St. Patrick's Church-Garry Owen-1852

BURKE, TRACY, PHILIPS

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 2/9/2020 at 17:48:34

Miners’ Express, Wednesday, Jun 09, 1852, Iowa, Page 3

GARY OWEN, JACKSON CO.,
May 23d A. D. 1852

MESSERS EDITORS:-We the Undersigns parishioners of St. Patrick’s Church, Garry Owen, Jackson Co., Iowa, feeling ourselves aggrieved at the uncharitable course pursued by David Burke, and the untrue statements made by him, against our pastor, Rev. J. F. Tracy, deem it our duty to lay before the public a true statement of facts.

1st. He asserts “that the Rev. Mr. Tracy has been announcing from the pulpit the names of candidates for petty offices.”
This is untrue, in whole and in part.

2nd He starts out by calling me a pretended officer &c.” This Mr. Burke does not deny-it is untrue to say that Rev. Mr. Tracy’s brother was employed as a school teacher or ever made application for said school, but after the opening of the School in November it was deemed necessary for the welfare of the children, that a second teacher should be employed it being out of the Power of the directors, or the Rev. Mr. Tracy to get one at that time, Mr. Tracy’s brother proffered his services, gratuitous until such time as one could be obtained. Two weeks elapsed before one was obtained, during which time Mr. Tracy’s brother taught school and for which he received no remuneration.

3rd “As evidence that strife and turmoil exists in the district and that he is the cause of it, we have lost one year’s school funds.”
This also is untrue in whole and in part, we have received the funds.

4th “He announced on the first Sunday after his arrival that he had rented the school house and employed a teacher &c.”
This is also untrue-for the Rev. gentlemen on the day referred to, invited the directors is his room in order as he said that they might make some arrangements for establishing the permanent continuation of a school. Mr. Burke called at the room of the Rev. Mr. Tracy, and left word with Mr. Philips for Mr. Tracy not to interfere in that matter, that it was none of his business.

5th. “He used the new code for the Bible, &c.,” this is untrue also, and bears on its face the manifest impression.

6th. “Whoever would employ a Protestant teacher, “&c. This is also untrue. The word Protestant was never made use of by the Revd. gentlemen; unless it was when he said, should a child of any Protestant parent be in attendance, no means whatever should be used to hurt its religious feelings.; thus complying with the letter and intent of the law, leaving the one who desire not to study religion at liberty; and those who wish to study it are at liberty to do so-an, we believe, such is the opinion of the superintendent.

7th. “Excluding thereby such as could not pay half the time, for one year, &c.” this also is untrue. The “Priest’s ticket of admission” was not necessary; the Presidents were sufficient, none were rejected who presented themselves, whether with or without tickets: there have been fifteen children in attendance that paid nothing.

8th. “Mr. Tracy said from the pulpit, that he would give himself 62 ½ cents to buy ropes to hang ourselves.” This also is untrue. These abusive tirades would have been passed unnoticed by us, but having learned from Eastern Journals, that these calumnious charges have been widely circulated, we, in consequences thereof, deem it due both to ourselves, the Rev. Mr. Tracy, and the public at large, and, in particular, to those, who may be led to draw erroneous conclusions from the above erroneous statement, to submit the above.

James Deacon, John McCollins, H. Mahoney, J.Guoy, M. Donaphin, Patrick Phallagan, M. Lynch,Augustin McDermott, D. Drised, Francis McDermott, T. Murphy, John McDermott, P. Redden, Edmond McDermott, C. Hanvan, James McDermott, J. Church, Austin McDermott, Wm. Dunn,Wm. McDermott,
Thomas Brett, Patrick Crowley, P. Barrett, Michael Sullivan, David Connel. E. C. Gordon, Wm. Ryan, Robert Jesse, Thomas Brinler, Thomas Rhatigan,James Lynch, Patrick Rhatigan, James Plant, Michael Gordon, Wm. Slaunter, James Rhatigan, M. Bull, Patrick Moroney, John Ferris, Patrick Dunn, P. K. Hughes, Owen Sweeney, Sam Reily, Michael Kennedy, Dennis Hagan, C. Kennedy,
John A. Kennedy, John Grace, Dan. Foley, Wm. Duegan, Wm. Well, Michael Plant, Thomas Phillips, Timothy Sullivan, John S. Bryne, Michael Barret,
John Phelan, Thomas Kean, E. Murphy, Cornelius Toman, Ms O’Brien, Francis McGlade, T. McCarthy, John McGuin, Dan’l Murphy,P. P. Lutes, John Ryan, C. Donaphan, Thomas Williams, Edmond McLaughlin,
Rich Moloney, A. Cosgrove, Michael Henebery, M. Williams, Patrick Kennedy, Michael Conners, Wm. Crotty, M. Plant, David Crotty, P. Stanton, Perry Crotty, T. Brett, Sr., Denis Ryan, John Hayes, Michael Rading, James Gray,E. W. Nayle, Patrick Phalliger, Maurice O’Sullivan, John Hurley, Timothy Murphy, Wm. Crowley, Timothy Cookeran, Owen Sweeney, Benedict Kutz, Christopher Drough,
Wm. Fitzgerald, Michael Boland, Thomas Breit, Patrick Lane, Cornelius Crowly, M. Connely, Daniel O’Hern, James Cune, P. Williams, Patrick McManus,
T. Crowly, Patrick Kennedy, D. O’Hern, Sr., John McManus, Henry Burke, James McArdel, Thomas Murphy James Madigan, W. Jeys, John Madigan, J. Donovan, Peter McLaughlin, James O’Comnell, John McLaughlin, John Donovan, Patrick Murray, Perry Phillyer, Francis McLaughlin, John Wallis, M. Brown, P. McArdel, James Mugin, Kr. White, John McGrough, Patrick Cowin, John Foley, John Cowin,
P. Delaney