Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-06-04
(By request.)
THE CARDINALS LETTER.

In his letter TO Rev. Dr. Stafford His EN-
inence Cardinal Gibbons refers to the fact
that Catholics are devoted to both the
great political parties Of the country, and
each individual lie left to his own con.
science" The Church has never used its
immense power to influence voters for
Democratic or for the Republican party.
II is fortunate that good, loyal Catholics
have beeG found In each However, q
Catholic as well as Protestant canno. be
either loyal to his country nor to his church
If lac fails to rally to the defence of the
Constitution whenever any ofits articles are
assailed.
The A. p. A. openly processes to be OPP
posed TO the precious principles Of civil
and religious liberty. Therefore the duty
OF every Catholic and every Protestant IL
clear. The question of tariff, silver, etc..
are important, but even they pale into in.
significance when the vital principles OF
the Constitution are assailed.
The Apaists are making great effort TO
obtain the recognition Of one of the two
great parties. Unfortunate will be il for
the party which listens 10 their whining
and dares to make overtures to them.
Should such an emergency arise Catholics
OF every party, Republicans, Democrats,
Populists, silver men, and gold men, will
for the time, cease 10 contend for their favor
lite political doctrine, and unite with loyal,
honest. and patriotic Protesants to crush
the hideous monster that, under the name
of American, seeks to destroy the results OF
the struggle waged for seven years by our
| forefathers.
Because Catholics are connected with
the various parties some men seem TO
imagine that their love for party would be
strong enough 10 induce them to close their
eyes to an alliance between their party and
the A. p. A. This is q great mistake.
Catholics are wide awake and do not In
tend to quietly submit to the dictates OF
politicians who for selfish purposes may
make an alliance with the conspirators.
By the beating Of tom toms and swear.
ing vengeance on the Pope. Cardinal Sa-
TOLL. and Catholics generally, the A. p. A.
has succeeded In creating panic In certain
| political localities. In other words few
shallow Drained Politicians have become
alarmed at the strength Of The dark lantern
party. which, tits safe TO say, does not con-
tain one-tenth the members claimed.
Children, and even some grown people
are afraid Of ghosts. and 90 soon a. The
shadows of night draw over the earth they
imagine that ghost Is hiding behind
every tree. Now this Is the condition OF q
certain class Of politicians i'm and out OF
Congress. They see an Apaist every time
they turn around, and are trembling In
their boots for fear the whole country viii
be captured by miserable handful OF ig-
norant conspirators who have magnified
their importance hundred times.
No well-informed man fears the dark.
lantern party but it may be possible that
ignorance win prevail to the extent that
an alliance will be formed with il by a
prominent political party. II il also prob.
able that alliances may be made in Con-
gressional districts with the Representatives
Of beth parties-that is, ii may be united
with one party in one locality and with
the other in another section. Il matters
not where o. how or with whom the al
lance Is formed, there is but one thing for
an honest Republican or Democrat 10 do
that's TO labor increasingly for the complete
overthrow Of the conspiracy. In doing
this patriotic duty he does not cease to be
a member Of his party. but he emphasizes
his loyalty 10 what IL teaches-love Of the
Constitution.