The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899, May 29, 1896, Image 1
THE AMERICAN , 1.1 Vow FntKM to Thu "RICAN. BOo to 7. THE AMERICAN Cheapest Paper In America, A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER. "AMEK1CA FUR AMERICANS" We bold that all men are American who Swear Allegiance to the UoiUd Statos without a mental reservation In favor of the Pojhj. PRICE F1VH CENTS. Volume V OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY. MAY 20, 189G. NUMBKB 22 REV. SGOTT F. HERSI1EY we should be en the same plane lin guistically, however we might differ In natural dignity and intelligence. Writes His Reply to the Car roll Criticism of the Inde pendent of March 19. Relations of the Roman Catho lic Archbishop to the Irish Uprising Against Federal Government, Make In teresting History. To the Rev. H. R. Carroll, D. D., Re ligious Editor New York Independent: , My Dear Sir. I address myself to jour second criticism of my article in the Boston Daily Standard of a few weeks ago. My statement that Presi dent Lincoln communicated to Arch bishop Hughes the personal responsi bility which would attach to him if the New York draft riots should continue, you dismiss, with the statement that you could find no clew of such a com munication, that it would have been absurd, and that the archbishop did make Union speeches. Until I read your editorial, I do not remember of ever having seen In a re liable paper a denial of Hughes' re sponsible relations to the New York draft riots. I have heard the matter discussed by men who were In public life at the time. In his interesting narrative of personal interviews with Lincoln, Chinlquy reports the presi dent as saying that he had sent word to Hughes that the "whole country would hold him responsible If he did cot stop the rioting at once." You might attach little importance to his testimony, if it was not corroborated by every known fact. Let us look at some of these facts. We will reduce them to order, that their judicial effect may stand out with better advantage. 1. Hushes was bitterly opposed to everything savoring of an American spirit in the American Roman Catho lic church. He even disputed with Brownson on this. He was opposed to the liberty and Independence of the press. He organized a political party, whoee sole platform was a demand for money for his church. He was more responsible than all other men for the shameful stealing of money from the public treasury of New York city, for Roman Catholic schools, and a great part of which was used for other ec clesiastical purposes. He wrote the first demand for money, supporting a grant for eight schools, and in person lobbied the common council. No Cath olio of his generation did so much in attempting to overthrow our common school system. 2. Before the war Hughes had once prepared his people for a gigantic riot. To quote from his own great admirer (Brann) Hughes "made preparations for war. He garrisoned every Roman Catholic church In New York city with an armed force of one or two thousand men. And then he issued a special edition of his paper and referred to the movers of a public meeting, called to protest against the un-American course of Roman Catholics, as "church' burners, convict-suckers and grave- robbers."' 3. Archbishop Hughes was in full accord with the papal policy in Europe. He was a-keen, sharp and diplomatic churchman. He was in this country what Meternich was in the Old World except he had to work as an ecclesias tical diplomat, but he was at every point in agreement with the plan of the Jesuit party (called the St. Leopold Foundation) in Europe, to people the United States with a Roman Catholic population sufficiently large to gain po litical control, 4. He believed in, and worked for, the temporal, Ipolitical power of the pope. He ordered collections taken in the churches of his diocese to aid in preserving that temporal power. The amount taken was reported to be 153,000. If this course was pursued over the world, I am wondering how much money 'was lifted from the pockets of the ignorant faithful to erect a politico-ecclesiastic monarchy to op press and degrade their own rights. And I still more wonder how that money was used. I suppose that is a papal diplomatic secret 5. Archbishop Hughes, through the earlier part of the war, strongly sup ported the cause of the Union, as well as the president. I am willing to grant it was from patriotic motives. He was appointed by the president to go to Europe and counteract confederate diplomacy among the thrones of the Old World. On his return he still Bee med to favor the Union cause. But 1 remind you, sir, that Hughes was a The A. P. papal diplomat of the school of Meter nich. The facts about the relations of the Roman Catholic Irish and the