The Irish standard., 1905-11-04

The recent appointment of the Hon.
orablc Charles ]. Bonaparte to be Sec
retary of the Navy in President Roose-
velt's cabinet, has drawn the atten-
tion Of thinking people to the fact
that, in proportion to their numbers,
the Catholics of the United States
have not taken the position in public
life that rightfully belongs to them,
says late issue of the Boston Re-
public. In this land of civil and re-
ligious liberty, there always has been,
and still Is, narrow-minded preju-
dice against Catholics which should
have no place in the minds Of Amer
lean Protestants when they remem-
bcr the great and good work both
Catholic priests and laymen have done
in this country.
The existence of the Catholic Church
religious body began in 1789 the same
year the national government was es-
tablished. AT the time that George
Washington became the first President
of the United States. his friend, John
Carroll, became the first American
Catholic Bishop. The growth Of the
Church in this country has been no
less phenomenal than the Increase of
the population. In 1889. there were
only 10000 Catholics in the United
States; there are now 15.OOO,OOO.
There was one Catholic among the
Signers of the Declaration Of Indc-
pendcnce. but there was no Catholic
in the American Cabinet for forty-two
years after the formation OF the Gov
ernmcnt, until Andrew Jackson ap-
pointed the illustrious Roger b. Taney
Attorney General In 1881; and the
only Catholic Senator had been Charles
Carroll, of Carrollton, up to that time.
During the 116 years that the United
States Government has existed, scarce
members of the Catholic Church. New
York furnished Francis Herman and
Edward ]. Murphy, Jr. Louisiana hon
ored herself by honoring the elegant
orator and polished gentleman, Pierre
Soule; the present Senator from Flor
ida. Stephen R. Mallory, is Catholic.
He is of good old Southern Catholic
family. His father, who had the same
name, was the Confederate Secretary
Of the Navy. over one Of the highest
offices of the Government the Su-
preme Court Of the United States,
Roger 3. Taney, presided for thirty
years with no stain upon his spotless
ermine.
In speaking of Roger Brooke Taney.
1t should be mentioned that his splen-
did ability and incorruptible integrity
caused him to rise above the anti
Catholic bigotry Of his time. His SER
vices to the country while in the cab
dnet OF President Jackson. were gen.
orally recognized. and public dinners
were rendered him everywhere. When
he returned to Baltimore, he received
a great ovation in his honor, being con-
veyed to his home In barouche drawn
by four white horses. and escorted by
a troop Of several hundred horsemen.
A few days later. a dinner was given
to him, at which the following toast
by Martin Van Buren, was read: 'R.
B. Taney-he has. in his last, best,
brilliant oncial career. passed through
the severest ordeal to which a public
oficer can be subjected. ana he has
come out Of it with imperishable
claims upon the favor and confidence
of the country"
When he was nominated by Presi-
dent Jackson to be Chief Justice. on
the death of Chief Justice Marshall,
his confirmation was violently opposed
by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster,
first because he was Democrat, and
secondly, because he was the trusted
and tried friend Of Andrew Jackson.
whom those distinguished statesmen
most cordially disliked. In spite Of
their powerful opposition, Mr.. Taney
was confirmed by majority Of four