“Ans. If I were to mention names, I believe the Americans generally regard the Irish as very much inferior; yet I believe if the priests were out of the way, if Romanism were out of the way, the Irish would be equal to any people on earth. As it is, they are inferior in intelligence, inferior in morality” (p. 1035).
In another portion of his testimony he complains that the people of his town (Oakland), with forty thousand inhabitants, have by no means the supply of Congregational and other Protestant churches which in the East would be considered necessary, and is asked:
“Ques. There are many Catholics, are there not?
“Ans. Oh! Catholics can hardly be said to go to church. They do not go to listen to a sermon; they do not go to get instructed (p. 1037).
“Ques. Do the Irish assimilate with the American people?
“Ans. They do, if they are Protestant; but the priests mean to keep them separate, and mean to keep them as a power in America under their control” (p. 1041).
As to his knowledge of Catholic practice and belief, the following will suffice, viz.:
“Ques. Have you as much prejudice against an American or German Catholic as against an Irish Roman Catholic?
“Ans. If you ask, is my judgment more in approval of an American or German than of an Irish Catholic, I should say it was, because I do not find that the priest can control the German as he can the Irish Catholic.
“Ques. Does the priest control them for evil or for good?