New ifork draft riots must be taken into consideration in forming an estt mate of the archbishop's true position d. .Horace ureeiey said in a per sonal letter to Hughes: "Nineteen' twentieths of your people voted for the extension of slavery, and secured its triumph in 1844. Your people for years have been, and to-day are, foremost in the degradation and abuse of this per secuted race (negro) in depriving them of civil rights, in abusing them by mobs, and assaulting them on the street." Now I beg to remind you that in June preceding the riots, the Roman Catholic church party in Mexico (where the French and the Austrian Catholic Prince Maximilian were en gaged in the attempt to establish papal empire) gave open allegiance to the French, who at once entered the City of Mexico, by virtue of this high support. Un July 4 the foreign news give evidence of an attempted Franco- Mexico-Confederate alliance. And, you remember, that at this time the Louis Napoleon government was the only one which, in councils of state, persistently held, as right, the politi cal power of the pope of Rome. Then came the New York draft riots. The spirit of those riots in your city, and in Boston, Buffalo and several other cities was not a mere outbreak against the draft; it was the spirit of conspiracy in the Interests of the south em rebellion. The draft was only the occasion. The Home Journal says of the riot ers: "All were Irl6h, every soul of them." The riot . an Irish-Roman Catholic mob in conception, leaders, members and depredations committed. You will find In several cities the prominent leaders arrested were Irish Roman Catholics. In Boston the leaders arrested, for inciting and con' ducting the riot, bore such names as McNamara, McGrath, McCann and Campbell. At the great and noisy celebration of Tammany Hall Irish and Roman Catholic of the 4th of July, just a few days before the out break, in the elaborate program of toasts, the customary toast to the presi dent of the United States was omitted. In that awful reign of terror, which more resembled the French Communes than anything we have ever had in this country before or since, men and women were shot down with cool de liberation, property was destroyed,and institutions were burned, and at least, in one instance, with some of the in mates. Among the incidents was that of a A. has wiped out Mason and Dixon's Line. May it never be re - man who, being asked if he was for the Union, said he was. He was roughly handled, robbed and thrust aside. As his assailants passed on, some persons who saw the assault from the windows called out to the man that he must not say ha was for the Union, but that he was a "Democrat Catholic." Frequent cries were heard of "Pull down that d d rag," referring to the flag. Two well-known citizens observed an Irish' man with musket push his way through women and children, and taking care' ful aim, open fire on the soldiers. He loaded and fired four times in succes sion, while they watched him. A col lege was about to be fired by the mob, but was saved by its proximity to a Roman Catholic church. The priest appeared before the mob and told them if they set the college on fire ft would endanger the church. He seemed to have no other ground on which to make an appeal. This state of affairs lasted for four days, with a million and a half of property destroyed, more than 1000 killed, and a general embarrass ment of business. Now, sir, where was Archbishop Hughes, and what was he doing all this time? It does not appear that he wrote one sentence or spoke one word, though he knew these conspirators were his own people. For four days he sat in his archepiscopal residence, and did nothing to stop the unwarranted attacks on the government of his coun try. Then came the demand of Horace Greeley, the letter of the governor of the state, and at least the reputed let ter of the president. Then he Issued a call to those called nuters, - ana wno ne aaaressea as 11 a 1 1 - . "Catholics." He aesured them in the call they "should not be disturbed by any exhibition of municipal or military presence." The Daily Times editorially designates this as "implying the as sumption of a power superior to that of law." In beginning his address, the next day, to the four or five thousand who answered the call, he tells them that he does "not see a rioter's face among you." He told them that every man had a right to defend his shanty at the risk of his life that they should re tire, not to give up their principle or convictions, but to keep out of the crowd. Not a word about their crime. Not a word about the preservation of the Union, the support of the presi dent, or their obligation to be loyal to the authorities. It is not strange that Nlcholay and Hay (Life of Lincoln) characterized it