Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-31
MEMORIAL DAY
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and IL was because Sralituue al . y /,
and used the graver' statues, ), -, Pnnl
ar IF their patriots and DeneIactors.
Their names. their deeds and their prals-
&c hurn on every page of their annals
and come down through the ages 10 teii
of their greatness ana 10 eNPiaii ~.
What reason the heart and It's pest m
stincts taught the great nations OF pa
ganism. God himself incucated TO the
Jews The Bible teens with eulosles o.
the benefactors of the Hebrew race anu
festivals sanctioned by God own au-
thorfty are decreed to be celebrated Tor
an eternal commemoration OF the events
and benefactors that achieved or cohsoi-
dated the liberties of the nation. ne
ma mes of Moses. David. solomon, SaHil'-
son. Judith and Esther were the watch-
words of Jewish liberty. They gave
strength to the nation in the day of peril
and were a heaven of hope in the darkest
hours of its eventful history. And why!
Simply because every national festlVal'
every honored name and hero was an
eternal lesson, and an eternal exam
pie to the entire nation: for all
national celebrations are but the epii-
omized history of some great he or
some important event. And thus in nus
festivals the Jew heard recapitulated all
the glorieS of his history; in them ne
heard the sublime canticles of victory
and thanksgiving sung by Moses, and
Mary and Deborah. He marched in
imagination through the Red sea and
through the portents that for forty years
marked his pathway to liberty; ne de-
seconded into the valley of Teribinth with
David and returned amid the shouts OF a
redeemed people; in the evening he saw
Bethulia hemmed in and without ray of
hope, and in the morning heard the
shouts of a nation made memorable by
the heroine Judith, whom he acclaimed
1.-The glory of Israel and the honor of
his people
And what was the result? Picty and
patriotism; thar God would never aban-
don the nation that was faithful to him.
and put her trust in him; and that the
best way to guard the liberties of the
people was to celebrate the achieve
ments and emulate the virtues of their
patriots and benefactors. Ii is obvious.
therefore that gratitude is not only the
cause but also the measure of nation $
grea tness. Nor did the Pagan or the
Jew deem their time lost in these ma
tional celebrations. for they knew and
felt that it was thus they raised up pa
triots and heroes to be the bucklers of
the State. the guardians of her liberties
and the glory of the nation. Honor to
whom honor is due is not only a prln-
ciple of reason and justice, but also a
precept endorsed by the authority Of
Revelations.
Soldiers Of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, l congratulate you that you have
read Alright this lesson of history and
religion as well-that the best interests
of the nation are not subserved by being
always in the workshop or at the desk
that it not by bread alone that man liv-
eth: HAT 1t is not lost time to honor the
martyr of nation, and to teach your
children the sublime and ennobiing les
son of patriotism and gratitude. AS
suredly If We have reason to be proud of
our country and her institutions. we
should be animated by something more
than sterile admiration for her defend
ers and benefactors We should be gen.
erous enough to be thankful and prove it.
1t is thus that you yearly fulfill your duty
to your country by honoring her dead he
roes. and to your children by teaching
them TO love and when duty calls. to
serve a greatful and therefore deserv-
ing country.
Among those who fought and fell on
the blood-stained fields of the South for
the cause OF freedom and humanity
many, am proud to say, We're Catholics
and devoted sons of the Catholic church
In all our country's strfes have Catho-
lies ever been wanting in loyalty or de-
Votedness to the land of their birth or
adoption? If such be the case history
has failed to record it. Without aid the
American colonies could never have
achieved their independence Catholic
Ireland was the first to sympa thze with
liberty at this birth. when she gave to
it a Barry. a Campbell. a Wayne and an
q Brien Morgan, a Stark and n Mont
gomery. Next came Catholic France
with her Lafayetet, Rochambeau and her
many thousand Catholic soldiers then
Catholic Poland with her Pulaski and the
gallant kosciusko. while Catholic Spain
threw open her own ports and the ports
of Havana to the American marine and
contributed one million francs to the new
republic; Canada with her limited re-
sources raised and equipped two full reg
ments and last but not least. the Catho-
lie bishop of Baltimore who journeyed
far and near in search of aid for the
struggling colonists. To him in fact do
we owe the assistance received from the
French king, for had he not appealed to
the Pope of Rome, the Holy Father
would not have asked through a special
nunco. aid for the well nigh exhausted
patriots. Franklin. after fruitless ef-
forts, down hearted and detected. said to
the Papal envoy at Paris: Rome has
saved my country. America will never
forget it for Rome. The Catholics shall
have all rights the Protestants have
Convey to his Holiness the Pope my
thanks for all the American people. We
will never, no never, forget it for Rome. :"
Mr.. Franklin" said the nuncio. You
must thank Bishop Carol. for 1t was he
that induced the Pope to send me here
in the interest of the American people
His letters in favor of your cause were
laid by me before the French King and
cabinet. and success has crowned his
Efforts
So. gentlemen and preservers of the
republic, if you want to know something
of the man. who, next to the Almighty
God and George Washington, gave you
a flag and a country, turn to the Catho-
lie cathedral of Baltimore and see his
tomb. Washington said that of all the
men whose influence was the most potent
in securing the success of the Revolu-
ton, Bishop Carroll of Baltimore. was
the man. The English King called him
"the rebel bishop" ''Washington's Rich
elieu." 1.-The prime minister and adviser
Pope of Rome to use his influence at the
French court for the Americans"
mo, no. said the King to Mr.. Pitt,
prime minister of England. mo no.
will never sign a bill granting Catholic
emancipation after the action taken by
the rebel Catholic bishop of Baltimore.
He had the colonies detached from my
dominions by the aid of the French army
and navy and by the force of Irish Cath
olics. No. no. you need not stop to argue
with me, my mind is made on that ques-
ton
Then" said Mr.. Pitt, eff that is your
matesty's determination, | must resign.
| cannot remain in office. as am pledged
to grant Catholic emancipation.
"Then resign said the obstinate
King Mr.. Pitt resigned like a man, and
Catholic emancipation was not granted
for q years after. This shows what
Irish Catholics suffered for American in