Dwight, Thomas, Boston, Massachusetts, to Monsignor Robert Seton, Jersey City Heights, New Jersey, 1889 January 6

Seton's letter of December 17 reached Dwight when he was ill. As Seton says, there was little new in the protest last year against the Education Bill. With regard to their city election, Dwight agrees with Seton that it was unfortunate that as Catholics they felt they must vote for Hugh O'Brien, because the other side has so allied itself with the Know Nothing ring that it was not fit to touch. O'Brien was as good a mayor as most and honest. Still a change would have been desirable. Dwingt believes one of the chief causes of the present anti-Catholic excitement is: when the Queen's jubilee was celebrated in June 1887, there was almost a riot because a number of Englishmen were allowed to have festivities in Faneuil Hall. Prominent among the movers in opposition, not leaders of the mob, was John Boyle O'Reilly and a Catholic priest. It was rather too much to have the Irish dictate who should use Faneuil Hall. Hence the growth of the British American Associations which are more or less openly anti-Catholic. The School Question was a handle. Dwight believes this rash action had a great deal to do with bringing about the present state of affairs. :: II-1-b A.L.S. 4pp. 16mo.