The Irish standard., 1904-08-27
Brief Sketch of the Senator's Busy Life
Which Was Devoted to the Welfare
of All Mankind.
He Was an Ideal Type of the True American
and Opposed Bigotry Wherever
1t Appeared.

I have not been slow to take advantage
of this feeling for their own purposes.
They have, for some reason, always
preferred to make their political move
| ment in secret societies. The
prospective and intolerant opposition
to Catholicism especially against men
| of foreign birth has shown it's head
| occasionally. 1t is utterly
uncongenial to the spirit of true Amer
icanism, and will never have any con-
siderable permanent strength The
chapter, as whole, is we'll worth
reading by all Irish Catholics. But of
greater interest is the chapter on the
ga. p. A." movement and the stand
taken by him against that body of
bigots. 1t shows how warm his heart
beat in the defense Of Irish Catholics
in time when nearly every public
man (non,Catholic) shrank from MAX
ing any declaration of views regard
ing it. The following extracts are tax
EN- from vol. II, chap. XXI: zone
very unreasonable, yet very natural
excitement has stirred deeply the
American people on several occasions
in our history. 1t came to us by law
full Inheritance from our English and
Puritan ancestors. That is the bitter
and almost superstitious dread of the
Catholics, which has resulted more
than once in riots and crimes, and
more than once in the attempt to ex-
clude them from political power in the
country. - I have always re-
sisted it and denounced it to the ut
most of my power. My father was
Unitarian. I was bred in the most
liberal of all liberal faiths. But I
have believed that the way to encoun-
ter bigotry is by liberality. If any
man try to deprive you of your alb
solute rights, begin to defend yourself
by giving him his own. Human ma
ture, certainly American human ma
ture, will never, in my opinion, long
hold out against that method of deal
ing. Our people forgot that
the religious persecution, of which
they cherished the bitter memory, was
the result Of the spirit of the age, and
not Of one form Of religious faith
They forgot that the English Protest
ants not only retaliated on the Catho-
lies when they got into power, but
that the bishops from whose fury, as
John Milton said, our own Pilgrim
fathers fled, were Protestant bishops
and not Catholic. They forgot the
eight hundred years during which Ire
land had been under the heel of Eng
land, and the terrible history as we'll
told by that most English of English
men, and Protestant of Protestants,
Lord Macauley."
Early in the summer of 1895, Sena-
tor Hoar delivered an address at the
opening of the summer school of Clark
university, Worcester, Mass. At that
time the ga. P. A." movement -four
ished, and as Senator Hoar said in an
other portion Of his autobiography:
"No Republican, in any part Of the
country put himself publicly on record,
as attacking this vicious brotherhood"
During the address referred to, Sen
ator Hoar declared: II have no pa
tience or tolerance with the spirit that
would excite religious strife. 1t is so
much out of place as the witchcraft
delusion or the fires of Smithfield.
This nation is composite. 1t is made
up Of many streams, Of the twisting
and winding Of many bands. The
quality, hope and destiny of our land
is expressed in the phrase Of our
fathers, "E Pluribus Unum''-of many
one-of many states one nation
I-of many races, one people-of many
creeds, one faith-of many bended
knees, one family of God"
This speech and another before the
Massachusetts club at Newport ex-
cited the indignation Of the leaders of
the "a. P. A." and man named
Evans attacked Senator Hoar, in let
ter and through A. P. A. organs. SEN
ator Hoar patiently bore these attacks,
waiting fair opportunity to reply.