CATHOLIC PRESS OF AMERICA. The formative period of Catholic journalism was an era full of struggles and anxieties when unreasonable attacks were made upon the liberties of Catholics; for at that time the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church were very poorly understood and oftentimes mis by those who were ignorant of her beliefs or who mistrusted her sincerity. The forerunners of the Catholic newspaper were the Irish journals. Although these papers were not distinctly Catholic in purpose, their sym pathetic tone toward those of the ancient faith merits for them a place in any descrip tion of Catholic journalism. In fact, more than a decade of American history had passed be fore any Catholic periodical, properly so called, was established. Hence, during this time the principal champions of Catholic doctrines and practices were these Irish papers. As citizens of the United States, the Irish editors fre quently were forced to defend with vigor their civil and religious liberties against their ene mies, through the kingly power of the press. For years they had fought against British ty rannies in Ireland. In this struggle for free dom they engaged some of the brightest and most intelligent of Erin's sons, many of whom afterward came to America. The soul of this movement was the Society of the United Irish men, founded in 1791. The purpose of this celebrated organization was to unite Catholics and Protestants into one body devoted to the parliamentary reform of Ireland. The con tributions of Emmet, Sampson, MacNevin and others to the leading newspaper of their na tive land attracted universal attention. Mat thew Carey, William Duane and others in America assisted the efforts of the parent so ciety by their fearless advocacy of the doc trines of the United Irishmen, and that in the face of a Federalist opposition which was be ginning to manifest itself at that time. The Federalist press used every species of attack against these Irish associations. The neutral ization of existingprejudices and the creation of a more favorable public opinion were the chief causes which prompted the establishment of Irish journals in which the affairs of that nation might be truthfully stated. This need was met by the Irish Catholic weeklies pub lished principally in the two great centres of population, New York and Philadelphia. With one or two exceptions the Irish newspapers, down to the year 1840, had an ephemeral and rather precarious existence. The Shamrock, or Hibernian Chronicle, was first issued on 15 Dec. 1810. It suspended publication four times before it was finally discontinued. One of the most eventful years of this paper's career oc curred when Rufus King, formerly Ambassador to England, was running for governor of New York. Thomas A. Emmet, on that occasion, came out openly in the press and attacked King with the overwhelming force of his clear and brilliant mind. In March 1816 a systematic opposition to King, headed by Emmet, swept through New York. As these exiles of Erin smote this Caesar with their trenchant quills they sealed the political fate of one who had been an enemy in their fight for civil and re ligious liberty. The power of Rufus King, the cunning and crafty adversary of the United Irishmen, was broken. It is true that he con tinued in public life until 1826, but he was no longer *the first man in the country.° His at titude toward the Irish while at the Court of Saint James was exposed by speeches, letters and editorials. Even his own correspondence was used against him with telling effect. He was defeated for the governorship of New York and in 1816 gave up the cherished am bition of his life, the hope of being the chief ruler of the nation. After the checkered ca reer of the Shamrock, other papers began to appear in the great centres of population. The Globe and Emerald began publication in 1824 in New York and Philadelphia respectively. Then came the Truth Teller with its long and interesting history (1825-53). In 1828 the Irish Shield and Monthly Milesian made a bid for patronage. Its editor entered upon a suicidal policy of persistent attack on a paper already well established and accomplishing much good in Catholic circles. George Pepper became involved in a libel suit and left New York with out a friend. He settled in Philadelphia, where he began the Irish Shield and Literary Pano rama. This was followed in 1832 by the Patriot and Shield, and finally the same year there appftred the Republican Shield and Literary Observer. In 1831 another rival of the Truth Teller, called the Irish Advocate, was started. In its race for favor the new paper claimed not to enter as an antagonist, but as a fair and honorable competitor. Yet in the course of events it soon became apparent that its jealous editor betrayed at times in his conduct the same picaroon instincts for detraction which had characterized the aspersions of the enfant terri ble, the Irish Shield. Another ephemeral jour
