The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-02-25
A FAMOUS VlRG1N1AN.
Such Was Anthony M. Kelley, Who Was
Killed In Paris.

Such Was Anthony M. Kelley, Who Was
Killed In Paris.
Mr.. Anthony NJ. Kelley, who was
run over the other day and killed in
the Place de Ia Concorde, Paris, was
a famous Virginian who suffered for
the manliness with which he stood up
for his Catholic faith, says the North
west Review. A Southerner of Irish
extraction, he entered the Confederate
army on April 10, 1861, and was the
only member of his regiment, the
Twelfth Virginia, who voted against
secession; but in obedience to state
right principles he volunteered in de-
fence Of his state the day after casting
his vote against it's withdrawal from
the Union.
General Butler took him prisoner in
1864, and Mr.. Kelley has written a
book, Gin Vinculis," describing his ex-
perience in Federal prison.
during the '7O's and up to 1885 A. NJ.
Kelley was president of the organiza-
ton known as the Irish Catholic Be-
evolent Union" which had member
ship varying from 10000 to 10000 in
the Atlantic states. With Martin I. J.
Griffin, the efficient and outspoken Sec
rotary of the I. G. B. u, he gave the
organization its strength and footing.
The citizens of Richmond, Va, elected
him their mayor for several terms, and
his administration was always efficient.
Mr.. Kelley founded and for a time
edited the Norfolk "Virginian" and
"The Index" and News of Peters
burg. He first came into national
prominence through his nomination by
President Cleveland in 1888 as minister
to Italy. Mr.. Kelley was backed by
the endorsement Of the leading Demo-
Gratis of Virginia, and was also said
to have the recommendation of Cardi-
nal Gibbons. In some way the radical
politicians Of Italy were informed who
Mr.. Kelley was, and the result was
that they intimated that man who
had presided at public meeting in
Richmond called to protest against the
destruction Of the Pope's temporal
power would not be persona grata"
to them.
This objection to Mr.. Kelley came
about through the following circum-
stance: It seems that in 1871, when
Victor Emmanuel I. occupied Rome,
Mr.. Kelley was prominent at a meet
ing Of Catholics held at Richmond to
protest against the action of the new
king of Italy. Resolutions were adopt
ed at the meeting, declaring that
''The Catholics of the diocese have
witnessed with profoundest concern
the cruel and causeless invasion Of the
Papal states by a neighbornig sove-
reign, and the sacrilegious violence
with which the Holy Father was driv-
IN from his home and bereft of his law
full authority
Mr.. Kelley was chairman of the
committee which formulated these
resolutions, and is said to have been
their author. In supporting them Mr..
Kelley made strong speech in which
he denounced Victor Emmanuel, and
said that "the cause that triumphed
when, King Victor crossed the Rome
frontier was the cause of teh socialists
and infidels Of Geneva-no more no
less" The local papers at that time
reported these resolutions and Mr.
Keiley's speech very fully. 1t is said
that copies of these papers were sent
to Rome and thus brought the atten-
ton of the Italian government to the
matter.
At first Mr.. Kelley announced that
he would insist on going to Rome, but
later withdrew his name to relieve the
Cleveland administration from an en-
barrassing position. Next Mr.. Kelley
was appointed minister to Austria, but
Catholic Austria also would not take
a man whom Italy had rejected for his
friendship towards the Pope's tempo
raj power. 1t is true that Francis Jo-
seph did not place his objection on
that ground. He had some little ia
vors to ask of the Pope; so his objec-
ton to Kelley was alleged to be that
Keiley'S wife was born Il JeweSs!
Court etiquette in Vienna could not
stand that.
Secretary Bayard addressed note
to the Austrian government in which
he commented on the unreasOnableness
of race and religious distinctions, and
said: ''The Republic not only does not
recognize. but regards with contempt
| race or religious distinctions" The
| secretary even went so far as to say
| that the appointment would be allowed
| to stand. even if it resulted in a cessa-
ton of diplomatic relations between
the United States and Austria To re-
| lieve the administration OF President
Cleveland of further embarrassment,
Mr.. Kelley resigned and later was ap-
pointed chief justice of the information