The Irish standard., 1916-04-08
There Can Be no Catholic American" Declares
Congressman Stevens Of Texas
B;eov of United 18th District of Lone
Star State Up BY Hon James Gavan Of Massachusetts
in Debate in Immigration Bil-Bgot Uses Subterfuge to
Remarks Into the Record

ITO the RECORD.
took to make itself a part of for
eign nation, which, If it had succeed
ed, would have deprived us of the
services of the gentleman from Texas,
and after this attempt to make aliens
of the third part of the American peo-
pie had been in progress for some
time, and the tragic year of 1862 ar
rived, series of events occurred at
Gainesville, Texas, that appear as
blot of darker infamy on the darkest
page of the history of crime.
There were number of men in
Cooke County and adjoining counties
in Texas who had in their hearts a
veneration for the American flag. 1t
was only II years since they proudly
brought the state of Texas into the
Union, and it was proud day in
their lives when the Stars and Stripes
first fioated over the broad prairies
of Texas as part of the United
States. Some Ct them banded them
selves together to prevent their being
drafted into the Confederate army.
They made no riot; they did not kill
anyone; they committed no crime at
all except what was then the most
horrible offense imaginable in what
is now the distinguished gentleman S
district-they objected to being
dragged from their homes and COM
PEELED to fire upon the flag of their
country.
Nov, if | haa the narrow-mi
prejudices of the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Stephens) when he dis
cusses immigration, l would probably
proceed to quote from rumors or from
cheap weekly newspapers published
in backwoods towns to substantiate
what shall say took place in this
sanctuary of loyalty-described as the
thirteenth district of Texas. shall
set it forth as contrast to the gen.
uine patriotism of our immigrant
children as proven on hundred bat.
tlefields.
Il shall not consult my feelings as
the gentleman from Texas consulted
his. l shall not speak in any spirit
of hatred as did the gentleman who
quoted from the Book that commands
us to love one another. But this occa.
sion should not pass without remind
ing the gentleman from Texas of how
patriotism and loyalty had their birth
where he has been honored most.
I'm October, 1862, AZ white citizens
or the United States, nearly all farm
ers' without trial. without process of
law and solely on suspicion of their
being banded together to restore the
Union and the Constitution in Texas,
and to refuse to be compelled to do
the work OF treason on the battle field
and shoot down their fellow citizens
and perhaps their kindred who were
lighting in defense of their country
were put to death under such circum.
stances Of such stonyllearted barhar.
lty as would cause Pancho Villa to
turn away in horror.
There is an elm tree in Cambridge
Mass, city SO ably represented here
by my worthy colleague. Mr.. Dallinger
under which Washington drew the
sword OF liberty, there was the Char
ter Oak at Hartford, whose every Leaf
was a witness OF the American spirit
Of independence. There is an elm
in the yard of the capitol said to have
been planted by Washington, and the
most beautiful tree in this city is
another elm in the capitol grounds
planted by the hands OF Charles Sum.
ncr, but there was an elm tree in
GAINESVILLE on " hich 40 citizens were
strangled to death for their loyalty
to the flag of their country The other
two brave hearts broke away from
the guards on the way to execution
and were mercilessly shot down. DIR.
lhonas Barrett. a minister of the Cos
pei as well as II physician, wrote an
account OF the murders in 1885, which
was published in pamphlet form and
is found in the Library of Congress,
AND here pause to say that it is the
only literary production from that dis
tlnguished district that appears to be
found in the Library. Il district whose
representative pleads for the lteracy
test. And | further say that while 7
nave been more or less familiar with
BOOKS. would be amazed to learn of
ANY BOOK written in Texas that is
we'll known among the people of the
United States. What book was writ.
ten there? Will any gentleman tell
me? What invention to lift from the
shoulders of labor the burden of toll
and to help feed a hungry world was
ever invented in Texas? What last
ing monument o. genius bears witness
to the intellectual toll of Texas? What
work of art hangs in any gallery that
was penciled there? What statue was
ever sculptured to plead to posterity
for the remembrance OF the great by
any citizen Of that grassy expanse that
geOpraDharS call reyosp II woa hono}