A man stands up and proclaims
that he alone can dispense the elixir Of
American lite. say every man born
within this country or who becomes nd
turalizsd and identities himeelf with the
counsry's interests and institutions, is
citizen.
One suspects that civil bigotry runs
riot liz some mems minds; breaks out
like plagne-spot on the body polite.
It is an intermittent fever that the pury.
atmosphere Of liberty wi / soon dispel.
History is az antidote to such outbreaks.
Those who advocate false notions OF pa
triotisul 90 rot understand the price at
which the glory Of this country was pur-
chased, nor do they seem to know the
share loyal Catholics have had in it's es-
tablishment. There was, years ago, "a
movement. an un-American movement,
that Yves damned and buried in an ig-
noble grave. 1t WAS the Know Nothing
movement Under the mantle OF false
Americanism, loyal citizens were shot
down in cold blood, every sort OF outrage
was committed in the name OF our glori-5
GUS constitution What brought about
it's death? In those stormy days of civil
strife when loyal Catholics marched forth
with all the ardor of their so1ls to de-
fend the Union; when the sweet angels
of religion bent over the fallen soldier
and tanned back his balf-sped life; when
the sick, the wounded and the dying
felt the warm breath Of Catholic charity
and Catholic patriotism, then it WAS
that silent prem OF praise and prayer
went up throughout the land in graft
tude to Catholic loyalty and Catholic de-
yoticn. This it was that silenced those
evil men. Their dark designs were bur
led on the battle fields of the rebellion;
the Catholic name was .yindicated with
Catholic blood that helped to save these
United States and preserve the constitu.
tion
What We see to-day is but revival of
the spirit OF days gone by. Men who
have recently arrived from over the Dor
der come to teach US how TO protect
American institutions! Alas! for Amer
icauism if it takes kindly to this exotic
infusion. Such an outcropping of the
oldspirit may be miscellaneous, but danger
Gus it cannot be. do not believe it can
ever thrive on American soil and in
American minds. Yet because it is mis-
chievous it is the duty Of the American
people to stamp it out. In the West
this movement calls itself the "Ameri-
can Protective Association" in the East
it is known as the american Protestant
Association It is then sailing under the
colors of the Protestant churches;
whether it has a right to do 60 or not res
mains for those to say who know. II it
has no such right it is a missioner and
Protestant. ministers are doing them
selves grave injustice in allowing their
names to be coupled with it before the
pubic in the false position of encourag-
ing so an American spirit IN this glori-
Gus age and peaceful time. The great
oat a,,an,v RI tho conntry is he who pre-.