The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-12
Platform of the Chicago Convention,
If Indorsed, He Says. Means De-
structiOn of Social Order.
MONEY A SECONDARY ISSUE
TO THE SUPREMACY OF THE LAW,
THE ARCHBISHOP ASSERTS,
But He Is UnaIterabIy Opposed to
Free Coinhge of silver, and He
Gives Good Reasons.

ST. PAUL, Mimi, Oct. n.-Archbishop
Ireland, in response to the written request
of twenty-seven business men of this State
who are members of all political parties,
gave the following statement. addressed to
them, to the Associated Press:
II am not unwilling, in the crisis through
which the country is now passing, to speak
for the integrity OF the Nation, for social
order, for the prosperity of the people, for
the honor of America and the permenancy
of free institutions. / am a citizen of the
country, concerned in all the interests of
the Nation, subject to all the responsible
ties of citizenship. To be silent when words
Of mine may be of some prolific the people
would be cowar1ice. would be crime.
"I 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 influence as
teacher of religion seem to be used to pro-
mote the interests Of a political party.
might reply that there are occasions when
a political platform means disaster to the
country, when politics is closely connected
with morals, religion, and that on those
occasions the churchman must be the pa
triot without allowing a moments thought
to considerations of expediency and must
even If it be vested in the garment of poll
tics. But in the present instance I seek
no excuse of this kind; I SPEAK entirely as
the citizen, without warrant ffori my
clesiastical position.
Deep as my convictions are, I hold in
all due respect my fellow-citizens who hold
convictions at variance with my own
impeach neither their good faith nor their
honor. 1 dealing not with men, but
with principles and movements This JUS
tice which / render to those whose ideas !
am ready to combat L am sure they will
render to me.
II stand by the platform and the presi-
Dental candidate of the Republican con-
vention of st. Louis. 1 am opposed to the
platform ana the presidential candidate Of
the Democratic convention at Chicago.
THE days of the civil war excepted, at
time did so great peril threaten the coun-
try as that which is involved in the polit-
ical 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 a minor Importance
in presence of other questions which are
brought into issue
1.-THE movement which had it's expression
in the Chicago convention. and which now
seeks, by means of popular suffrage, to en-
throne itself in the capital of the Nation,
is in it's logical effect against the United
States secession-the secession of 1861,
which our soldiers believed they had con-
signed to eternal death at Appomattox, but
which demands again recognition from the
American people This declaration in the
Chicago platform has and can have no
other meaning.
THE SECESSION PLANK.
TVVa dapo1Inca arbitrary iDterfarence bv
federal authorities in local affairs as vio-
lation of the Constitution of the United
States and crime against free institu-
tons The words point to the act of Gro
yer Cleveland sending United States troops
to protect national property and enforce ma
tional laws during the Chicago riots in 1894.
In those 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 no.
tice served upon the flag of America that.
outside the District of Columbia, it is with
out power of self-assertion or self-defense.
The President of the United States Is told
that to enforce national laws and protect
national property he cannot march his
troops into any State without the authori-
zation of the Governor of that State
'One of the chief speakers of the con-
vention at Chicago understood the signifi-
canoe of the convention and voiced its
spirit: L come from a State which was the
home of secession said Senator Tillman
of South Carolina. / say he continued, it
is a sectional issue, and it will prevail
And fitting was it that the speaker voicing
the spirit of the Chicago convention should
be the representative of South Carolina
Thrice now has South Carolina spoken for
secession-when it passed, in 1892, the nulli-
fication ordinance; when, in 1861 it fired on
Fort Sumter; when, in 1896. it cries out, a
sectional issue. and it will prevail
THE platform of the Chicago convention
threatens the country with destruction of
social order, with lawlessness and anarchy
The personifcation of law and of social or
der in America is courts, and the
promise of safety to our free institutions is
the prompt obedience Of the people TO those
courts. And now the courts are TO be
shorn of their power, and shorn of it in ia
vor of mobs, bent on rioting and the de-
struction of property. We especially OBJ
ject, says the Chicago platform. to gov
ernraent by Injunction as Il new and highly
dangerous form of oppression Here refer
ence is made TO the action of the courts
during the Chicago riots-without which ac-
ton there is calculating how much ruin
should have come TO the city.
1.-The palladium of American liberties is
the Supreme Court at Washington, the
counterpart of which in majesty and in
power 10 enforce absolute justice does not
exist among the nations of christendom.
But as far as il is possible to human in
genuity outside of partisan politics. inde-
pendent of all political influences through
their life tenure OF office, the judges of
this court rule Congress. and President,