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Sourwal,
“<IMMACULATE VIRGIN, PRAY FOR US.”
VOL.XXI.
PHILADELPHIA, MARCH 15, 1893.
PAIRS Tea
MARTIN I.J, GRIFFIN,
711 Sansom STREET,
a) YELPHI A.
: Devoted to
Church and Country,
50 Centsa Year im advance.
—_—_— Cl..."
SLASHES AT THE STANDARD.
“The abstinence movement has attain-
ed a marvellous growth in this country
and is destined to accomplish still greater
results in the future’? says the organ.
“One result will be that the official or-
gan of the Archbishop will not print
Rum ads.—Out they must go.”
A Convention of C. T.
Jiest sentiments for her gentleness, intel-
ligence and capability.
She offered the resolution in the Phila-
delphia Union which made the Standard
wince and characterize her as of “a few
overzealous, ill instructed, ambitious re-
pbellious or disgruntled leaders who are
‘often restive under authority, and who
would nearly sacrifice religion itself for
the sake of a little notoriety.”
That’s slanderous language for a_pre-
late’s organ to use the first week of Lent.
It shows the ill temper it was in,
Ob! It is the women again of course.
Miss Dougherty, Secretary of the Pitts-
burgh Union issued the Bulletin advis-
ing stopping subscriptions to printing
Rum ad. papers,
Miss Moore tried to get the East end
of Pennsylvania in alliance with the
The organ’ of Pittsburgh’s Prelate
wouldn’t for decency sake, putina Rum
The organ of Philadelphia’s Prelate
and a new paper ‘‘coveting” his approba-
- tion think Money is preferable to De-
cency,
Now isn’t it a happy sign that the
active public protestors against Rum
ads are women.
That tells how hateful the ads. are.
Yet these ladies are put down as seekers
after ‘ta little notoriety.”
“The intelligent and quick perception”
delegates have for several years kept
President Logue at the head of 18,000
abstainers. .
_ Yet he is classed by the official organ as
of “a few overzealous, ill instructed, am-
bitious, rebellious or disgruntled lead: rs
who are often restive under authority
and who would nearly sacrifice religion
itself for the sake of # little notoriety.
n my word it is likely some of the
‘Saloon ads. of the “organ” are “taken
out in trade’? and that a quarterly pay-
ment in Runf was collected prior to
printing that.
Tne Council advised pastors to urge
Catholic rumsellers to abandon the busi-
ness, .
That was an “interference with pri-
yate interests’? and so I: guess ‘‘a few
hot-headed, cverzealous leaders,” “used
their positions and influence to the det-
riment of” the rumsellers by branding
their business as not an “honorable”
one even though the ‘‘official organ’? o!
Prelates advertise it.
The Standard, in speaking of its fail-
ose Who had not become
jts subscribers and which it hoped, the
Times would assist it in reaching, spoke
of them as a ‘Class who in defiance | of
the solemn injunctions of the Iloly Fath-
er himself, of Plenary Councils and | of
prelates and priests of the Church, ‘re-
gard Catholic journalism. of *‘compara-
tive unimportance.” ve
Yet it regards the Council's actions as
sq work of comparative unimportance.””
Council wanted Catholics: to abandon
the Rum. business. ;:It: urges them to
stay in by securing customers forall who
pay it for telling its patrons about them.
“In no diocese, perhaps, has the total
abstinence movement flourished as ‘in
Philadelphia,” says the organ.
Then itis a disgrace that’ after 21
years the organ of the Archbishop should
have ads, of a business which it declares
generally brings “evil and misfortune
upon all engaged in it.??
Out they must Go. .
Our Archbishop prays ‘‘Thy Kingdom
Come’? and works for it, but his organ
advertises Saloons which generally bring
Seyil and misfortune to all engaged in
the m business” and so aids the
Devil’s Kingdom and not Christ’s,
The organ ought to work the way its
paprover prays.
THE STORY OF ST. MARY'S. ©
BY Martin I. J. GriFFIn. .
(Continued.)
Both were obnoxious to many citizens of native and of foreign birth,
England was having trouble with the United Irishmen in Ireland. In
Philadelphia there were some of its members. Several of the great, conspira-
tors such as Wolfe Tone, Napper Tandy and others had been in Philadel-
phia and bad lived here or its vicinity. They were seeking allivace with
French, and were promoting the secret movement in Ireland on that basis
even in America. y
Proaress readers will recall the exciting times in this city during and
after the Revolution in France in 1793. Philadelphia might. be called a
French city, All the victories of the so called army of Liberty in France
were celebrated in this city with great joy and wild demonstrations of de-
ight.
Oh the horror of these days in France! Men became devils just as
really as though they came from the fires of hell. They called themselves
Democrats, ‘
‘Their supporters in this country got to be called that name in derision
by their opponents the Federalists, ‘‘the Party of Washington,” but. these
allies of France called themselves The Republicans,. After a little time it
got to be The Republican Democrats and after, about 1807, old John Binns
came out boldly for the name Democrat when he issued his new paper, The
Democratic Press. ‘
That’s the evolution of the name of the Party nearly all of St.” Mary’s
voters adhere to, and I guess some will be raging mad at me when they find
the name soaked at its birth in the blood of priests and nobles of France.
