The Irish standard., 1894-12-29
WHAT HE DIDSAY
An Old Lie Revived and Revamped
by British Agent Com
pletely Demolished.
TRUTH ABOUT LAFAYETTE.
"A Quotation From His Memoirs
Shows How Plainly He Has
Been Misrepresen nted.

!. Shows How Plainly He Has
Been Misreprese nted.
A correspondent of the Boston Herald
completely demolishes the lie recently
revived by British agent in Boston,
th at Lafayette once said that American
liberties would be endangered by the
Catholic priests.
According to this agent, says the cor
respondent, the sentiment attributed to
Lafayette concerning the Catholic clergy
rests principally upon the authority of
Professor Morse, of electric telegraph
fame, and Rev. P. j. Vanpelt, reformed
Dutch clergymen. Permit me to show,
as briefly as l may, just how much cred
ence ought reasonably to attach to this
story from these authorities:
It was not until nearly three years at
ter the death of Lafayette that any et-
fort was made to associate his name
with such convictions, notwithst anding
that they who were responsible for their
final publication protessed to have known
them for many years previous. This de-
lay would not be so remarkable but for
the fact that Prof. Morse received these
opinions from Lafayette IN the form Of
solemn warning, which he was to con-
>vey to the American people at the eager
desire OF Lafayette. This is Morse's
story. Is it reasonable for us to sup
pose, knowing his strong hatred of the
Catholic Church, that Prof. Morse would
not take advantage instantly OF Cir
rcumstance of So much Importance to his
.canse, even though Lafayette himself did
not directly urge him to do so? Why
did he wait until over two years after
Lafayette's death?. Prof. Morse was
man who had continually the ear of the
public, and could have spoken at any
time. TO put it very mildly, this over
aardiness was palpably favorable to false
tradition.
This story first saw the light during
the Knownothing asitation-a period
that was very fruitful in fabrication of q
like character. "MRria Monks Awful
Disclosures was even more popular
than Du Maurier's "Trilby' today, and
/ deservedly, for it belonged more indubi-
8tab]y to the realm of imaginative fiction.
But, bless you, it was red then with the
same spirit as the Scriptures themselves,
and Maria Monk was not whit less in
fallible to the Knownothings than the
Pope to the Catholics. Be it remem-
bered that the charges contained in this
I notorious book we're sustained by rever
end clergymen, such as Brownlee, Hoyt,
Slocum, Bourne and others (before they
were triumphantly refuted by Col. w. L..
Stone, distinguished Protestant editor
] 81 New York;, and then we can realize
how little weight may necessarily attach
even to the testimony of otherwise re-
putable witnesses in such time of reli.
sRiole strife.
Prof. Morse was strongly impregnated
I with the Knownothing idea, fact which,
while not in itself sufficient to invalidate
4 his testimony Of such circumstance,
yet it operated very strongly against it's
being received by the public at the time.
SO much did he realize this that he re-
] lied almost entirely upon Rev. Mr.. Van
d pelt to support his accusation. The
value OF this gentleman's testimony will
be considered further on. The anony-
NOUS writings of an alleged apostate
priest ("apostate priests" were plenty in
those days also), which we're edited by
Morse himself, the latter also submitted
lin evidence, but refused to divulge the
name OF the author! Such testimony of
,,ponrse, merited no consideration, and
not none. Morse also professed to have
been an intimate friend and correspond
aent Of Lafayette, and yet nowhere in the
twelve volunes of the latters memoirs,
nblished by his family, nor in the very
sSxhaustive History Of the Private Life
ssof Lafayette by his Physician" is the
\ nal1e of Professor Morse mentioned.
Moreover. if Lafayette held the conviio
ssipns attributed to him by Professor
one, WlhJ u there no trace Of them ia
these memoirs, mostly Of his own writ
u ipss 81 ia the numerous histories Of the
ssssri,saneh patriot? How does the profes.
4 ssor reconcile the two manifestly moon
. f.aA =. 4 :