The Irish standard., 1905-09-30

sment, who thought that the foreigner
would outnumber the old settlers and
their descendants. Their alarm was
intensified when it was found that the
greater proportion of the immigrants
were Catholics. Between 1881 and
1870 the new arrivals numbered 600,-
8 900, or about per cent. of the popu-
lation of the country Q7,OO0,000).
q More than one-third of the 100000 new
arrivals came from the shores of
Ireland, and were Catholics.
Bigotry to Catholics made its APP
pearance in New York about 1880.
I samuel F. Morse, the inventor of the
telegraph, while on a visit to Europe,
found that European Catholics were
subscribing to fund that was to be
devoted to assisting the needy Cath
olics of America. Morse, upon his re-
tArn, wrote twelve letters signed
'Brutus," in which he flayed Cath
/, 0lics. The letters aroused the "Na-
twist" element, and they organized
into secret lodges" They took oaths
to vote for none but those who were
born on American soil, also to refuse
appointment to public Office to any
who might profess the Catholic faith.
The Morse letters were issued in book
form and had big sale. The title
was Foreign Conspiracy against the
United States" Morse, in 1886, ran
for Mayor of New York, and out of a
total poll of 10000 votes he received
but 1900. While New York stamped
out the bigotry, Boston nursed it. Two
years previously the Ursuline convent
at Charlestown was burned, and in
1887 the Broad street riot took place.
One historical writer explains the hat
that six of the members of Congress
who voted for war with England in
1872 were members of the Society of
United Irishmen. New England did
not favor that war, and the British
Minister bitterly attacked the native
element" for allowing "the six Irish
Congressman to sway the nation"
The newspapers of the period did
not pay much attention to the "Na-
twists" Not until the "Know Moth
ing" party came into open existence
did the people realize how deep-rooted
was the bigotry. Davis, in his can
didacy for Mayor, was not opposed
publicly because of his bigotry views.
The Atlas, the leading political daily
of the day, and the organ of the Wings
of Boston and New England, referred
occasionally to the fact that the
Wings were native-born Americans,
and that in this respect they were not
to suffer because the Native Amer
lean" party would support native
born candidates only.
When Davis was elected there were
no stirring tributes to his citizenship.
He was viewed with suspicion, and his
death did not occasion general sorrow
throughout the community. His cleo
ton was stubbornly contested, and the
liberal-minded citizens were not quick
to forgive his intolerance.
Patrick A. Collins was born in the
year following the death of Mayor
Davis, and when the future Celtic
To-,
men, women and children Of Irish
blood were bounded and abused,
bigotry placing many barriers in the
way of a free employment of ones
liberty in private life, public life, bus
mess and in all pursuits for a liveli-
hood. How conditions have changed!
Collins grew up in the atmosphere Of
Puritan narrowism and completed his
life in the atmosphere of broad toler-
alton for all views, all religions and
all peoples. Death claimed him at a
time when the people of his blood
numbered majority in the city of
which he was the chief magistrate, yet
those of other religious belief and
other races, were in full enjoyment of
equal opportunities for all.
This sullen glow that Collins found
in Boston of his youthful days marked
the period of vehement contention for
the Church in America. Attempts
were made to dislodge it from the
feeble footholds it had won. These
manifestations were open announce.
. ments of secret ostracism which
made part of the daily experience OF
the Catholic of that day.
The real causes of this excitement
were various. America had been fair
ly homogeneous up to the time of the
Irish invasion. The Celt was man
of different race and creed, speaking
different mental idiom, and people
which had from time immemorial been
the object of prejudice to the English
Only a rare insight could perceive the
high potentialities in them.
Political divisions organized and in
famed this dull mass Of feeling.
But Knownothingism waned. Still