nal whose is shrouded in obscurity was published in Charleston, S. C., in 1829. It was first known as the Irishman and Charleston Weekly Register, but it soon changed its name to the Irishman and Southern Democrat. The last Irish paper of this era, the Green Banner, started 3 Oct. 1835, was a creature of circumstance, and in 1837 on account of certain ecclesiastical difficulties its editor, Father Levins, was obliged to discontinue this otherwise ably-conducted journal. Certain other periodicals, national in their tendencies, were published during this period. Among these we must record the Michigan Essay and Impartial Observer, printed in 1809. This was the earliest effort in Catholic pioneer journal ism. The little paper owes its origin to Father Gabriel Richard. This illustrious American missionary journeyed to Baltimore in 1808 and on that occasion purchased a printing press and a font of type. These he brought overland to Detroit, setting up his press at Spring Wells in the house of Jacques LaSalle. Many persons have claimed for this press the honor of being the first to be set up in the Northwest, but it is to be whether it was the first in operation in Detroit itself, for there were proclamations issued to the people of this vicinity by Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton as early as the year 1777. The documents were dated at Detroit, showing presumably that they had been printed there. Strange to say, these were the only printed papers that were, over a long stretch of years, credited to Detroit as the place of issue. Some have, concluded that the lieutenant-governor's proclamations were dated from Detroit but printed elsewhere. Another press was owned by Alexander and William Macomb, who received it from Eng land in 1785, but there is no evidence that it was ever put in operation. The Michigan Essay was not, however, the first newspaper printed in the Northwest. Various papers were already being printed in the territory before the year 1800. Cincinnati and Chillitothe can boast cif this means of enlightenment before 1809. In 1824 a Spanish periodical appeared in Philadel phia under the strange appellation, El Habanero. This magazine was not professedly Catholic, but since it contained articles on ecclesiastical subjects and was conducted by a Catholic priest, the Very Rev. Padre Don Felix Varela, the journal may with propriety be classed among the contributions to early Catholic peri odical literature. Father Varela figured con spicuously for many, years as a newspaper editor and controversialist. In 1829 he wrote also for a magazine called El Messagero Semanal, conducted by Senor Saco, in Philadel phia. The first strictly religious journal estab lished in this country in defense of Catholic doctrines was the United States Catholic Mis cellany. It began on 5 June 1822. One may easily understand the need there was for this paper when one considers that Catholics in the newly founded diocese of Charleston were very few, and were scattered over the territory which now embraces the three States of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. At the period of the American Revolution hardly a single Catholic lived in the whole extent of that country, and the people who inhabited this part of the Soilth were wofully ignorant of Catholic doctrines and practices. Bishop England, the first editor of the Miscellany, was quick to recognize the needs of Catholics in America. Among other things, he saw the secular press so filled with absurdities and misrepresentations concerning Catholicism that he felt himself obliged to take up the pen to answer some of these attacks against his religion. The prelate was certain that if he could disarm the honest prejudices of the landed aristocracy in the Carolinas he could soon find his way into their esteem. Once the more independent classes of society were won over, he felt that little effort would be required to influence their less wealthy neighbors. Among the papers located in differ ent parts of the United States which helped to defend the faith in these stormy times one might mention the Catholic Press, of Hartford (1829), the Jesuit and Catholic Sentinel and its successors in Boston in 1829, the New York Register and Catholic Diary (1832), the Shep herd of the Valley, of Saint Louis (1832), the Catholic Herald of Philadelphia (1833), the Catholic Journal of Washington, D. C. (1833), the Catholic Advocate of Bardstown (1836), with its immediate precursor, the Minerva, and the New York Catholic Register (1839). Besides these there were four journals which were fortunate enough to survive the trials and vicissitudes of this exciting period, the Catholic Telegraph of Cincinnati (1831), Der Wahrheitsfreund (1837), the New York Freeman's Journal (1840), and the Pilot of Boston (1837).