Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-19

conscience. Upon this proposition
maintain that if a single member of
the Catholic church. instead of the 3d.
Oc0 who have petitioned you. should
ask you 20 remove this restraint. or
had asked you to remove this restraint,
from his person or his property. it does
NOT now 1t has not heretofore, it shall
not hereafter lie in the right of this
Legislature t. deny that appeal. so
long as your present Constition re-
mains in force.
me Constitution of Maine saws fur
ther, ali persons demeaning them
selves peaceably as good members of
the Stat, shall be equally flnder the
protection of the laws, and no subor-
dination nor preference of any one
sect or denomination to another shall
ever be established by law" 1t is not
only the right; but it is the solemn
duty of this Legislature to terminate
the unlawful conditions which have
arisen from the acts OF its predeces-
Sofs Previous to the separation of
church from State parishes were q
part Of the governmental organization.
and taxes were assessed and collected
in the same manner for church pur-
poses as for municipal charges. Fer
these parishes the right of self-govern-
ment still exists so far as it has not
been modified or taken away by the
acts of 1887.
Catholics in this State, for the most
part, are poor. They enter the mills
at an early age. Their funds are
raised 10 care for their local schools.
churches and hospitals. The educa-
ton of their children is limited to pri-
yate schools. and depends for it's ex-
tent upon the amount of funds avail
able. They strive, in SO far as they
are able, to care for their own sick
and peer The raising of these funds.
ny whatever name it may be known,
is a tax, and it carries with it the
right of representation in it's disburse-
ment One Of the fundamental princi-
pies upon which the American Revolu-
ton was fought,-one Of its chief
causes, WAS taxation without REPRE-
sentation. This corporation sole may
we'll be considered to be an immense
ecclesiastical trust. and as such it is
inimical to our American institutions,
and. to the universal principles of eco
iANiilAN SUIT II ItSNS upon the
patriotic members of this House to
repeal tais Act. | cannot conceive of
any membef.-any true patriot.-who
can vote consistently against the equal
freedom of all persons within the
jurisdiction of the great State. | can
not conceive of any benefits to be de-
rived by these limitations upon our
Catholic colleagues. Tie great pro-
gressive principle of this. or any other
age, if such principles there be- stands
forth in glowing headlines in the
handriting upon the wall Equal
rights for all; special privileges for
none.
Gentlemen. it is for you to say
whether this great obligarehy shall
longer exist in our midst. Abraham
Lincoln erased even the color line 80
Years ago. Would 10 heaven that the
decision of this matter had been in
the hands Of Abraham Lincoln The
Catholic members of this House even
vote against its repeal for fear of ex-
communication; but / say to you, gen
tlemen. that ,here is great moral
responsibility upon 4as. Shall the
ignorant remain in ignorance? Shall
Che poor grow poorer2 Shall the sick
still suffer circumscribed by this I'M
righteous law The greatest teacher
of mankind has made each of you his
brothers keeper: and he still speaks
in prophetic tones of that great event
towards which all creation moves. In
asmueh as ye nave done il unto one of
the least of these We have done it unto
me"
have only the profoundest respect
for these Catholic citizens who have
come before YOU with the request that
this Act of 1857 b. repealed, even at
the risk of their own ecclesiastical
death; and | am reminded of that now
far cry of Patrick Henry, Give me
liberty or give me death; and trust
that every members OF this House will
listen to that appeal. The Catholic
corporation sole, as it now exists, is
contrary to our form of government;
it is unconstitutional; it is un-Ameri-
can and it should not exist in the
shadow of Il great Republic. ] hope,
gentlemen, that the motion of the gem
tlcman from Milford (Mr. 0'CcnnelD
will not prevail.
Mr.. OCONNELL: Mr. Speaker.
shall not at this time attempt to take
thr time of the House only to say n
4few words, and | do not think | will
attempt to reply To the remarks of the
gentleman from Berwick chr. Spen-
cerl. | will merely state that the bill
as amended is satisfactory to the con-
scrvative element of the Catholic
church. 1t may be true that some are
not absolutely satisfied: and there is
a doubt in my own mind if the bill
can be So constructed that they would
be satisfied.
The gentleman from Berwick (Mr.
Spencer) in his remarks made mention
OF the tact that Patrick Henry said
Give us liberty. OF give us death.
Now, gentlemen. what is liberty? He
saws that no man shall use the church
of any denomination for political foot
ball That is what Patrick Henry
meant when he said Give us liberty,
or give It's death. The committee on
judiciary has gone through this
amendment, the dill has been re-draft-
ed and it is satisfactory; this amend
ment a was in the House. and it has
now been withdrawn: this bill is just
What we want. and il is the New York
law. providing that tie Bishop, the
vicar general. the parish priest and
two laymen shall be the board of trus-