Year: 1861

siton Conness will receive in the approaching
election from portion Of his fellow citizens,
because OF his opposition to the School Blii,
introduced during the last session Of the Leg


slature.


Now, at your solicitation, and as the die
cussion OF the subject may be attended with
good results, as it may be the means of dis
abusing some mems minds of erroneous pre-
conceptions. | submit, without hesitation,
some further views upon it, In the first place,
shall examine what they will hope to gain
by voting for Stanford. In the next place,
whether they can vote for Mcconnell and in
the last place, throw glance at the whole
subject, and Conness' connection rewith,
aud see If his position is not alone ekeusable
but admirable and commendaUle. | hold it
as a maxim, that enlightened citizens in politi.
cal action must be governed 10y higher mo-
tives than petty revenge and personal pique,
and surely no respectable number of our
countrymen are swayed by such miserable
feelings But what viii they gain by oppos-
ing Conness2 2 Will the other candidates be
more likely TO advance their political and re-
ligious IDEAS? Is Leland Stanfords election
to be desired by them? And their action if
carried out in the proposed manner, tends in
this direction and nowhere else, no matter





rectly by voting for the Secession candidate.
He-though he may be liberal-minded cili
zen himself-is the representative, through
his party, of all that intense puritanism and
intolerance that has delighted itselfin defraud-
ing Irish adopted citizens of the constitution
al rights that every day maniests an anti
Irish and anti-Catholic spirit that disbanded
in mass a militia company because of the ma
tivity Of its members; that has, also, in that
State; added two years to the term OF natur-
alization /; in fine, that has erected barriers in
every possible place to impede our political
action or advancement Is it for this party
our friends are going to vote? If so, | con-
gratuate them on their admirable spirit of
forgiveness. but avery little for their sense or
spirit But II they cannot vote for Stanford
without committing an act of the most eyre


gious folly and meahness, still less can they
vote for Mcconnell No tinge of disloyaIty
attaches to our people They love the glori-
Gus stars and stripes as fondly. as ferventy as
enthusiastically as any people possibly can.
The flag of our Union is to them the sign and
symbol Of freedom, equality and prosperity
The only episode in Irish history, for many
long years, that we can dwell on with any
pleasure is the connection of our people with
America. Here are the paths Of honor, dis
tinctiou, prosperity and ambition unbarred,
and here their talents. energy and industry
find fitting reward. Peril, disaster and
obloquy attend them the day they prove false
or recreant to the institutions or integrity of
the American Republic But they will not
They. at least, are loyal citizens, and the
present war has already proven they are gal
liant soldiers. They will not vote for the
nominee of the Secession Convention, for as
well, in their eye, might they be touched with
leprosy as tinged with disloyalty. The cause
of the Union is their cause their honor, duty
and interest is interviewer with its existence.


There remains, then, only the gallant
standard bearer of the Union Democracy to
vote for and am told they cannot vote for
him. Do indeed hear Alright? What indie
scribabe absurdty Why, TIE bare propo-
sition ! am ashamed of characterizing in
proper terms Oppose man for conscience
sake, for acting up to the highest dictates of
duty. Is this Irish generosity and magma
nimity? Oppose man who has been a
greater benefactor to the children of the State
than all the politicians and priests of all per-
suasions i'll it; whose best and heArtest sup
port, whose most strenuous exertons for
years nave been given to the building up of
great and prosperous public school system
for this State, and who, even now, has the
proud satisfaction of seeing it extending and
expanding, and whose dearest wish is almost
already accomplished, that the public schools


may be so extended and efficient that the


poorest mans child n the State may be sure
of the boon of good education With this
his record, is it not n violation of every
courtesy and every feeling to ask him to undo
all he had done, to support scheme under
the plausible title of an amendment that
would, in its operations, undermine the whole
admirable system of common schools he aided
in endoWin ing and developing, and inaugurate
a system, if indeed it could be wrought into
that, of ineXtricable confusion, utterly worth
less either as a means of secular or religious
education? Or if the latter at all il would
Only tend to foster and perpetuate religious
dissensions and animosities and what Catho-
lie or Protestant would wish to impose such a
punishment on, or leave such heritage to,
his children Surely, no avowed opponent
of Conness has read that ingenious. manly
and most admirable speech on this school
question and maintained his opposition-a
speech that even his Interest enemies char
acterized as n model of calm, dispassionate
and enlightened reasoning, not considering
the question at all in the light of a religious
one, but discussing it from the highest stand
point of public benefit, necessity and require
ment. A child of the Common Schools of the
land, who could expect him to raise parri-
cidal hand against them? How could he,
while pong no good to morality or religion,
aid in perpetrating such a wrong and such an
outrage upon the children of the State?


However much | am in favor of giving
children Christian instruction, | am unalter-
ably opposed to the State paying for the
purposes of sectarian education. ] would re-
pei with oil my might every Advancement.
no matter with what specious pretensions. of
Church to State and the man who stands up
and gives battle to such projects deserves the
especial thanks of the Catholics for in any
change from the present they world be most
sure to suffer.


But in my humble judgment, no change is
necessary. Our present Common School sys-
TEN is not a failure, but has been source of
universal blessing-meeting every want and
answering every demand. / say, then, to the
opponents of it to be wise and be warned.
Do not incur by your action the suspicion Of
your fellow -citizens-let no inconsiderate
course of yours invite another storm of pro-
scription upon our heads. There is a great
spirit of magnanimity in the American peo-
pie; it runs through all their institutions-let
us at least endeavor not TO counteract it. The
effort to abolish the present school system
will prove frutless and unavailing; it will
prove more than Gordian Knot-one that
no art can unite and no sword cut. The
Common Schools, as at present organized, are
dear to the great mass of the people. Their
benefits have been So many and 50 apparent,
and, BESIDES they carry at once within their
own bosom the principles of their stability
and expansion.