Catholics Not Aliens To America

Wheri and how did this country become a "Protestant land'r"' At what period of the history of America -were Oatbolioa strungers hero 'i Under Romewhat similar provocation the groat Montalembert, from the tribune in tho Chamber of Peora, told oertain Fronchmen : " Wo are the sons of the Crusadcrs, and wofear not theprogeny of Voltairo." And we, tho Cntholics of the önited States, tóy to those gentlemen who seok to inaugúrate another KnowNothiug oarapaign, that here in America wo aio neither strangers nor new-comors of yesterday. e carne in the cara vela of Columbus, we cuino witta the Cartiers and the LaSalles, tho Brebcuufs and tho Jogues, the Joliets and the Marquuttcs, with the men wliosc blood of martyrdom moistoned the soil of New York, with tho men whose bonos had minglcd with tho savannahs of the South and tho prairies of the WVst long beforo Plymouth Koek was heard of. We Mine, not with tho Iicssiane of George, bat with tho anny of Kochambeau and the fieet of Do Grasso, with tho arms of Catholic Franca una the gold of Catholic Spain, to lid our American struggle for liberty. The largost fortuno risked in signing our Ueclaration of Independeneo was a Cutliolic fortuno. As Catholics, we have proved our devotion to our country in three wars Tho ranks of our army and the ships of our navy are f uil of our jjcople, and if, at this moment, you undertako to blot the names of Catholie officers from naval and army registers, you wil be compelled to deface ontire pages. Wo are in all the walks of lifo, from the huinblest to the highest, pursuing our legitímate businoee, and fulfilling our du,ties as citizens, fathers, husbands, sons and brotherá. We havo schools, seminaries and colleges successfully activo, increasing in number and usofulness, and only not entirely filled with Catholic pupils because of the groat number of persons 3ent to thom by non-CatlioIics parents. Wo U.VK morchants, bankers, editors, clorks, mechanica, farmers, urtists, lawyers, physicians, logislntor.s, and laborfirs. We fill professors' chairs and seats on the judicial beneh. We have among us thousands of cultivated men, and ïen'ned and olegnnt woinen, the peers of any in the land. Wo are, as a body, good and lawabiding citizuns. Wo rt.spuct oursolves. We moan to bo raspected. And we protest agaiust the bigoted, sensekssdouuneiation of our faith in tho pretonded uxposuro of fictitious plots against tho