Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-01-31


receipt of many communications anJ
indignant protests concerning the
vile and indecent attack by the
Mountain Advocate, published al
Barbourville, KY, on Catholic
priests and nuns; which was re-
printed in these columns last week
1t has since been learned that the
editor, w. H. Mcdonald, is prom.
inent in Red Men circles, being a
Past Grand Sachem of that order,
many of our local Catholics who are
members vouchsafing the informa
! ton that Mcdonald had no COM
junction in soliciting their support
for office in the Red Men conven-
tions, although beseeching Prot
estants to rise up and crush the
Catholic snake. as he terms the
Catholic church and its followers.
AS was expected, Mcdonald is also
member of the Junior Order of
United American Mechanics, which
is particularly strong in his section,
this explaining why the educational
authorities always report prepon-
derance of ignorance and lack of edu-
cation in the mountain section. In
connection with this wave of re-
ligious bigotry, which now seems to
be in the midst of one of its spas
modic revivals, the Kentucky Irish
American wishes to reprint part OF
the stirring address delivered by
Right Rev. John E. Gum, Bishop OF
Natchez, Miss, at the rally of Holy
Name societies in New Orleans last
week, his subject being entitled SIS
Liberty of Conscience a Fact or Fic-
ton in the United States?" Bishop
Gum said:
1t. is a regrettable fact but still
fact, that waves of religious intol
erance like Mississippi floods pay
unwelcome visits to our land of lib
erty of conscience; they are as
varied as Jacobs coat, shall refer
only TO those that assume some
prominence. l have noticed, how
ever, one remarkable phenomenon
about them all, that they only come
into existence when the country is
at peace and free from yellow fever.
The entire religious history of tho
Colonies may be summed up in a
strife of creed against creed In
New England especially the Pope,
the devil and the Irish were held in
equal adherence. This lasted until
the war of the Revolution began.
Then the Guardians of Liberty
sneaked out of sight and let half the
Continental army be recruited from
Irish lads; Catholic France and no
BILE Poland were not looked upon as
emissaries of Rome when they
helped to drive the Red Coats and
the Union Jack out of the country
forever.
wonder what Andrew Jackson
would have thought or said when in
your own New Orleans Cathedral he
thanked God for his victory, and the
Ursuline ladies for their prayers, If
he could have looked out on the
coming century, and have seen the
men he helped to nationality and
freedom, that there would be among
them some so craven and so mean
as to make IL their business to vilify
the very religion which gave him his
bravest fighters and the noble Sis
ters to whose pure prayers he as
cribed his victory.
Before American independence
there was no religious liberty, but
with peace and independence were
born the twin principles of that civil
and religious liberty on which this
Government rests. The experiment
of religious liberty was novel. II
was accepted ioyfully by the fair
minded and honorable, but II was
not long until the New England
bigots and their agents tried TO
work anti-Catholic restrictions into
nearly every one of the original
Colonies. You know how long dis
elimination was practiced against
Catholics in the various State laws
The methods of bigots are always
the same, false charges, forged docu-
ments, forged oaths and loud profes-
sions that they alone are the
guardians and protectors of liberty
The war with Mexico broke out,
and the self-constituted guardians
like the wary ground hog, crept back
into their holes and let the Catholic
boys do their share OF the fighting
with Generals O'Brien. o'Gorman
O'Reilly. etc, until Old Glory waved
over conquered Mexico. With peace
out came the staggering guardians
again. and the Infamous Know
Nothingism from 1851 to 1858 II
their work.
Its programme, and please remem
ber our American principles guaran
tee equal rights for all, privileges
for none. freedom of conscience fol
all. and religion no bar TO civic ad
yancement. Its programme was tC
resist the insiduous policy OF the
church of Rome; to place I'm all Of
fees OF trust or profit In the gift oi
the people, or by appointment. none
but native American Protestant
citizens. The invlncible in peace an(
invisible In war bigots scored won
derful triumph for seven years, ans
their lineal descendants point with
a family pride 10 the intense sec
tartan feeling created-to the fac
I a. a. a. n. 49,. a..