as "a strange speech." It is not strange that that able writer on the subject, Major T. P. McElroth, (in "Annals of the War") dismissing a mild criticism directed to another, con tinues: "There was better ground for pbnsure in the attitude assumed by Archbishop Hughes toward the riot ers. Although that prelate had yielded on July 13 to the pi-ensure exerted on him, and issued a brief address to the Irish, urging them to abstain from vio lence, he caused to be published a long letter to Horace Greeley, exposing his sympathy with the opponents of the war." The major continues to say that If the archbishop had made his address four days earlier incalculable suffering and loss would have been prevented. Now, my dear doctor, here are some of the facts. I might pursue them fur ther. They are sufficient to convince others, If not enough to lead you to confess, that the position of the Irish Roman Catholics In New York city, witn Archbishop Hughes at their head, does not appear very gratifying, I have no gall or malice in which to dip my pen when I write about my Irish fellow-citizens of the Roman Catholic faith. I am ready to defend them in every just right to which they are entitled under our constitution Some of them are intelligent, loyal and patriotic; many others are fearfully duped by their priests. While not de priving them of one constitutional privilege, neither can I shut my eyes to the way In which they have gen erally been misled by a foreign power, And when I present in a wholly truth ful way the indisputable facts of his. tory, you cannot expect to call my statements false in the IndevcnilerU. without receiving in return a fusilade of additional incontrovertible facts from the arsenal of historical accuracy, 1 our known disregard for truth when treating on themes which con cern the papal church results in hatching a like brood In Roman Catho lio papers. A small Roman Catholic paper in this city, finding much to ad mire in your editorial of March 19 which I hope all the people will read and then read these replies! savs ot myself that I am "Scotch, born of Ca nadian parents." Well, I shouldn't mind that, as papal despots everywhere have reason to remember the old Scotch blood. Long and warm may it flow through Canadian or any other racial stock. But the fact is, my an cestry has been in this country for at least a century and a half, and I was born out in Indiana, of American blood on both sides, and on the very day the governor of that state was extending honors to that noble champion of civil and religious liberty, Louis Kossuth, who was characterized by your Arch bishop Hughes as a "Hungarian dema gogue." And yet, we know, sir, he was one of the most magnanimous, heroic and unselfish patriots that has established. ornamented the cause ot modera lib erty, i Desiring to give you time for reflec tion on your other errors) I pause lor a week, when I shall address myself to you again, unless in the meantime you write a confession of repentance. I subscribe myself yours In great con tentment, Scott F. Hershey, Boston, April 17. A Good Thing. The following Is a pretty good thing, It is an extract from a letter written oy wong unin r'oo, a Chinaman, to Dennis Kearney, the Irishman who was once conspicuous for his crusade against the Chinese in this country, The letter was written some years ago, but a reproduction of a part of It may not be untimely just now, when we are hearing so much of the "Irish-Amerl can vote," and when many of the class of foreigners to which Donnls Kearney belonged are making themselves con spicuous in the conduct of American affairs: you ana I are both citizens of the United States by adoption. You have achieved such fame as belongs to you by Insisting that the race to which I belong shall be denied the advantages which tms country has always offered to your own. I, on the other hand, In the face of the enmity of your race and its friends, represent the just demand of my people for fair play as against yours. I belong to the most ancient empire on this globe. You, by your own statement, belong to the most de pendent and Ill-treated nation of serfs ever deprived of its liberties. The flag of my country floats over the third greatest navy in the world. Yours is to be seen derisively displayed on the 17th of March in the public streets and triumphantly hoisted on an occasional gin-mill. The ambassadors and consuls of my nation rank at everv court !n Europe with those of Russia, Germany. England and France. Those of your race may be found cooling their heels In the lobbies of any common council in which the rum-selling Interest In poll tics predominates. The race which I represent is centuries old In every art and science. That of which you are the spokesman apologizes for its pres ent