The National Sunday Law [SL27]

APPENDIX B

THE following letter from Cardinal Gibbons to Mr. D. E. Lindsey, of Baltimore, shows from the Cardinal himself, that the counting of all the Roman Catholics of the country in favor of the Sunday law on the Cardinal’s indorsement, as Dr. Crafts and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union have done, was wholly unwarranted. This is exactly as I argued before the Senate Committee, and as we have argued everywhere else. We have never blamed Cardinal Gibbons for that which Dr. Crafts and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union put upon him. NSLS27 192.1

“CARDINAL’S RESIDENCE,
408 NORTH CHARLES ST., Baltimore, Md.,
Feb. 27, 1889. NSLS27 192.2

“MY DEAR SIR: In reply to your favor dated Feb. 25, 1889, duly received, His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons desires me to write to you, that whatsoever countenance His Eminence has given to the ‘Sunday law’ referred to in your favor, as he had not the authority, so he had not the intention, of binding the archbishops, the bishops, or the Catholic laity of the United States. His Eminence bids me say to you that he was moved to write a letter favoring the passage of the bill, mainly from a consideration of the rest and recreation which would result to our poor overworked fellow-citizens, and of the facility which it would then afford them of observing the Sunday in a religious and decorous way. NSLS27 192.3

“It is incorrect to assume that His Eminence, in the alleged words of Senator Blair set forth in your favor ‘singed the bill, thus pledging seven millions two hundred thousand Catholics as indorsing the bill.’ NSLS27 192.4

“I have the honor to remain, with much respect yours faithfully, NSLS27 192.5

J. P. DONAHUE,
“Chancellor.

“To D. E. Lindsey, Esq., 708 Rayner Avenue, Baltimore, Md.” NSLS27 192.6