The Irish standard., 1897-01-23
Over TWO-Thirds of the States
of the Union First Coll
onized by Them.
Was Firse to Adopt
the American Maxims of
Liberty and Equality.
Quite an Interesting Chapter In
the History Of the
Republic.


OF the founders of states thirty-One out
Of fOrty-six, or more than twO-thirds,
! were first colonized and settled by Cath
olics, and their history, il fairly written,
must go back to Catholic founders, says
Monitor in the Providence Visitor How,
then, can Catholics be regarded as stran-
gers in the land whera Menendez, Onate,
Calvert, York, Cadillac, Iberville, La
Sale, Tonty, Teran, Lac!ede, Vincennes.
Langlade, Jogues, Marquette, Dubuque,
Moyne, Nicolet, Joliet, Vigo, Gibault,
Membre, Hennepin, Penisaul, Ojeda,
Raylnbaut, Du Pratz, Du Luth, Le Sueur,
De Leon, Gordillo. Coronado, and so
many other Catholics laid the first 9oun~
dations of the present thriving and pros"
porous states and territories.
Maryland was the only state OF the
Union planted by Catholic enterprise,
ruled originally by q Catholic proprietor
and Catholic freemen, and directed by q
dominant Catholic spirit. 1t was also
the only colony which adopted from the
first the American maxims Of liberty and
equality, and adhered 70 them as long
as the original founders and their dlscj-
pies held power Neither New England
nor Virginia believed in religious toler-
alton, or would trust political privileges
to those who rejected the theology of the
dominant majority. Catholic Maryland
furnishes the only instance IL our his
tory of colony founded and consistent
ly administered upon what are known as
American principles.
To George Calvert the first Baron Of
Baltimore, and his son, Ceci]ius Calvert
belongs the glory Of providing shelter
from Anglican intolerance, not only for
their brethren in faith, but for the op
pressed Of every Christian nation. It Is
admitted that the first Lord Baltimore
drew the charter of Maryland and traced
the plan of government To MIN, there
the first legislator who, rising above the
spirit Of his country and the bigotry Of
his age, incorporated into a. system OF
government the great principle of relig-
ious freedom.
The charter, unlike any patent which
had hitherto passed the great seal Of
England, was most liberal in all Its pro-
visions, and none but favorite could
have obtained such an instrument from
any of the absolute and arbitrary mon-
archs who sat upon the throne of Eng
land since the apostacy OF Henry the
Eighth. 1t rendered Maryland less re-
liant on the king and parliament than
any other colony. 1t made the mon
arch's sanction unnecessary to the ap-
pointments or legislation of the province
and left him without even a right to
take cognizane of what transpired within
it's limits. It fOresaw and guarded
against the odious and oppressive claim
of the mother country to tax America,
and gave to Maryland, more favored In
this than any of her sister colonies, an
explicit coyenanted right to exemption
from such a strecth Of parliamentary
Jurisdiction as the tea tax and stamp act,
which caused the revolution. 1t invested
the Lord Proprietary with few powers
beyond those which even at this day
we regard as essential to the executive
branch of a free government, and espe-
cially declared that his authority should
not extend to "the life, member. free
hold, goods or chattels" of any colonist.
1t provided for a representative system
as soon as the body of freemen should I
become tocsnumerous for all to meet In
council, and it secured to the people an
Independent share in the legislation Of
the province, by requiring that the law
made for their government should be en-
acted "of and with the advice, assent
and appreciation of the freemen, or ma
jority of them or their deputies"
Before the patent passed the great
seal George Calvert died. and the grant
of Maryland-so named in honor OF the
queen, Henrietta Maria-was made out
and confirmed June 20, 1892, in the name
of Cecilius Calvert, George Calyert's eld-
est son and heir to the title Of Baron Of
Baltimore. a
AS soon as the charter passed the
great seal. Leonard Calvert. brother Of
Cecilius, was sent over in the Ark and
Dove with about three hundred persons,
accompanied by three jesuit priests, to
colonize the new territory. The vessel
sailed from Cowes on st. Ceciia's day.I4ss
the 22nd OF November, 1G33, and nias a, a
q settlement at st. Mary on
25th Of March, 1884.
d \ me DAY, of the sA
4 ays i 6 (1t Z