But what has this to do with the Irish Riot in 1799? Oh, .I’m only
giving you an idea of the disturbed times in Philadelphia from 1793 to 1799,
so you may see the reasons upon which were founded the Allen and Sedition
Acts of John Adoms’ administration. After their passage and, at least,
one instance of the enforcement, petitions were circulated throughout the
country asking the repeal of the Acts.
On February 8th, 1799, the Germans and Irish citizens met to prepare
petitions. The Irish agreed to seek signatures at the Presbyterian and
Catholic churches on the following Sunday morning. Of St. Mary’s people
it was stated ‘‘three-fourths came under the penalties of the Acts,” but
that Sunday proved that if they did they were not the kind to subject them-
selves to the penalties by which the Acts forbid, and that Sunday proved
also that they were not in sympathy with the characters who were leaders
among the Irish in seeking the repeal. r
Those appointed to get signatures at St. Mary’a were Dr. JzmesRey-
nold’s, Robert Moore, William Duane and Samuel Cummings.: None were
Catholics, : .
They went to St. Mary’s. Cummings, who was a compositor employed
by Duane on The durora, posted on the wall of the Church , this notice:
‘‘Natives of Ireland who worship at this Church are requested to remain
in the yard after divine service until they have affixed their names to a
memorial for the repeal of the Alien Bill.” .
Mr. John Brown told John O’Hara, a trustee, about the notices, O'Hara
tore them down, Others were put up.
James Gallagher, Jr., coming in on the south side tore the notices
down. Cummings called him ‘an impudent scoundrel.” Gallagher replied
“No Jacobin paper had a right to a place on the wall of that Church.’*
Gallagher told Father Neale who directed him to “go to the pews of
some of the influential members and tell them of the state of affairs, and
ask them to prevent them.’”
Just before the Mass was over tLree of the Committee placed the me-
morial ‘on the tombstone of the late Rey. James Burns,”
When the congregation came out a contest took place between Galla-
gher and Dr. Reynolds, Reynolds drew a pistol and pointed it at Gallagher
but it was wrestled from him by Lewis Ryan. The four were arrested and
tried on February 21st. Rev. Matthew Carr, of St. Augustine's, testified
that it was customary in Ireland to get signatures © church doors, Father
Neale testified that posting the notices was an insult to him and the trus-
tees, and contrary to usage of the Church. The jury gavea verdict of “Not
Guilty.”
You may read the full details of the event and trial in a pamphlet
titled “A Report of the Extraordinary Transactions which took place at
Philadelphia in February, 1799, in consequence of a memorial from certain
Natives of Ireland to Congress, praying a repeal of the Alien Bill,” or you
may examine Wharton’s “STATE. TRIALS.”
You might read The Aurora of February 13th; about the Petition. It
has a four column article, . In it he said, *‘If the Irish are refused a resting
lace in America, they can form a new empire on its frontiers, The Spanish
territories will receive them with pleasure,’”
It also said, ‘It is a circumstance truly curious that two gentlemen
who were among the first and most active in promoting the emancipation
of the Catholics of Ireland from the trammels of 2 barbarous penal code,
should be openly insulted and abused by Irish Catholics:and sons of Irish
Catholics in Philadelphia where universal toleration is established by law.”
The report of the trial you notice says the petition was laid onthe tomb
of Rev. James Burns.
‘That tomb does not now exist. : I have inquired of people who knew as
far pack as 1820, and they never knew of it, nor have I ever been able to
discover any other mention of this priest either on the books of the Church
or in the publications of the time. Yet he must have been one of import-
ance when a tomb was erected over his remains, That was not done for
others well known and loved. “Who was he?
‘These United Irishmen of Philadelphia were the active politcal spirits
among our people.
Thomas FitzSimons, George Meade and men of like character and posi-
tion were Federalists or oppovents of Thomas Jefferson and bis Republican
Democrats, . The Federalists, our Catholic children are to be taught by ““A
School History of the United States” issued this very month by Bensinger
Bros, “liked the pomp and ceremony of the English Court” which I do not
think is true, and at best is but the charge repeated by The Republicans,
However you note that the clergy and well-to-do Catholics were Federalists
as well as most of the people who had been for any time in America,
After the rebellion in Ireland in 1798, the Irish who came here natu-
rally fell in with their associate spirits commo.ly known as the United
Irishmen, though there is no evidence that they were formally organized
under that name.
‘The newcomers bezame upholders of the principles of those they fell in
with here, and as they taught that the Federalists were friends of England,
and indeed that they wanted to restore England’s rule over this country,
you see how those fleeing from England’s tyrrany came to be »Democratic
Republicans. Each successive line of newly arrived emigrants followed in
maintaining the same principles their friends already citizens were uphold-
ing, and so it has continued to this day, The newly arrived emigrant sim-
ply adopts the politics of his relatives and friends among whom he is thrown
on his arrival: Lf they abide in the East he becomes a Democrat, but ‘‘out
West,” where the earlier Irish settlers found less antagonism because the
American and the Irisiman had to, of necessity, work together for the
common good and development of wealth of the country, you more general-
ly find ‘‘our people’? among the Republicans of to-day.
