Untitled article

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · June 12, 1890

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 5, No. 24

The Boston Committee of One Hundred, taking their cue from the United States Supreme Court decision upon the Mormon test oath, are now urging that the Roman Catholics shall be disfranchised. They declare:—

We do not hesitate to say, as a measure for the Nation's self-preservation, that no man who confesses allegiance to the Pontiff should be allowed to participate, as a citizen, in either holding office, or casting a ballot. The United States Supreme Court has decided that the law of one of our States disfranchising Mormons is constitutional, on the theory that the man who takes the oath the Mormons were required to take cannot be a good citizen. Why should not this principle be applied to those who confess allegiance to the Papal hierarchy? No ballot for the man who takes his politics from the Vatican.

The Committee of One Hundred are not alone in this; there are several papers in different parts of the country that advocate the same measure, and for the same reason. Others advocate the same measure for other reasons. But whether it be this reason or others, the truth is that those who advocate such a proceeding, hold a despotic theory and proceed upon a despotic principle. And if they had the power to execute their wish, the despotism that would thereby be established, would be no less cruel than that which they assert characterizes that which they wish to abolish. That Committee of One Hundred should be annihilated.