Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-22
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND.


The Distinguished Preiate Vigorously De-
nounces the Anarchistic and Reputation
Platform of the Chicago Platform.
In response to request made by 81
leading citizens of Minnesota, in
Guiding the editors of all the daily
papers of st. Paul, Archbishop Ireland
has made public statement urging
citizens to vote against tho Chicago
platform and candidates so overwhelm-
ingly that they will not be heard OF
again in American politics. He says:
l am not unwilling, in the crisis
through which the country is now pass
ing, to speak for the integrity Of the
| nation, for social order, for the pros.
perity OF the people, for the honor Of
America and the permanency OF free
| institutions. ] am a citizen of the
| country, concerned in all the interests
of the nation, subject to all the respon-
sibilities of citizenship. To be silent
when words of mine may be of some
profit to the people would be cowardice.
would be crime ] am not unmindful
| OF the objection made against the
churchman speaking at any time on
| matters which have entered the arena
of politics. lest his influences teacher
of religion seem to be used to promote
|
reply that there are occasions when a
political platform means disaster to the
country; when politics are closely con-
nected with morals or religion, and
| that on these occasions the churchman
| must be the patriot without allowing a
moments thought to considerations Of
| expediency, and mtfst take in hand the
moral or religious issue, even il it be
vested in the garment of politics. But
| in the present instance seek no excuse
of this kind, speak entirely as the
| citizen, without warrant from my eccle
siastical position. Deep as my convic-
itions are, / hold in all duo respect my
fellow-citizens, who hold convictions at
variance with my own.
| l stand by the platform and the
Presidential candidate of the Republi-
can convention Of St Louis. 1 am OPP
/ posed to the platform and the Presiden-
| tial candidate of the Democratic con-
veution at Chicago. The days of the
civil war excepted, at no tine did 80
great peril threaten the country as
that which is involved in the political
campaign of to-day. The question of
free and unlimited coinage Of silver is
put in the foreground. This question
has its Importance; but it is of minor
importance in presence Of other ques-
tions which are brought into issue.
The movement, which had its express.
sion in, the Chicago convention, and
which now seeks by means of popular
suffrage to enthrone itself in the capital
of the nation, is in its logical effect
against the United States lit is secession
the secession of 1861, which our soldiers
believed they had consigned to eternal
death at Appomattox, but which de-
mands again recognition from the
American people. The declaration in
the Chicago platform has and can have
no other meaning, 1--WE denounce arbi-
trary interference by Federal authority
in local affairs as a violation Of the Con-
etitution of the United States and a
orime against free institutions. " Those
words point to the act of Grover Cleve-
land sending the United States troops
to protect national property and enforce
national laws during tbs, Chicago riots
in 1894. In these words there is the
old secession doctrine that States are
independent of the national government
at Washington, there is the annulment
of the Union, there is notice served
upon the flag Of America that outside
the District OF Columbia it is without
power of self-assertion or self-defence.
The President of the United States is
told that to enforce national laws and
protect national property be cannot
march his troops into any State with
out the authorization of the Governor
of that State.
Ono of the chief speakers at the con-
vention of Chicago understood the
significance OF the convention, and
| voiced its spirit. 81 come from a State
which was the home of secession said
Senator Tillman of South Carolina.
"I say" he continued, sit ia sec
tional issue, and it will prevail" And
fitting was it that the speaker, voicine
the spirit OF the Chicago convention,
should be the representative of South
Carolina. Thrice now has South Caro-
lima spoken for secession = when il
passed, in 1882, the notification ordi.
nance; when, in 1861, it fired on Fort
Sumter; when, in 1896, it cries out
"a sectional issue, and it will pre-
vail"
The platform of the Chicago conven-
tion threatens the country with destruc-
ton of social order, with lawlessness
aud anarchy. Tho personification Of
law and of social order in America is
our courts, and the promise of safety tc
our free institutions il the prompt
obedience of the people to those courts.
And now the courts are to be shorr
of their powor, and shorn of it in favor
of mobs, bent on rioting and tho de-
,, struction of property. eve especially
object" says the Chicago platform.
"to government by injunction. as Q
! new and highly dangerous form of op.
PRESTON" Here reference lie made &c
the action OF the courts during the
Chicago riots-without which action
there is no calculation how much ruin
should have come to the city.
The palladium. OF American liberties
is the Supreme Court ut Washington,
! the counterpart of which in majesty
! and in power TO enforce absolute justice
does not exist among the nations Of
Christendom. But as far as it is pos
sible to human ingenuity, outside Of
partisan politics, Independent of al
political influences through their life
! tenure of office, the Judges of this
, court rule Congress and President,
} States and Nation, andgexpound the
law in all its iuflexibility, no matter
who or what must yield to it. And
now convention speaks of the Su
prems Court "as it may bs hereafter
constituted, intimating enthusiastically
t the intention. If the party represented
, ia that convention come into power, tt
30 constitute the courts, by the popular
! election of Judges by the shortening Of