Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-10-24
BISHOP IRELAND.
E.e Discusses the Political
Duty Of Men.
WONDERFULLY STRONG APPEAL


Against Bryanism and the Anarchy
and Repndiation of the Chscago Plat
form-Our Country Is In Peril-Letter
From the Preiate to business Men.
st. Paul, Mimi, Oct. 12.-In reply
to letter of the business men of the
Catholic churches Of this city, Arch
bishop Ireland has given out q letter
in which he gives his reasons why he
is opposed to the Chicago platform.
The letter OF his constituents is an
appeal for light upon the duties Of the
hour and asks FOR the archbishop's
calm and honest convictions on the
issues of the day. The following is
the reply: ''f'
Messrs. Gordon, Dawson, Warner,
etc.-Gentlemen: / am not unwilling
in tn crisis through which the country
is now passing to speak for the integ-
rity of the nation, for social order, for
the prosperity of the people, for the
honor of America and the permanency
of free institutions. 1 am citizen OF
the country, concerned in all the in
terests of the nation, subject to all the
responsibilities of citizenship. To be
silent when words of mine may be OF
some profit to the people would be
eowardice, would be crime.
l am not unmindful of the objection
made against the churchman speaking
at any time on matters which have
entered the arena of p litics, lest his
influence as a teacher of religion
sem to b used to promote the interests
Of a political party. l might reply
that there are occasions when polit-
ical platform means disaster to the
country, when politics are closely con-
nected with morals or religion, and
that on those DECISIONS the churchman
must be the patriot, without allowing
q moments thought to consideration
Of expediency, and must take in hand
the moral or religious issue, even if 1t
be vested in the garment of politics.
But in the present instance seek no
excuse of the kind; I speak entirely
as the citizen, without warrant from
my ecclesiastical position. Deep as
my convictions are, l hold in all due
respect my fellow-citizens who hold
convictions at variance with my own.
1 impeach neither their good faith nor
their honor. I am dealing not with
men, but with principles and move
ments. This justice which l render
to those whose ideas l am ready to
combat, I am sure they will render to
me.
The Nation In Peril.
I stand by the platform and the
presidential candidates of the Repub-
lican convention at st. Louis. l am
opposed to the platform and the pres
idential candidates Of the Democratic
convention at Chicago. The days OF
the civil war excepted, at no time did
so great peril threaten the country as
that which is involved in the political
campaign of today. The question of
free and unlimited coinage of silver is
put in the foreground. This question
has it's Importance, but it is Cf a 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 Capt.
tol of the nation, is in its logical effect
against the United States; it is seces-
sion; the secession of 1861 which our
soldiers believed they had consigned
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 cthel
meaning. 1--WE denounce arbitrary
interference by federal authorities ir
local affairs as violation of the con.
words point to the act OF Grover Cleve
crime against free institutions" Th,
words point to tn act of Grover Cleve
land sending United States troops tt
protect national property and enforce
national law during the Chicago riot!
in 1894. In those words there i9 the
old secession doctrine that states ar;
Independent of the national govern
ment at Washington; thore is the an
nulment OF the Union; there is motto,
served upon the flag of America tina
outside Of the District Of Columbia i
is without power Of self-assertion o
self-defense. The president of tn,
United States is told that to enforce
national laws and protect nationa
property he can not march his troop
into any state without the autlloriza
tion of the government of that state
One Of the chief speakers at tn
convention Of Chicago understood tn
significance of the convention AN
voiced it's spirit: 81 come from
state which was the home of seces
sion" said Senator Tillman of Sout
Carolina. "Isay," he continued, "it
sectional issue, and it will prevail.
And fitting was it that the speake
voicing the spirit OF the Chicago con
vention should be the representativ
OF South Carolina. Thrice now ha
South Carolina spoken for secession
when it passd in 1882 the nullificatio
ordinance, when in 1851 it fired o
Fort Sumter, when in 1896 it cries ou
"a sectional issue, and it will pre-
vail"
The platform of the Chicago conver