The Irish standard., 1902-02-08

or power whatsoever. should dispense
with or annul the same, or declare it
was null and void from the begin
ming"
The great battle for freedom on the
American continent was fought and
won largely by the liberty-loving sons
of the prosecuted Irish Catholics. In
Il speech made before the Irish Par
lament by Hon. Luke Gardiner, April
2. 1884. it was said: "America W1,s
lost by Irish emigrants. These emil
gratiOnS are fresh in the recollection
of every gentleman in the house.
am assured, from the best authority.
the major part of the American army
was composed of Irish. and that the
Irish language was as commonly
spoken in the American ranks as Eng
lisl. am also informed it was their
valOr determined the contest. so that
England had America detached from
her by force of Irish emigrants."
This fact is confirmed by the state
ment of the American General Lee
that half the continental army was
from Ireland" When we add to
this the large number of American re-
cruits of Irish lineage the conclusion
seems Irresistible that more than half
the Revolutionary army was of Irish
blood. Hence. by a singular Nemesis,
the eXles of Erin brought humiliation
and defeat on their hereditary enc
mics and played an important part in
the most beMeticent event in the po-
litical history of the world-the estab-
lishment of Il government of the peo.
pie. for the people. and by the peo-
pie" \ well-meritcd castigation was
inflicted on the British nation which
framed and executed the most bar
barous laws that ever threatened the
political and religious liberties of II
FREQ people; and condign punishment
was visited upon Il great political
State whose SOvereigns still bear the
long since forfeited title. "Fidei de-
fcnSor." the accusing angel of Il ma
tiOnal apOStaSy.
Well might the prosecuted for con-
science sake look forward with hap.
picSt anticipations to the rights and
privileges that the .juStice-loving re-
II
the sympathy. the treasure and the
blood with which Catholic Ireland
and Catholic France purchased of her
an abiding place among the nations
of the world. There was something
OppOrtune as well as significant in the
congratulatory speech by Archbishop
Carroll in behalf of the Catholic
clergy and laity to Washington, in
which he said to the first President
under the new Constitution: whilst
our country preserves her freedom
and independence we shall have Il
well founded title to claim from her
justice the equal rights of citizenship
as the price of our blood. split under
your eyes, and of our common cXer-
tfons for her defense under you1
auSpiciOus conduct" 10 which the
magunimous Washington replied: II
hope ever to see America among the
foremost nations in examples Of JUS
tice and lberality. And presume that
your fellow citizens will not forget the
patriotic part which you took in the
accomplishment of their revolution
and the establishment of your gov
ernment."
But the spirit of religious intoler-
ance was to find a lurking place in
the sanctuary of liberty. It's baneful
influence continued to cast it's blight
ing shadow over the land reddened
with generous Catholic blood. And
it must be confessed that New Hamp-
shire. to her deep disgrace was the
first to begin. and the last to retain
IL code of State laws ut once odious
and oppressive to Catholics.
The religious qualification for office
remained in force for nearly one hun
dred years. Several attempts had
been made to repeal this obnoxious
clause. but all failed of success, even
that of 1881. which had the active
support of General afterwards Pres
ident Pierce. But Il quarter of
century later, when the Catholics, in
creasing in numbers and influence.
chafetl under these adverse laws-the
survival days of Ignorance and perse-
cution-another effort was made to re-
peal the religious test for office. 1t
is true that for some time the test
had fallen into innocuous dcsuetude
and Catholics had already been
elected to occupy seats in the Legisla-
lat,lre: but the bare existence of a
religious qualification was stigma
that could no longer he patis0tiy
borne. At the earnest appeal of some
of the prominent statesmen it was
decided in the Constitutional Conven-
tion of 1876 to submit the question
once more to the people. and in the
following March the odious test for
office was repealed by a vote Of 2S,-
AT against 14,231. This amendment
received the approval of Governor
Cheney on April II, 1877. Catholics
were henceforth legally entitled to
hold office, and began to feel that