Birmingham state herald., 1896-08-02
THE GROVE 6fKcf1AR.

Grove, state president of the American Protective association, and issued in the interest of the republican-populite amal- gamation in this county, while pretend ing to be an appeal for professionalism and its institutions, is nothing more nor less than an assault upon the democratic ticket, state and county, which happens to have upon it the name of a gentleman who is Catholic communicant as a candidate for county office.
 The unchristian spirit of the document easily indicates its paternity and the un- truthfulness of it's statements shows the desperate straits to which the enemies of democracy are driven in their hope- less pursuit for office
 The chief object of that circulars as- sault is a gentleman who has lived in Jefferson county and the city of Bir- mingham nearly twenty-five years, dur ing which time his life has been an open book to the public. His incomings and outgoings have been known of all men. His domestic life has been one of love and fidelity to the most sacred ties known to man, while his business and public career has been one of honor and loyalty to his friends and his party. No friend of Frank P. OBrien can point to any act of his without feelings of pride that he is his friend All will admit his full qualifications for the office to which he aspires. But they charge him with the crime of being a Catholic. So he is But since when did being a Christian become an offense in free America or constitute a bar to political preferment honorably won? If he be a Catholic, when did he cease to be a true and loyal American citizen, devoted to the institutions and welfare of his country? He shed his blood upon the battlefelds of the lost cause in defense of the rights and liber- ties of his people, and now bears upon his person the honorable scars of three desperate wounds received with his face to the foe. These, commend him to every son of the south who was loyal to it's cause in the terrible days of the great civil war, and his fidelity to it's institu- tions and it's people for more than thirty years since justifies and commands their loyalty to him and the party he repre- sents.
 But above and beyond any personal merit of Captain O'Brien, the voters of Jefferson county should support him oiHce tiliS dSSdull Has Deell IHdue upOH him because its spirit is dangerous to re- publican institutions and American free dom. It embodies in itself the spirit of the inquisitcn, and would deprive men of the very rights-the right of free speech and freedom from religious per secutions-which led the sturdy and brave men of England to come to Amer ica and found the colonies from which developed a free people and free repub- lie by whose constitution those rights are guaranteed.
 The democratic party recognizes with In it's membership no sects or creeds, but does. In its fundamental principles recognize and crystallize all living polit- ieal and religious truth as applied to ma terial affairs and comedies to individual members the right to worship God ac- cording to the dictates of an enlightened conscience. Political ostracsm or pro- scribtion on account of religious creed is foreign to the Christianity and higher civilization of the nineteenth century, and has it's more fitting place in the dark ages of medieval history. When comes the time that worthy men are debarred from positions of honor and trust on ac- count oI tHeir reilSlouS ldltH anu cHurcH affiliation, then the danger line of big otry and intolerance will have been reached and the future of true republi- can government will be in doubt.
 Let every man who claims the inesti- mable privilege of worshippng In what soever tabernacle he chooses, pause and consider well before he denies to another the same liberty and would damn him because he exercises 1t.