The Irish standard., 1901-03-30
THE LATE PATRICK D0NAHoH,

THE LATE PATRICK DONAHOH.
A great benefactor of the Irish race
has passed away in Boston at the
patriarchal age of ninety. Full of
years and honors Patrick Donahoe
the founder of the Pilot, died on the
anniversary of his birth after an illness
OF three months. For two generations
he was the guide, philosopher and
friend Of the Irish people at home and
in this country, and never deceived
them or led them astray
Until he started the Boston Pilot in
1886 the Irish eXiles in America were
without defender of their creed and
| nationality. AT that time they We're
| misrepresented and belied by the Brit
ish press on both sides of the Atlantic.
Those We're the days Of dominant
Professionalism of the Puritan type
when no Irish need apply for anything
but mental employment A wave of
bigotry had swept over New England
in the year 1884, which eliminated in
the burning of Nharlestown convent,
~ literary institution conducted by the
tfrsuline Nuns under the patronage OF
Bishop Fenwick. 1t was attended by
the daughters Of the wealthy citizens
of Boston and vicinity, nearly all of
whom were Protestants. Young Pat
rick Donahoe was probably spectator
of the contlagration, and we can mag
inc his feelings when he saw the edi-
flee consigned to the flames by howl
ing mob of Boston bigots with the
municipal authorities looking on with
appreciation. The criminals who per-
petrated the incendiary act We're ac-
quilted by a Protestant jury composed
of the leading citizens of the Athens of
America. Not one cent of damages
was ever paid by the commonwealth
of Massachusetts to the Catholics
whose property was so wantonly de-
stroyed. Two years afterwards Pat
rick Donahoe, who had learned the
printers trade, published the first num-
Der of the Pilot He was not much of
a scholar for his educational advan-
tagcs were meagre. Coming to Boston
at the age of ten he attended school
for a few years and in his early teens
entered a printing office to learn the
art prescrvative." He became an eX-
pert type-setter and acquired a thor
ough knowledge of his business. He
realized what great power is that Of
the press and determined to utilize it
in behalf of his race and creed. Not
possessing the mental gifts of Franklin
and Greeley who graduated from the
printers den" and became famous,
Patrick Donah0c became Il publisher
rather than an editor and employed
the best talent of others Oh the Pilot
If one looks over the files of the
Pilot during the. Knownothing craze
down to the outbreak of the Civil War
he will readily see that Patrick Dona-
hoe was a power in the land. Bigotry
was rampant. Not only the ignorant
but the educated We're saturated with
prcjudiccs against popcry and for
cigners. Nathaniel p. Banks, a repre-
sentative from Massachusetts, venti-
lated his views on Knownothingism
md Catholicity on the floor of congress
Other educated Yankees displayed
their narrow principles in the same
place, but to the honor of Charles Sum-
ner. the friend Of human liberty, we
are happy to state that he eloquently
defended foreigners from prescription
regardless of their creed or nationality
The Pilot was attacked on all sides
by the venomous Puritan papers of
the East and Interpretations were made
from it for the purpose Of misrepre
senting the Catholics whose canse il
espoused. For instance, the Pilot was
quoted as saying that it favored the
introduction of the Spanish inquisi
tion into the United States in order to
prosecute the descendants of the Pill
grims. The fabricated passage attrib
uted to the Pilot was given with marks
Of quotation as an evidence of genu
ineness. To this day it does duty in
anti-Catholic publications like "Oul
Country" by Rev. Josiah Strong
These matters are mentioned to show
what great influence was exerted by
Patrick Donahoe in the columns of his
paper when it stood the sole champion
Of creed and nationality in the dark
days of sectarian bitterness in this
land where there is no state church as
| in Europe and where the free exercise