Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-22
NOT TO BE FEARED.
HON. PATRICK WALSH ON THE
AMERICAN PROTECTIVE ASSN.
An Effort to Revive KnownothinS-
ism-It VIII Never Succeed I'm the
south-The Royal Prcrogative of
American Manhood.

Walsh, ex-United States senator from
| Georgia, and editor of the Augusta (Ga)
Chronicle. explains itself:
Augusta, Ca, March - 1895.
Mr.. whitby waldrop. Editor corinth
Ry) Independent:
Dear Slr,-I am in receipt OF your favor
Of the Sd instant in reference to the
American Protective Association organi-
ton. Having passed through the Know
Nothing excitement in Charleston. S. c..
when a boy. / am somewhat familiar
with the folly and fanatlcism OF parties
IN the United States for nearly forty
| five years. / am not at all disturbed
about the status or progress OF the Or
ganization known as the a. p. q.
The people OF the great STATE OF
! Georgia, who have honored me far be-
yond my deserts. have taken no In
terest In the a. Z. y. organization, and
/ | am satisfied from my knowledge OF
| their high sense of justice and devotion
| TO the right that they will not lend
| either encouragement or aid to this Sc
cond edition OF the Know-Nothing party
having repudiated the first under the
| leadership Of stephens and Toombs forty
| years ago. You can depend on 1t that
Georgia and the South will never gal
vanize this Know-Nothing party corpse
| into life.
This government was founded 100
| years ago upon the principles Of civil
and religious liberty. 1t was cemented
by the blood of martyrs. l have too
much faith in the wisdom, justice, and
| patriotism OF my fellow-citizens to be-
| leve that they are going TO repudiate
| the principles upon which their fathers
| planted this republic. The A. 4. a. may
continue TO fret the political atmosphere
for little while, but that 1t will pass
away before the sunlight Of truth as
the mist is dispelled by the sunshine /
have no more doubt than that l am writ
| ing this letter TO you. 1 have not
permitted myself TO be led away into
temper by this isnus fatuus. For the
| ignorance and intolerance Of the poor de-
luded followers OF the A. p. A L have
nothing but pity: and, with all their
falsehood and malice against the Catho-
| lie Church. | have charity for them.
have treated them with silence. Catholics
| challenge them 70 the performance
OF works that make for peace and good
! will, and the highest duties OF citizen
ship
Catholics are devoted and patriotic,
ready to sacrifice property and life in
defence 81 the government. AS citizens.
| their allegiance is due to the United
States. The Catholic Church is the con-
servator Of law and order and In times
OF Instrumentation the peace OF the
community and the destruction Of pro-
perty are threatened-its members will
/ be found on the side of the constituted
| 70 Krf1
| lence, and to vindicate the supremacy
| of the law.
1T WILL SURVIVE.
The Catholic Church, because Of it's
| divine institution, has survived the wreck
! OF governments for 1900 years 1t will
| live as long as the world lasts. II you
seek for its monuments, look around you
| In this country, where II has been freest
! TO minister to the wants OF humanity.
Its priesthood and its religious orders are
/ consccrated TO the work Of God. l have
Yet TO learn where they have Identified
themselves with or taken part In politics,
| partisanship, or sectiOnalism.
The intelligent and impartial public SEN
timent Of this country recognizes and ap-
preciates the benign influences Of the
| Catholic Church. 1t stands as a bulwark
against socialism and communism.
against atheism and anarchism. BY their
fruits we shall know them. In every
| community ana I'm every State through
out the length and breadth OF the land
! Catholics are found vieing with their fell
| low-citizens of other churches in all works
that make for the amelioration OF suf-
fering humanity, the education Of the
! masses, the social well-beng, the spiritual
welfare, and the temporal advancement
/ Of the people and the honor and glory
| of the republic.
There is no privilege or right which
| appreciate and honor more than being
n citizen of Georgia and the United States.
| Under the Constitution and laws of each
l am protected in my right to religious
| frecdom-to worship God according to
| conscience. Il is distinctly declared that
| there shall be no law in respect to the
establishment OF religion or the FREQ ex-
ercise thereof. 1t is also declared In the
supreme law of the United States that
| there shall be no religious test as a quail
iication for Office or trust within the
! gift of the government
| Those who would prescribe Catholics on
account of their faith are guilty Of grave
offences against the Constitution and
laws Of their country. Men who take a
| solemn oath TO support the Constitution,
| and then wilfully violate the letter and
the spirit OF H. subvert the genius OF our
| institutions and the spirit OF American
! Government.
THERE is NO ESCAPE.
There IS no escape from this mandatory
! provision OF the organic law. There is
40 ambiguity about 1t. No one denies tia
meaning. Men of all parties and all
creeds know the law. A wayfarinS man,
| though n fool, cannot err therein. Our
republican government was consecrated
TO civil and RELIGIOUS freedom. 1t was
| baptized In the blood of men who were
cast IN heroic moulds-men who pledged
| their lives. their fortunes, and their sacred
| honor that liberty OF conscience and the
right of self-goyernment should be firmly
| established on this continent.
Protestants. Catholics, and Hebrews
fought suffered and made sacrifices
Tor the Independence Of the Government
Of the United States. All citizens are
entitled to the exercise and enjoy
ment OF the same rights and privileges.
No citizen should be prescribed. The
privileges enumerated and the rights
commanded are sacred, and should be
held inviolable by all honorable and
patriotic Americans as long as the re-
public lives to bless the humblest and
the most exalted citizen. Equal rights
and equal opportunities for the enjoy
ment OF those rights are the basic prin-
ciples OF our government Life, liber-
ty. and the pursuit OF happiness were
the principles proclaimed to the world
by the signers OF the Declaration OF In
dependence. They were the principles
established by the sacrifices OF .he
heroes and patriots OF the Revolution.
They are the principles OF the govern
ment now. and Will continue as long as
the republic. Civil and religious liber-
ty-freedom of conscience and Of party
are the inalenable and indestructible