The Irish standard., 1897-10-23
LAST SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE.
CHARLES CARROLL, OF cARRoLL1oN
HE WON THE HONORED TITLE OF
"THE FIRST ClTIZEN.,
IT IS A VERY INTERESTING BIOGRAPHY.
AFFIXED HIS SIGNATURE TO THE
CHARTER OF LIBERTY.

Among the sons Of noble daring VINO
stood forth the champion of their in
Jured and bleeding country was Charles
Carroll, of Carrollton, the Catholic and
the richest man who set his name to
that immortal document-the Declara-
ticn of Independence
This bold patriot and finished schol-
ar was born at Annapolis, Md, Sept.
20, 1877. He was the grandson of
Charles Carroll, of Kings county, Ire
land, the former of whom immigrated
to Maryland about 1886 and located at
Carrollton. The elder CAROLS were
always found in the foremost rank of
those who espoused the cause of liberal
principles, and taught their sons to go
and do likewise. Nor did the seed
sown by them fall on a barren SOIL
Initiating the examples and obeying
the precepts of his patriotic sire, young
Charles proved himself worthy of the
high source whence he sprang.
At the early age Of II years his en-
bryo talents shone SO conspicuously
that his father determined on giving
them an opportunity to bud, blossom
and expand amid the literary bowers
and under the masters hand in Eu-
rope. At the date Of the future sign
er's birth the Catholics in the colonies
were severely oppressed by those
odious enactments known as penal
laws. They were even forbidden to
have schools. The good and pous
Jesuit Fathers, true to their rule-the
education Of youths-succeeded, with
out attracting the attention of the au-
thorities, in opening a grammar school
at Bohemia, on the eastern shore of
Maryland. Here Charles Carroll re-
ceived the first rudiments of knowl-
edge.
When about II years of age he was
sent in company with his first cousin,
John Carroll, afterward the first Arch
bishop Of the United States, to the Jes-
L
pursued the study Of the classics six
years. At the Jesuit College at Rheims
he spent year, and the College of
Louis lie Grand he spent two years. His
unremitting application to his studies
and urbanity of manners obtained for
him a finished education and the cs-
TEEN OF his teachers and classmates.
At the age of 20 he entered upon the
study of law, in which he ripened into
manhood, and returned to his native
state in 1854 with rich and enduring
fund Of useful knowledge, prepared to
act we'll his part through future life.
The subject of American oppression
by the British ministry was freely dis
cussed in Europe during his study, and
had prepared his mind for the exciting
crisis that awaited the colonies. In
Charles Carroll the friends of freedom
and equal rights found an unflinching
and able advocate, and the enemies Of
liberty an uncompromising but manly
opposcr. "He possessed" says the his
torian, "a clear head, a good heart and
discriminating mind. In action he
was cool and deliberate, firm and de-
cisive. AS lawyer he was learned,
lucid and logical; as a statesman, bold,
discreet and Industrious; as a patriot,
pure, disinterested and Jealous; as a
Christian, devoted, exemplary and con-
sistent, and as gentleman, urbane, ac-
complished and courteous. His talents
for writing were also Of a high order. "
At the time of his return from Eu-
rope not only were the Catholics of
Maryland under the ban of disfran-
chisement, but all persons of every
faith were taxed to support the estab-
lished church-the Church of England
and this in a province which to use
the words of the Protestant historian
in describing the landing Of Lord Bal
timore and his Catholic colony in
Maryland Here for the first time re-
ligious liberty found home in the
wide world. And there, too, Protest
ants were sheltered from Protestant in
tolerance" 1t may be here mentioned
that, owing to the element which has
the writing Of history, this beautiful
tribute to Maryland's Catholic founder
has been effaced from the impartial
and fair book Of Mr.. Bancroft.
The discussion as to the right of
taxation for the support Of religion
soon extended from the legislature to
the public press. In 1772 Charles Car,
roll, over the signature THE First
Citizen in series of articles in tho
Maryland Gazette attacked the valid
ity of the law imposing the tax. The
church" was defended by a Mr.. De.
lany, the leader OF the colonial Lar
whose authority on co!ona! Law was
so generally acknowledged that his
opinions We're quoted as aStority in
this discussion the foremost Of the