The Irish standard., 1916-06-03
CATHOLICS IN AmERI
CAN REVOLUTION

ans. to erect an arbitrary form of gov
eminent, in any quarter of the globe.
By this the Dominion of Canada is so
extended, modelled and governed as
that, being disunited from us, de-
tached from our interest by civil as
we'll as religious prejudices, by their
numbers daily swelling with Catholic
; immigrants from Europe, they might
become formidable to us, and on occa
sion be fit instruments in the hands
Of power to reduce the ancient free
Protestant colonies to the same stats
of slavery with themselves"
Jay Prevents Canadian Reciprocity.
| It is not to be wondered at that
The Canadians were repealed by the ac-
ton of Congress and declined to en-.
ter into an alliance with the revolted
colonies. though among those sent to
entreat their aid were the illustrious
Marylanders. Charles Carroll of Car.
rollton. and his cousin, the Rev. John
Carroll afterwards the first Bishop
and the first Archbishop of Baltimore;
and for the same reason it was not
strange that Catholics in Pennsylvania
should hold aloof Yet the majority
of the more prominent among the lat
ter initiated the example of the Car.
rolls, and of all the Catholics of
Maryland. who. having no choice be-
tween the state of affairs under which
| they had lived and that which was
threatened in the new order of things
| by the Jays. took their chances of the
charter OF the latter becoming a dead
letter. And this inspiration guided
| them Alright; for New York and New
England bigotry were soon to receive
| rebuke which announced the dawn
OF religious liberty. ere yet the re.
VOTED colonies had determined to
strive for complete political independ-
ence.
Washington's Rebuke to Bigotry.
Late in the autumn of 1875 George
Washington went to Boston to assume
the chief command of the Revolution
| airy forces. and at once embraced an
excellent opportunity for rebuking the
bisotry that was injuring the Ameri-
ran cause. In many of the New Eng
land towns an old custom was still in
| vogue of celebrating the anniversary
known in England as Guy Fawkes'
Day, November s. as Pope Day." by
indulgence in unmeasured abuse of
the Catholic Church and in vile orgies
of rant. The Quebec Act had intensi-
fled the feeling that entered into these
| un-Christian scenes. Finding unusu-
ally active preparations being made for
the commemoration in Boston. he re-
solved to stop 1t, and to that effect is
sued the following order:
| las the Comnander-in-chief has
been appraised of design formed for
! the observance of that ridiculous and
childish custom of burning the effigy
of the Pope, he cannot help express
ing his surprise that there should be
officers and soldiers in this army so
devoid of common sense as not to see
the improperly Of such step. 1t is
so monstrous as not to be suffered or
excused; indeed. instead of Offering
the most remote insult, 1t is our duty
to address public thanks to our Cath
Ollie brethren, as to them we are in
debted for every late success over the
common enemy in Canada"
Here. then, we have the highest au.
thority for asserting that our core
lisionists had already rendered signal
service to the cause of liberty And
this was before Captain John Barry
began his glorious career on the seas
But it was especially to the Catholic
soldiers from Maryland that Wash
ington here paid tribute He could
even have said more, for General
Stephen Moylan. of Philadelphia, was
already on his staff, and he knew that
at home in the same city George
the grandfather of General Meade OF
Gettysburg fame and of Commodore
Meade of the Mexican war, and great
grandfather of the latter's son. the re
Gently retired Rear-Admiral Meade
!. had not only signed the non-importa
ton resolutions of 1865. but was now
one of the most active leaders of the
patriot cause. Living as he did on the
right bank of the lower Potomac, he
, must have been we'll acquainted with
many of the old Catholic families oil
Maryland and among them Col Johl
, Fitzgerald, of Alexandria, who be
came one of his closest friends
Francis l.. Furey in The Catholic
World.