The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-05-26
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
The Great Speech Of United States Senator
Glhson, Of Maryland.
PROSCRlpTlyE CHARACTER OF TAEA.P. A.
He Dcnounces it Az secret Oath
Bound, He'd Lettered, Lefthand.
ed, Dark Lanterned Orgami.a-
zion, Whose Supreme President Is
q Canadian, and NOT u Citixom.

Senator Gibson, of Maryland. on May
t4th addressed the Senate, during which
he took occasion TO pay his respects to
the American Protective Association,
which he denounced as follows:
This organization 10 which I refer,
Mr.. President, is, known as the "Ameri-
can Protective Association"-a secret,
oath bound, red-lettered, left-handed.
uarh-lanternpd oIganization-organi
recently by resident of Clinton, Ia.
who was founder of the order and the
author of It's rtural. America for
Americans" and undying hatred to for
eigners, archie first and governing prin-
ciples, so called. of the order!
The very first in the enumerated or
der of their public declarations is RE
striction Of Immigration" added to
form. is the declaration that
All private schools, converts, nunne-
ries. monasteries. Summaries, hospitals,
aaylums and educational or charitable
institutions to be open 10 public inspec-
ton and under government control.
America against the world" and yet
Mr. President. the Supreme President of
the order. resident of Detroit, is to-day
a Canadian, and, as 1 am Informed. not
a naturalized citizen of the United
States!
mis- dangerous organization, Mr.. Pres
ident. which is generally believed to be
lnstigating and urging the passage OF
Shis bil', has for its real purpose hos
tility to the Catholic Church.
/ is til5 child of envy, hatred, and
malice-tne offspring OF q presidential
brood of mischief-makers. who lurk
about the doors of legislative halls, and
hang ION the TANKS of political parties
seeking to lure lawmakers from the wide
paths and open day of rectltude into
the devious ways land darkness of evil
doing-blGathing threatenings and ven
geance where they can not cajole and
The platform of this organization or
Its public declaration of Its principles
Is one thing. Is what Is pretends to do !:
what 1t Is shown to do is quite another
their haEds are the hands Of Esau
(Here Mr.. Gibson quoted ;the A p. A.
paths. already familiar to our readers.)
This Is the organization, Mr.. President.
that proposes'to play no small part In
american politics! This is the "associa-
ton that proposes to protect" our
American institutions! This is the pa
triotic" nrder-God save the mark,-the
very first tenet OF American liberty
freedom toiworship God-and to punish
religious beliefs which 1t does not share
by depriving those who hold them, not
only OF their political rights. but If
possible. OF the means of livelihood as
wel"'
Al q iiiOslIeACcieHl dItlCie III lUe May
number of the Century Magazine, en-
titled THE Mischief of the A. p. A."
the writer says:
There should be no need of warning
intelligent citizens against the dangers
of such organizations.
They are deadly enemies OF Democratic
institutions.
The mischief of this movement has
lately begun to reveal itself at the Ma
tional Capital. The defeat of the appro-
priatio. ton Indian schools. because most
OF th-sd schools are under the care OF
Roman Catholics. Is due to these socle-
ties, 'aEd II is to their hostility that we
owe the shameful proposal to exclude
from the national gallery of statuary the
e1figy OF the Srea t'p.oneer and discoverer
Father Marquette With respect to the
schools they avail themselves Of a sent:-
menaiwhich widely prevails. and which
Is reasonable enough, but which in this
case In greatly overstrained with the
result of deprlving the Indian pupils OF
educational privileges. Not only are
Roman Catholics to be refused permis-
sion TO nl1a''part In the defense of their
country, but those who decline to os-
traciZe them must themselves be ostra-
cized
The Pere eMarquetts incident is such an
Illustration of bigoTy. as ought to bring
blush to the, cheek of every American
That the great French priest was a
brave and noble man can be disputed by
nobody: that his work among the In
dians was one OF beautiful devotion Ia
not ma tter of controversy; that to him
was largely due thu discovery OF the
Upper Mississippi river and the OPEN
ing OF the great Northwest to civiliza-
tion Is the,testimony of history. Yet
simply because he was Roman Catho-
lie priest the patriotic orders would
derv he'Stat which Is most closely as
eociated with his beneficent activity the
right uf celebra lng his services to the
nation. '''
The m!schlSf OF this association can
not fnd It's stronger rebuke than in the
eloquent nalssuage of the Senator from
wisconsin but few days ago in this
chamber In speaking for the statue of
James Marquetue. the renowned mission
siss!ppi.
'Bus. Mr.. President. the State of Wis
consin now a Commonwealth of 50 600 :
w lreemen, rejoicing In prosperity and
Happirless on the soil he trod so long
4So; IN raising this stone In the nations
,iaii OF Statuary does not merely cele-
Hrate name "illustrlous for historic
Tenown, character whose excellence
Is worthy or perpetual rememhra nee 1t
means still more, that II shall stand
lhere as testimony ana monument to
a princlple OF our social order of the
utmost value to nanls.nd--ths principle
or reIgioua l.hcr.y, Sir, this 10 no riiie
Pc someti"i'r im!scal'ed. of liberation. /
conter'n The term. ] deny all II implies
me right, absolute, uncomfortable
OF utter, perfec; liberty. It Is an Inalien,