The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-19
MIR. PAT WINsrON's COOK.

Mr.. Patrick Henry Winston, who
describes himself as ''native-born
American citizen of English descent, a
Protestant in religion, and in politics
Republican of the school of Abraham
Lincoln has written a book on
American Catholics and the A. 7. y.
Chas. Kerr & Co., Chicago, publisher.
Price % cents.
1t is a succinct history of American
Catholics in their relations to the gov
eminent and the American Protective
Association.
In the South very little is known of
the A.P.A., it having made little head
way in this section. 1t is un-Ameri-
can and it is to the credit of theSOuth
that this secret political society, that
is strong in some parts of the North
and West, has obtained no foothold
here. This A p. A. is u new order like
the know-nothings with less reason
and less decency than the llnow-noth-
ings. 1t compels all its members to
take an oath of which the following
is part:
81 furthermore promise and swear,
that Twill not countenance the nomlna-
ton, in any caucus or convention, OF a
Roman Catholic for any office in the
gift of the American people, and that
| will not vote for, nor counsel others
to vote for any Roman Catholic, but
will vote for a Protestant; that L VIII
endeayor at all times to place the poll
teal positions of this government in
the hands Of Professionals, to the entire
exclusion of the Roman Catholic
church, or the members thereof"
Mr. Winston reviews and shows up
the narrowness of the A.P.A., and its
policy of prescribing not only all
Catholics, but also all Protestants who
do notion in the political crusade
against Catholics; it's stimulation OF
sectarian rivalry by offering offices
TO the members of one sect; its en-
enlargement of infidelity by setting
an example which, if followed, ne
cessarily leads to the final overthrow
of all sects; its adoption of secret
work and concealed methods lnvolv'
ing it's members into a meshwork OF
deceptions and faIsehoods. lie
writes strongly, forcibly, and clinches
his arguments with facts.
The best portion of Mr.. Winston's
book is the graphic history of Catho-
lies in America and shows that their
conduct does not justify their pro-
scription. Among other historical rea
sons why Catholics in America ought
to have equal privileges and rights
with Protestants, Mr. Winston calls
attention to the history of the colony
of Maryland. It was the only one of
the thirteen original colonies that had
no prosecuting laws. In New Eng
land. puritans prosecuted Episcopal
ians, in Virginia Episcopalians per-
secuted Puritans, and everywhere,
save in Catholic Maryland, men were
prescribed, degraded, fined, whip
ped and imprisoned for opinions sake.
George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, adj
ministered the following oath to the
colonists:
81 will not, by myself or any other,
directly or indirectly, trouble, modest
or discountenance any person pro-
Tossing to believe in Jesus Christ, for
or in respect of religion"
It is sad truth that when the Pro-
testants obtained control of Maryland
they at once passed an act disfranchis-
ing every Catholic in the colony.
In the war of the Revolution,
nearly one-half of the troops under
Washington were Irish Catholics; all
the foreign assistance that came to
struggling PATRIOTS came from Catho-
lies and Catholic countries; during
the late war many of the brayest sol
diers were Catholics; and no proof has
been presented that American Catho-
lies hold any temporal allegiance to
any power that prevents their loyalty
to their country. The statements are
elaborated by Mr. Winston and for
titled with quotations from the writ
ing of Washington, jefferson Grant
and many other great men.
There is a vast deal of ignorance on
the part of Professionals about Catho-
lies and quite as much ignorance on
the part of Catholics with regard to
Protestants. The book is short, and
will convince any fair-minded man
that reads it, however much he may
condemn or oppose the Catholic
church, that thespirit of the a. L. A
is un-American, unjust TO Catholics,
injurious to the growth and truth of
Professionalism, and an engine used by
selfish and designing men. It's mem
bers embrace these classes and some
good men who have joined through
ignorance of it's real principles and
Misrepresentation Of its real purpose,
Every good citizen must stand
against the A. p. A: and all other Sc
cret political societies. They usually
start out processing to do good things,
but invariably turn out TO be dark
lantern lodges, where cowardly the
stiletto is used to stab those towards
whom prejudiced men have envy, Jeal-
ousy or hatred. North Carolina has
tried the Know-Nothings, the Red
Strings, the Populists, not to speak of
the Ku-Klux, which, though started
to protect virtue, degenerated in
many places into lawless bands. They
have nearly all been marked by the
assassin stab of the good name OF
men whom no calumny in public could
touch or injurc.