The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-10-23
UNION IS ME ! 4 G
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND DENOUNCES
BRYAN1sM AS SECESSION

merC101 REPRESENTATIVES, O00A
the Supreme Court Means An.
archy-As Grave . Crisis ~ IN
1861.
st. Paul, MIMI, Special. Archbishop Ire
land, In response to the written request
Of twenty.seven business men of this state,
who are Of all political parties. to-day made
the following statement:
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 permanency
Of free Institutions. am citizen Of the
country, concerned in all the interests 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 cowardice, would be crime.
am not unmindful Of the objection made
against the churchmen, speaking at any
time on matters which have entered the
teacher Of religion seem to be used to pro.
mote the interests Of political party.
might reply that there are occasions when
political platform means disaster to the
country, when politics are closely connect
ed with morals, or religion. and that on
those occasions the churchman must be the
patriot, without allowing moments
thought to considerations Of expediency,
and must take In hand the moral or re-
liglous issue, even IL it be vested in the gar
ment Of politics.
But in the present instance I seek no ex-
cuse of this Kind. I speak entirely as the
citizen, without warrant from my ecclesi-
astical position: Deep as my convictions
are, / hold in all due respect my fellow cit
liens who hold conventions at variance with
my own. impeach neither their good faith
nor their honor am dealing not with men,
but with principles and movements. This
justice which l render to those whose ideas
am ready to combat, am sure they will
GENDER to me.
stand by the platform and the presiden-
tial candidate Of the Republican conven-
ton Of ST. Louis. am opposed to the plat
form of the presidential candidate 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
caRpaign Of to-day.
The question Of free and unlimited coin
age Of silver is put in the foreground. This
question has Its Importance; but 1t is OF
minor importance in presence Of other ques-
lions which are brought i1to issue.
The movement which had its 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 its logical effect against the United
States; it is 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. The declaration In the
Chicago platform has, and can have, no
other meaning. I'VE denounce arbitrary in.
reference by federal authorities in local
affairs as q violation Of the constitution Of
the United States and crime against free
Institutions" s.s5N
The words point to the act Of Grover
Cleveland, sending United States troops to
protect national property and enforce ma
tional laws during the Chicago riots in
sion doctrine that states IRE Independent
Of the national government at Washing
ton; there is the annulment Of the Union;
there Is notice served upon the flag Of
America that outside the District of Co.
lumbia 1t is without power Of self-assertion
or self-defense. The president of the United
States is told that to enforce national laws
march his troops into any state without
the authorization Of the governor Of that
state. One Of the chief speakers at the
convention Mt Chicago understood the sig.
nificance Of the convention and voiced its
spirit.
II come from state which was the home
Of secession" said Senator Tillman Of
Is sectional issue, and it will prevail"
And fitting was 1t that the speaker, voic.
ing the spirit Of the Chicago convention.
should be the representative Of South Caro-
lima. Thrice now has South Carolina spok-
en- for secession-when 1t passed in 1892 the
notification ordinance; when in 1861 it fired
on Fort Sumter; when In 1896 it cries out,
vnyt1l
The platform of the Chicago convention
threatens the country with destruction Of
social order, with lawlessness and anarchy.
The personification Of law and of social Or
der in America is our courts and the prom
Use 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 1t in ia.
vor Of mobs, bent on rioting and the de.
struction Of property.
1--WE especially object" says the Chicago
platform, Ito government by injunction, as
new and highly dangerous form Of OPP
preston"
Here reference is made to the action Of
the courts during the Chicago riots-with-
out which action there is no calculating
how much ruin would have come to the
city. The palladium Of American liberty Is
the supreme court at Washington, the
counterpart Of which, in majesty and In
power to enforce absolute justice, does not
exist among the nations Of Christendom.
But, as far as 1t is possible to human
Ingenuity. outside Of partisan politics, In
dependent Of all political influences,
through their life tenure Of Office. the
Judges of this cout rule congress and pres
ident, states and nation, and eXpound the
law in all its fiexibility, no matter who or
what must yield to it.
And now convention speaks Of the
supreme court "as 1t may be hereafter
constituted" intimating Enthusiastically the
intention, If the party represented in that
convention comes to power. to SO consti-
tute the courts. by the popular election Of
the judges, by the shortening of their
term of Office and otherwise, to make it
insensible to the stern voice of the law
and responsive to the passing whims Of
political parties.
Worse than all this to my mind is the
spirit of socialism which permeates the
whole movement which has issued from
the convention at Chicago. The war of
class against class is upon us, the war
Of the proletarIat against the property
holder No other. meaning fhan fh}o non