The Irish standard., 1900-12-15

no liberty OF speech. Iuclr tongue is
not their own. None must dare to ut
ter word, either in favor of King
George, or in disfavor Of the idol ii. C.,
independence they have set up; the
new, illegal, unconstitutional govern
ment, utterly unknown to us and to
our forefathers. Here is no religious
liberty; no liberty of conscience for
them that honor the King; and whom
consequently. a sense of duty prompts
them to defend from the vile calumnieS
continually vented against him. Here
is no civil liberty; no enjoying the
fruits of their labor, any farther than
the populace pleases. A man has no
security for his trade. his house. his |
property, unless he will swim with the
stream. Nay, he has no security Cor
his life. if his popular neighbor has a
mind to cut his throat. For there
is no law; no legal magistrates to take
cognization of offences. There is the
gulf of tyranny-of arbitrary power OIL
one hand and of anarchy on the 9th
er."
Such is the picture John Wesley
gave of the founders Of this Republic
and of the spirit that actuatcd them.
In view of it, and assuming that tho
early Methodist preachers were intll:.
enced by his utterances, we are No,
surprised at the following observation
of Mr.. Graves in his book above
named: "It is not strange that all the
Methodist preachers in this country
were Tories. Mr. H. e., Methodist
Bishop Asbury concealed himself
among the Tories of the State of Della
ware"
Wesley was no stronger enemy of
rcpublcansm in state than he wns in
his church. In letter to Mr.. Mason,
Jan. 13. 1870, he wrote: My Dear
Broher-As long as l live the people
shall have no share in choosing either
stewards or leaders among the Metllo-
dists. We have not, nor never had.
any such customs. WE ARE NO RE
pUBLIC.ANS, AND NEVER INTEND
TO BE 1t would be better for those
who are so minded to go quietly
away" Such is Wcsley's theory of
ment-anti-rcpublican both IN
church and state. What Il phenomc-
nal amount of impudent assurance his
loud disciples of the Goodscll and
King type must needs have to appoint
themselves as special guardians of re-
publican institutions.
We have collected these opinions IF
Wesley not to rake up old scandals.
but to teach the GOodsells and Kings
the wisdom of the old saw: "Thosc
who live in glass houses should not
throw Stones" and to suggest to mon
of cooler heads and broader minds,
like DR.. Buckley, editor of the Chris
tan Advocate, who can differ with his
Catholic neighbors without viifyin@
them, and without ccasing to be an
honorable gentleman. that fanntcal
and INSCRIPTIONS mischief makers Of
the Goodsell-King order should have a
cob inserted crosswisc in their mouths
to prevent their insui1crablc brayng.
DR.. King is a sell-appointed ''prc.
server of our Institutions" This sug-
gestS a question. 1t is, that in view
Of the fact that the founder of Meth
odism WAS Il pronounced opponent OF
American Independence and of the rc.
n,
view of the fact that Catholic France,
under Lafayette and Rochambcau
helped to establish our Institutions
and of the further fact that the cen
trail doctrine of the Declaration of IN
depcndrncc-th the consent of the GOV
crncd necessary to Legitimacy of gov
ernmcnt-wns taught and advocated
by great Catholic throloginns before
the signcrs of the Declaration We're
born; in view, we say, of these two
very different sets Of facts. would il
not be more in keeping with the fit.
ness of things that, ii our institutions
should ever need special prescrvcrs
the Catholics could be rs WE'LL or oven
more safely entrusted with the higl
commission than the disciples of The
neutrality-suspicious., anti-republican
English Tory, John Wesley.
We present this as Il purely ac:l
demir question, for we do not believe
in the necessity or utility of special
sell-appointed prescrverS. whether
Catholic. Methodist. Presbyterian
Baptist or what not. Such people Gcn
orally make nuisanccS of themselves
in one way or another. and under the
show of hypcr-patriotism generally
conceal an ak to be ground-an AK in
no way akin to the little hatchet that
tested and Illustrated the integrity OF
the Father of his Country.
The American people, without dis
tinction of creed, sect, sex, color, OF
previous condition, are the guardian,
Of our institutions, and as such they
must beware Of the special profess
sional preservers, a set Of self-conceit
ed, self-approved, mischievous busy,
bodies who. ruled by a mixture OF
fanaticism and self-interest, are the
:, frC IN,