John Patrick Brophy

[Dennis Urban]

(10-13-2017 06:00 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(10-13-2017 12:44 PM)Dennis Urban Wrote:  "The press caught up with Brophy and Wiget at the naturalization ceremony and interviewed them about General Hancock and Mrs. Surratt's case. In the same interview, Brophy claimed that he had published and distributed a pamphlet to stir up sympathy for Mary Surratt--presumably the pseudonymous "Amator Justitiae" pamphlet distributed in June 1865."

While a minor point of history, no one seems to question John Brophy being the author of the June 14, 1865 pamphlet Amator Justitiae and the earlier June 5 letter to the editor of the Constitutional Union under the same signature. The 2008 book, The Catholics and Mrs. Mary Surratt offers a very convincing argument (Chapter Six) that Brophy was not the author but that someone much older and more learned than Brophy, such as Fr. Bernardin Wiget, was the likely. Brophy never confirmed nor denied authorship and neither did Fr. Wiget. To gain an understanding of what it took to write such a pamphlet, one needs to read the pamphlet in its entirety (also in the book). This is not the writing of a 22-year-old teacher but someone much more accomplished and educated. The June 5 letter to the editor states, "I know this child." Brophy and Anna were the same age. Why would he then us e such a term to describe Anna?

Given the harsh feelings against the Catholic Church at the time and from many quarters, it is understandable why someone like Fr. Wiget would want to avoid the publicity of being known as the author of the pamphlet. Perhaps between Fr. Wiget and Brophy they were comfortable letting the public think the latter was the author.
The thorough investigation presented in the book makes me think not.

Excellent points, Dennis, and I agree. Brophy was serving as a literary cover for the Church hierarchy.

I like that term, "literary cover." Very appropriate.