The Irish standard., 1903-02-14

The recent speech of Senator Hoar
in the United States senate, OH the
occasion Of acceptance of the statues
of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, and
John Hanson, was notable for it's
broad and liberal spirit even more
than for its splendid eloqucnce. In
speaking Of Carroll, the senator said:
CHARLES Carroll was devoted Catho-
lie. He belonged to that church which
preserved for mankind religion, learn
ing, literature, and law through the
gloomy centuries known as the Dark
Ages. Yet it is the only denomination
of Christians against which anything
of theological bitterness or bigotry
seems to have survived amid the lib-
erality Of our enlightened day" Fur
ther ON in his memorable address the
distinguished senator said: 1.-The
American Catholic did his full and
noble share III winning the liberty and
in framing the constitution of the
country which he loves as we do and
which we love MS he does" Well and
nobly said, Senator Hoar, writes d. j.
Murphy in the New Century.
We, Catholics, may we'll rejoice and
be glad when we remember the part
our brethren of the faith have borne
In the history of Americn. TO these
virgin shores came the captains of
Catholic nations-Columbus, Cabot,
Vespucci, De Leon, Balboa, Vcrran-
MlIo, Cartier and De Soto. In those
days Of romance and exploration,
while kings and pOtentates were seek
ing for extended empire, Catholic mis-;
sionarics were zealously seeking to
spread the light of the Gospel and win
souls to Christ. Here where the saw
age lived his unfettercd life, the black
robed fathers came and baptized and
snnctificd the land with their blood.
The Jesuits, the Franclscans, the
Dominicans travcrsed the trackless
wilds carrying their message of peace
to the Indians. But the early discov-
erers appear to have been forgotten
and the memory of the Catholic mar
tyrs apparently faded away before the
dawn of the eighteenth century.
Though Catholics had been the pion
GERS in this new world, yet In many
of the American colonies their faith
was prescribed and their priests were
piloried and tied to the whipping
post. While the Quakers and the Bap-
fists were being prosecuted in some
quarters, there was absolute freedom
In matters of religion in Catholic Mary
land. Generally forgetful Of the uI-
grateful and cruel treatment they had
received in land they had given to
freedom, Catholics played Il noble part
in the stormy scenes of the Rcvolu-
ton.
Early in the War for Independence
1t became important to obtain aid
from Canada and commission was
selected to go there and endeavor to
secure Canadian cooperation. This
commission was composed of Ben
jamin Franklin, Charles Carroll and
Samuel Chase-and Rev. John Carroll
subsequently bishop was asked to ac-
company them.
Senator McComas, of Maryland,
who probably intended to speak fair
ly, was not, however, as we'll acquaint-
cd with the truths Of history as was
Senator Hoar, for in his speech in the
senate on the occasion of the accept
ance of the Carroll and Hanson stat
ucs he thus expressed himself:
"Early in 1876 Congress appointed
Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase and
Charles Carroll as commissioners to
Canada to secure cooperation with the
United Provinces against Great Bri-
tain. The population. near
ly all Catholic. were turned against
us by their priests. Charles Carroll
and Rev. John Carroll in vain tried to
secure the aid of their co-religionists."
If Senator McComas had read his
history to more purpose, he would
have discovered that ]. Jay and few
followers in the first Congress. who