Though ‘Democrat’ and ‘‘Republican” practically have the same
meaning, it is curious to note that the present Democratic party bears the
name given it in odium by those who politically were the ancestors of the
present Republican Party which bears the title the Jeffersonians first used
to distinguish their principles,
I know of no period in American history more worthy of special inves-
tigation and study by Irish American citizens than the years from 1790 to
1800. I have often urged some of our Catholic young men to take up this
study. Will one of St. Mary’s Literary Institute do it? ‘The influence of
the Irish citizens on American politics and the results to our own time
would be an historical lesson which I believe our own people as well as
others ought to know.
In March 1799, Rev. Leonard Neale went to Georgetown College to be
President, while awaiting the papers from Rome to make him a Bishop,
That he became on December 7th, 1800, when consecrated at Baltimore,
coadjutor to Bishop Carroll.
So I close the last century with a St. Mary’s pastor as the first conse-
“crated-in-the-United-States Bishop.
But Philadelphia will soon have its own Bishop.
Well, dear PRoGrEss, we have seen that St. Mary’e had, as far as this
story has already gone, given two bishops to the Church in this country.
One, Father Graessl, had died of the yellow fever of 1793, prior to his con-
secration, and Father Leonard Neale left St. Mary’s to go to Georgetown
College to await his consecration as Coadjutor to Bishop John Carroll. He
became his successor.
Now even at this time—the opening of the nineteenth century—St.
. Mary’s was the most important congregation in the United States, Phila- .
delphia was then the greatest city in our country.” It had been the capital eR teen
of the United States tor ten years and was the centre of political, literary
nd commercial activity. St. Mary’s church had the same relative import-
ance to the Catholics of the country as our city had to the new nation. St.
Mary’s was the largest chureh. It had the largest and most compact con-
gregation,, It was in good enough financial condition, There was harmony
between Trustees and priests and that means St. Mary’s was a happy con-
gregation,
‘Tuough there were several priests followed Father Neale in doing ser-
vice at the church, there does not seem to have been anyone who stands
out in the attitude of pastor as we understand the title now-a-days.
The Trustees seem to have enguged priests to do duty just as they did
a sexton, save that respect was shown the wishes, if not recommendations
of Bishop Carroll.
Indeed there did not exist that strict discipline with regard to appoint-
ment of priests to churches which we have now. Priests came from Ireland
and Germany. There were not many. Their services were needed in many
places. In most cases they bore letters from Bishops or others in Europe,
and often did not. Any deemed worthy and of ability were engaged by the
Trustees of the few churches fn our principal cities,
Discipline not being perfected, contentions took place in Philadelphia
at the Holy Trinity church and at Norfolk and Charleston, but affairs ran
along smoothly enough at St. Mary’s.
Jlowever St. Mary’s in 1803, secured the services of a priest whose
name became identified with the church, and who afterwards became Phila-
delphia’s first bis::op and made it his cathedral.
In March, 1802, John Carrell, one of the trustees, was in Lancaster
attending the Legislature on business of the church. Of course he visited
Father DeBarth the pastor at Lancaster and there met Rev, Michael Egan,
who in January bad become an assistant, He heard him preach and con-
cluded he was just the kind needed at St. Mary’s. So he wrote to Bishop
Carroll that Father Egan had told him that his cousin in Limerick bad
more ability than he bad, and he would come to America, if invited. So,
he desired the Bishop’s consent to invite him to St, Mary’s.
However it ended that Father Regan of Limerick did not come. Oh,
how in a few years afterwards Bishop Egan sighed and prayed for his com-
ing as the one to bring comfort to his heart. But he never came. Had he,
I believe he would have been the second bishop of Philadelphia, and scan-
dal would not have come upon Religion.
But who knows
However Trustee Carrell had his mind on Father Micbael Egan. So
when he came to our city on a visit, in February, 1803, the Trustees came
to him and offered him employment among them as one of the priests of
the church,
Father Egan wrote to Bishop Carroll, and arrangements were made to
transfer Fatber Eagan from Lancaster to St. Mary's, Ie came in April.
Hie served faithfully and well, though not always in robust health, Le en-
deayored to have the Franciscan Order, of which he was a member, estab-
lished in the United States, and was in negotiation for land in Kentucky
for that purpose, but in 1906, Joseph Cauffman, a. member of St. Mary’s
conveyed to Mark Willcox and Rev. Mathew Carr, 0. S, A, three hundred
and thirty-two acres in Indiana County for the Franciscan Order, Father
Egan was trying to establish and which Rome in 1804, permitted him to
found, if he could. He did not succeed in establishing the Order, however.
Many events of interest in St. Mary’s history occurred during Father
Continued on thethird - page.
NO.258