ignorance and mental obscuritv 1th the idea that your learning and literature were lost in the mythical past. If you and I were each to ad dress the American people in our na tive tongues we should be equally un intelligible to our audiences. In speak- ng the language of this oountry.whlch is naturally the language of neither of us, we should meet on the same ground. Perhaps you speak English as well as I do; some Irishmen do. In such a case A (Juration! Under the United States govern ment, has the Roman Catholic church legitimate authority to forbid and pre vent Roman Catholic children from at tending our public schools? That Is: Has she the right to enforce such a prohibition by such penalties as she may choose to inflict upon the parent or children? We do not ak about what authority Rome claims, but does such authority exist, that the Roman church may compel parents to keep their children outof our public schools? If such a right or authority exists, Romo may compel millions to grow up without a proper education In our coun- try, as she does by neglect In papal countries. But how could our ffovern- mont protect itself against such a horde of unlettered papists who know nothing but to obey, without question, the de crees and edicts of a forolcn dosoot. whether it be to worship an idol or kill a heretic! Civil government has a right to demand good behavior and good citizenship of all the Inhabitants ithln'lts jurisdiction. It Is the legiti mate business of the government to see that All men enjoy their rights and' to see that the people are orderly and-i maintain righteous conduct. If the civil government has authority to de mand good behavior of all citizens, tbat Includes authority to teach them what is the morality and rectitude in cluded in good citizenBhip and what are crimes against society. - . It seems to us tbat the papal attack on our publlo schools smells of treason It Is, at loaHt, revolutionary and subver sive of constitutional rights and detri mental and hostile to tho interests of society and the whole nation. Much of papal power lies in the ignorance 0 the masses. Make eve&fa.pist in the world an Intelligent fpbristian,- ac quainted with the BlIey.religion wd history, and the whole-RonrfshTiystem would collapse at oboV-o1 the pope would be left alone. Aict every Ameri can defend oouragloufcjy ;our school sys tem and other American institutions involving the rlgh&o! man and the right of private judgment. Lei them think for themselves , And act as moral and responsible Agents, and not' let a knave and deoelfef thik for them. ,u .. -- Calvix. . ( II t t Good Logic. The rrusbyUrian has the following "A Poughkeepslc lady left a certain church $300 to pay the expenses of masses for her soul's repose. Judge Barnard has annulled this feature of the will. Either the deceased lady's soul must now repose without masses, or the churah must offer them without receiving any monetary consideration therefor." Did the judge consider a woman who would leave a will, with such a pro vision, insane? If he did, what does he think of the gentlemen who wear dog-collars, and are the recipients of this money for the masses? Again, if a man has a right to give three hun dred dollars for a yellow dog, why should a woman not have a right to give three hundred dollars to a white, dog collared man? Again, if a man can be sued for obtaining money under false pretences, why cannot the men be sued who have Influenced this woman, and many other persons, to pay for things which they can give no positive evidence that they can furnish? Again, if there were a precedent established by a successful suit of this character, and a person was to leave three hun dred dollars In the hands of a priest for masses and he did not perform the work, could the estate recover the money because of his not doing the work? It would be a relief to many If this paying for useless prayers was somewhat ventilated. If people want to give money to the Roman Catholic church, let them give it, but not under any such idiotic Idea that It will assure the repose of their soul after death. " Augustine. Had So Flag Flying. The flag law Is being enforced by pa triotic Americans with a vim. Yesterday In Jacksonville, 111., the mayor of the city, president and trus tees of the Illinois college and the trustees of the Catholic parochial schools were Indicted by the grand jury for violating the flag law. Among those Indicted are Bishop James Ryan of the Roman Catholic church, vicar general of the diocese, Mayor Charles H. Windmayer, a trustee of the Ger man Lutheran school which failed to hang out an American flag, and all the trustees of those institutions which failed to obey the law. Subscribe for The American now. The best and cheapest patriotic paper in America. 4,