The Irish standard., 1909-12-04
THE LOYALTY Of ROMAN CATHOLICS
TO THE CAUSE Of AMERICAN FREEDOM
The Patriotic Part Played by Them During the War the Rvo
luton and the Generous Aid Given by Catholic France Led
the Glorious Victory Yorktown and Rescued the Republic
From the Odious Yoke of the British

The story of the foundation of the
United States as free and indepen-
dent government is one of the most
interesting and about az little under
stood as any period in the history OF
the world in modern times, says the
Intermountain Catholic, of Salt Lake
City. So much has happened since
the inauguration Of the first president
rectly connected with the war, occur
ring between the Battle of Lexington.
the Battle of Bunker Hill or the Dec
laration of Independence and the in
auguration Of George Washington are
passed over very lightly in the schools.
and are completely forgotten by q very
fore they have reached middle age.
Yet between April 10, 1775, the date
of the Battle Of Lexington. and April
30. 1889. the date of the Inauguration
of Washington, at New York, new
nation, founded upon equity and JUS
tice, personal liberty and freedom, w*.s
etapsed between the Battle of Lex
inBton and the Inauguration of WASH
ington, six of which were taken up ii,
the prosecution of the war, from Lex
ington to Yorktown October 10, 178D,
and eight years to overcoming the
jealousies Of the different states and
selecting a presiding officer. During
this interval the most momentous
events in the worlds history were
enacted. The war itself was a mighty
triumph for the people Of the colonies,
and the results which followed have
done more to spread the principles of
constitutional government throughout
the earth than all the armed conflicts
between might and right since the
world began.
played by loyal members of the Cath
olic Church is entirely overlooked in
: the histories as presented in the public
; schools of the country. A Catholic
clergyman recently said that he WAS
sure no church organization in the
, country had more enemies than the
Catholic Church, and suggested that
perhaps the reason for this unreason-
, able attitude Of many good citizens
was due to ignorance of the prominent
part taken by members Of the Church
in the struggle for liberty and in the
. wars which have followed in defense
of the nation. To test the correctness
of the prelates views, it has given the
writer much pleasure to question sew
, cral public school pupils as to thet:
knowledge of activity by Catholics in
, the struggle for liberty, and found
that the opinion was general that there
were no Catholics in the army of tho
revolution; Catholics generally were
l opposed to a free government. Fur.
: ther than this, we have found among
l adults there is a vague impression
3 gathered in their school days, prob.
) ably, that among the heroes OF tn,
revolution, no Catholic name appears
Notwithstanding this general errone.
GUS Impression, 1t may safely be sale
that among the most potent influence,
I which brought about q successful ter.
! mination Of the Revolutionary war wa.
l that exerted by Catholic soldiers ant
3 Catholic money, furnished at tim.
when despair had seized the American
leaders and ,mutiny had infested thu
). troops. It may be that the yoke o.
England would have been subsequent
= 1y thrown off, but the revolution .
+. 1915 could never have been successful
ly concluded without the assistanc,
of Catholic France.
r. 1t was largely due to the Influence .
Benjamin Franklin, as the representa-
. tive Of the colonies to France, tina
4 the treaty between the United State
= and France was concluded in 1885,
:, With dignity, patience, perseverance
and diplomacy, Franklin played upo
y the ancient jealousies of the Frenc
and English for several years, wit
8 the result that the first treaty betwee
the United States and foreign pow.
2