The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-03-16
CATHOLICS WHO HAVE
BEEN U. S. SENATORS
The List, Though not Large, Contains
the Names of Some Notable
Statesmen.
Louisiana Has Had Two Catholic
Senators at One Time-Will
Soon Have Two More.
Three States will Then be Repres.
ented in the Senate by Four
Catholic Senators.

Odll1Ol1C 0C11dlOlS.
Louisiana will, in the near future,
have as United States Senators, two
Catholics - Ransdell and Broussard.
Some years ago, some half a dozen
members of the Senate were or the
faith, but Of late the only one was Il
senator from New York.
The fact that Louisiana being soon
represented by two Catholics recalls
the fact that once before this State
sent two Catholics to the u. S. Senate
Alexander Moulton and Pierre Soule
in the forties OF the last century.
They have been described as OF very
opposite character and temperament
Moulton was suave. gentle and delib-
crate - Soulc fiery, ardent, quick of
speech and movement. Moulton was
a native of his State though of Ar
France and had been a lawyer and an
editor In Paris. l1o was an intellcc-
tual giant, writes r. c. Cleaner, in
the Catholic Columbian. He resigned
his seat in the Senate to accept the
position of special envoy to Spain un-
der President Pierce for the purpose
Of negotiating for the purchase of
Cuba and the Isle of Pines. While in
the Senate he had ardcntly advocated
Cuban annexation and for that reason
was entrusted with that mission.
Spain's pride was aroused and the
American envoy was not allowed to
submit even q formal proposition, but
his ability and character were every
where recognized. Some of his rcla-
tives still live in New Orleans or did
some years ago.
Strange Story.
A strange story was at one time cur
rent about Senator Soulc to the effect
that he was a son of Napoleon tho
Great-hencc Napoleon I'LL used his
influence with Spain to BATTLE Soule's
mission in behalf of this country. He
knew Of the story but his naturaliza-
ton papers dispose Of the story, for
they give his parentage, date and place
of birth in great detail. While he was
In tho United States Senate he had as
friend another Catholic Senator,
! Shields, hence there was presented a
( unique fact--thc two foreign born Sen
ators--one from France with all the
equipment that wealth and education
could gvc--thc ether from ireland, a,
man who had literally carved his sway
through the world. Perlcy Poorc thus
describes So,lle in 1853:
Full of French vivacity and inspired
by the attendance of beauty, his eO-
1ucncc is wildly effective and its in
terest is heightened by wonderful by
play-now refuting by an indignant
start, now enforcing by a moral shud-
der. No member Of the Senate can
draw such crowds to the galleries as
the accent of La Belle France"
Others Of tho Faith.
| Other Catholic Senators of our his
| tory were Eugene Casserly of Cali
fornia, Johnston of Virginia, Bogy OF
Missouri, Jones of Florida, Herman Of
| New York, Barbour of Virginia. Kenna
of West Virginia, Smith of New Jer-
scy, Murphy of New York, Roach OF
North Dakota, Powers and Carter Of
| Montana, White Of California, and
| White Of Iouisiana-now Chief JUS
tice Of the Supreme Court, Heitfeldt
of Idaho, and Walsh Of Georgia. TO
| this list, perhaps not complete, but
one may venture to say nearly so, must
be added Charles Carroll Of Maryland
in the very earliest days of the Sen
ate.
Some years ago, it was mooted in
some Catholic papers that Donaldson
Caffery of Louisiana was a Catholic,
but a note from his brother Law,
Attorney Richardson Of New Orleans.
gave this information: Donaldson
Caffery is a Protestant with Presby-
| terian leanings; his wife who was
Bette c. Richardson, is a Methodist.
Senator caffery's mother was a Miss
Murphy. His father came from Ten
nessee and the name of Donaldson