The San Francisco call., 1895-12-18
REV, FATHER YORKE AND GENERAL MORGAN.


record the statement concerning these two
supporters that one of them was guilty of
MISREPRESENTATION and fasehood' and that
the other was guilty of falsehood." Concern
ing Morgan himself the court added the fol-
lowing TO the record: ''The court takes this
occasion to animadvert upon the uncbaritable
conduct of Colonel 7. J. Morgan, Fourteenth
United States Colored Infantry, toward the
accused. Lieutenant-Colonel H. c. Corbin,
during the trial, ana his unoficerlike conduct
while giving his testimony for the prosecution
by attempting to take memoranda of the evi-
dence so given until forbidden by the court"
In his letter to you, Mr.. Editor, the Rev.
General Morgan mentioned nothing about this
second court-lnartial, the records of which
show what value is to be attached to his word.
He appeals, it is true, to his subsequent pro-
motion. Permit me TO remark that soon after
these courts-martial Rev. Mr.. Morgan resigned
preclpitately from the army. He possessed
sufficient influence to procure a courtesy title
at a time when courtesy titles were easy to OBJ
tain. His title of general proves nothing be-
cause it is worth nothing Just as his word
proves nothing because it has been discredited.
have not time to go into detailed account
OF General Morgan's record as Indian Commis
sloner AS he states, a fight was made against
his confirmation, but the fight was made by
men CT his own party and of his own creed.
The delivery of the Indian Commission over to
brace of preachers and the brutal manner in
which these preachers proceeded TO trample
on the rights OF others created such indigna-
tion that in Republican Senate it took the
personal Intervention of President Harrison TO
pull his nominee through.
General Morgan speaks of the attacks made
upon him by Catholics. If he had spoken of
the steady hostility displayed by him against
Catholics he would have been nearer the
truth. You may remember, Mr.. Editor, that
during the second administration OF President
Grant it was decided to try the experiment of
civilizing the Indians through religion. This
experiment was proposed by Parson Newman,
now a Methodist Bishop. Through his infiu-
ence the good Methodists got the lions share
of the reservations, to the Infinite and voluble
disgust of the other sects. The contest was
waged so warmly that for the sake of peace
the Federal Government introduced the per
capita system. The various religious bodies
were invited to invest their funds in lands
and schools and the Government promised to
pay certain sum for each Indian educated;
This policy was not initiated by Catholics and
the Protestant bodies took advantage OF it
without any scruple.
Soon, however, there change. The
Catholic church began to outstrip her COM
petitors. The Indians hocked to her AS she
had more pupils she received more money and
the Congregatonalists and Methodists, as
they stood in their empty schoolrooms, raised
the warcry of "Romes Hand in the Public
Pocket"
Our dear friends, the preachers, could not
explain the Catholic success. They put it
down to trickery and they resolved to cut off
the supplies Accordingly they began a cam
palgn against the contract system and 1t was
TO carry out that campaign that Morgan was
by church influence pitchforked into the In
dian Office
The advent of Morgan was marked by viru-
strength of the Invitation of the Government
various private societies had invested much
capital i'll land and schools. To break the con-
tract system at one blow would mean the con-
fiscation Of some two or three millions of dol
lars belonging to United States citizens. OF
course ii was the duty of those interested in
the Indian schools 10 resist this wholesale rob-
berry. This resistance is what Mr.. Morgan calls
Roman Catholic attacks on him. That We had
right and justice on our side is evidenced by
the fact that the administration was compelled
IN roc II
and that now the contract system is in process
OF extinguishment by means which will give
Justice to sll concerned
General Morgans wholesale war upon Cath
olics in the Indian service has been already
ventilated in the papers. | may confine N.Y.
self to saying that neither Republican politics
nor meritorious service in the war nor any
other consideration ayailed to keep a man in
the employ of the Indian Commission when
General Morgan discovered that he was a
Catholic.
Such, Mr.. Editor, is the public record of the /
Reverend Honorable General T. J. Morgan,
ID. He may nave, as he says, associated with
men of high Christian principles and with the
most eminent living soldiers: still, this does
not change the facts OF history nor the char
acter OF General Morgan. am sorry to say
that his late performances lead me to the con-
clusion that he still retains the unlovely traits
he manifested when, thirty years ago, at Chat
tanooga, he tried to swear away the life of a
brave soldier on baSeless charge. Yours
truly, PETER C. YoRKE.
PosTsCRIPTUM.
The Rev. DIR. Case retired last week with
more haste than dignity from the columns of
THE CALL 10 the safe seclusion OF his pulpit. !
From there as from watch tower he levels his |
eagle eye against the man of sin and lifts up
his voice to protest against the errors OF Rome. |
Cry aloud and spare not'' is his motto, and, |
like the priests of Baal he measures the
efficacy of his petitions by the strength of his
lungs.
Dr.. Case has evidently given up the study of
statistics. Figures are dangerous things, and
Dir CaS hat no ic
more than ever convinced of the motto that
children and fools should not play with edged
tools. Accordingly he has turned to the science
OF philology, and has enlightened his gre
CATION on the origin and meaning OF hocus
pocus.
L might say here that DR.. Cases account of
the origin of hocus pocus is antiquated as
the doctor himself. No respectable pnilologer
of modern times holds that there is any foun-
dation for an explanation that smacks of the
slums. Let me remind DR.. Case that the words
which he undertakes to ridicule are the holiest
and most solemn in the book which Catholics
and Protestants reverence alike.
No matter what their exact meaning may be,
they are full OF tender associations for every
Christian soul. In whatever language spoken,
on whatever occasion uttered, they are the
last words OF our Master the words by which
he wished 10 be remembered among men. If
DR.. Case had had q friend ana had stood q his
death bed and had drunk in the parting words
that friend had addressed him, would he not
lay them up in the inner sanctuary of his
heart and treasure them too sacred for COM
mon ears? When we Christians listen for the
last time to him who is our friend above all
other friends, and in the very hour his agony
begins receive from him these words he calls
his testament ana his memorial, shall we be
less reverent, less careful OF that sacred de-
poslt? Shame on YOU. DR.. Case to treat thus
the dying words of your Savior. Even were it
true that libelous tongues had corrupted the
sacred syllables, common decency should have
restrained you from encouraging the bias
phemy. Judas, who betrayed the Lord, had
still the manliness to be ashamed; PLATE, who |
condemned him, still strove to save him. 1t
was only the buffoon Herod without a re-
deeming trait in life or in death who Knocked |
him fool. Shame On you, Dr. Case, that
your years have not brought you knowledge |
enough to doff your cap and bells in the very
supper-room OF the Lord. P.C.Y
PoSTsCRIPTUM.
Why do the heathens rage and the preachers !
devise vain things? / see that the Methodist |
ministers have met and resoluted against Mr. |
Ross and myself for betting. To tell you the |
truth, Mr.. Editor, am not surprised at any |
thing that might happen at the Monday |
menagerie known as the preachers meeting |
AS in all gatherings of old women gossip and |
scandal abound. The garrulity of Mr. Bova7d |
has already got him into trouble and do not |
wonder that blackguard who could accuse |
respectable ladies of Alameda of drunkenness |
should accuse me of gambling Let me |
inform these reverend scandal-mongers once |
and for all, that my offer to pay 800 to char
ity is not wager. 1t is a tax on mendacity |
and prohibtive tariff On reckless assertion. |
If the Methodist ministers shOuld adont thiS |