The San Francisco call., 1896-02-25

From the authority which, in your letter to
me, you claim over the whole proceeding
think YOU had best run the proposed show
yourself, with what assistance you can
personally command And in order that
ject viii hereby state that neither Father
Yorke nor myself expect any portion OF the pro-
ceeds, and we do not desire to be held for any
portion OF the expenses. think may safely
say this much for Father Yorke, although l
have neither seen nor communicated with him
since your second legal representative was
named,
The Rev. Donald NJ. Ross appearance
on the platform was greeted with hearty
and prolonged applause, and he spoke as
follows:
Ladies, Gentlemen, Friends: If were to speak
to you tonight l feel / would have only
words of bitterness, scorn and contempt, for
feel only scorn and contempt tor him who
would forget he has the responsibility of gen.
tleman and the assumed dignity of a priest,
who would call into existence a court of trial
OF questions and then, after he had won his
way, and the one who had been challenged
had done everything that he could toward IA
cl1tatlng the progress OF the case, would come
out and declare that that was nothing but a
humbug What man can come to Is clearly
shown in this matter.
He challenged me and he dared me to show
the proofs. | declared my readiness and sim
ply asked this: in the submission of my proofs
TO the court that l might be allowed to tell
those proofs to my audience. But instead of
that after he had publicly challenged me, he
be told behind closed doors. Why, my friends,
where is the justice of such a course as that?
l declared my readiness TO go on with the
proofs in open court Mr.. Hubbell, in accept
ing the bet, said TO him that he took up the bet
provided the trial be in open court Right
after that Mr.. Hubbell wrote a letter, which
was dated the Sd of December, TO Father
Yorke. Father Eorkes reply dated
the 9th of December. These words are in his
letter OF acceptance, ''This proposition suits
me admirably"
Now, to-day, he comes forward in the press
and contends that he never spoke such thing,
and in a letter sent to me by Mr.. Foote III re-
ply TO one sent him asking him TO come for
ward tonight, it is said that he had agreed not
10 have the discussion in public. From this |
can only assume that he has been instructed by
Father Iorke not to have anything TO Go with
this meeting
tell you, my friends, have no feeling for
him other than scorn and contempt. l feel
that have accepted not the challenge of q
man, but OF poltroon. | feel as If l had ac-
cepted the conditions of one who is beneath
anything that is honorable and manly.
How man can face the public of San Fran
cisco after such conduct as his is to me some
thing beyond the possibility OF understanding
To-day he has crawled back into his hole and
taken Mr.. Foote with him. And this morning
the Arch bishop forgot 10 get up, and says that
he is sick. l do not wonder that he is sick. If
were one who would depend upon him for
bringing me out OF hole would feel sick
myself, and the Roman Catholics ought to feel
sick.
The only name that have heard that ap-
of mine and one that was used for Father
YOrke when he was ragamuffin in Ireland.
1t is "shodderdegaalion. 1t fits him.
Now, my friends, if you Will permit me I
shall take the liberty OF proving before the
court whichever of these four propositions I
choose: shall tonight make good the truth
OF the fourth proposition, which is:
"ln case OF conflict between ecclastical and
civil powers the ecclasticaI ought to prevail"
Father Torke said was forger and liar
when told it, and then after calling me
everything that is vicious, when l tried to
justify myself, then he gave out that the court
was nothing 10 him and called 1t humbug
What is the use of doing any thing more with
man like that without treating him in any
other way than you would the bark OF cur.
Let me just say this, that to-day they-for
Father Yorke is not alone, he has united with
priest after priest, and tney, in their united
power, in their power of wealth, in their
power OF organization, in their power of num-
the people to go abroad over this City to say
that there would be no meeting here tonight.
What he wanted TO do and what he tried TO do
is 10 tie my hands behind my back and then to
beat me.
He told me in the original challenge that
could not make good nv position; that these
things were forgerles- Then, when | have
done everything possible, they try to break
down the dignity OF the effort was making to
show that the statements that were made in
that paper were false. The shorthand notes of
the lecture in which it is claimed that made
these statements that are involved In these
four propositions are in existence. L have
asked the reporter If these propositions were
stated by me, and he said that not one of them
was in my lecture. do not want to impugu
the honesty of any person in the San Francisco
Chronicle, but the next morning after my lee
ture there appeared in that paper a report in
which were these four propositions, which
declare never uttered that day. They were
not uttered by me, and / never saw them until
I ! saw them in Father Norke's challenge. | do
not blame the Chronicle, but they were put in
there by some one to give some chance to
Jump on me.
Father Yorke said 1 was correctly reported
He was not there TO hear me. How could he
say that unless he put those words in himself?
After repeating the fourth proposition
the Rev. Mr.. Ross continued:
The Catholic church is to-day the most pow
erful organization on the face OF the earth 1t
knows no nationality, it knows no language.
And when the desire OF that organization
runs contrary to any one country claim that
the cry OF the Catholic church is that the
church ought to prevail; but Father Yorke
says that the church ought not to win in such
conflict. Now, in case Father Yorke and I
/ were to take our coats off and get into conflict
! who ought to win according to Peter C. Yorke I?
! [''You," shouted some one in the audience !
In that case, however, the church declares
/ that he should win, and when man denies
/ that he simply denies all of human reason and
! judgment and all the lessons of logic, for the
! church, l say, does teach that in the case of
! conflict between ecclesiastical and civil pow
| ers the ecclesiastical ought to win; but the
/ government says it ought to win. Now, pro-
/ pose to show simply this from Roman Catholic
/
| they ought to win in any conflict between the
church and the state.
There is one whose name has been and is an
! an undoubted authority with the church.
! refer to Bronson. He says: 1.-THE state is
therefore only an inferior court, bound to re-
ceiye the law from the supreme court the
church), and liable to have its decisions re-
Versed on appeal"
Now, my friends, where there is conflict
/ between q superior court and an inferior court
/ every one knows that the superior court must
| carry. Bronson contends that the church is
! the superior court and the state is the inferior
court and that the church has the right to
| ignore the decisions of the state when they
! differ from those OF the church.
Another authority in the Catholic church is
| the great Cardinal Manning of England.
| Speaking of the laws of Germany under Bis
| marck he said:
"And now the Berlin Government, it
| is said is about to attempt to i'm
/ pose on every Bishop the following
OATH The Bishops are henceforward
! to swear obedience to the laws OF the country;
! to bind themselves by oath to exhort the
| clergy and the laity; TO be loyal to the En-
! peror patriotic and obedient to the laws, and
not to permit the clergy under their control to
teach or act in opposition TO these principles"
Cardinal Manning says of the attitude OF the
Berlin Government "The cynicism of that
! oatn is clear day." Is that in conflict as
| between the church and the state? Cardinal
Manning, the authority of the church, says
| that the oath ought not to be put to the
| Bishops, but that they should be absolutely
/ free to do as they please