Recognize Constable Quinn

On Dec. 5, 1853 Constable James Quinn, Chicago Police Department, died as a result of "sundry kicks and blows" received while in the discharge of his duties as a police officer of the city of Chicago. On Dec. 12, 1853, the administration of the Chicago Police first found Quinn in fact died in the line of duty when they ruled, "a member of the police of the city has been lately killed in the discharge of his duty” and again on March 6, 1854, concurred that "Quinn was killed under no ordinary circumstances but in the honest and faithful discharge of his duty as an officer of the city."

Quinn, an Irish Catholic, was ELECTED to public office by Chicago voters and as such became the quintessential hate object of the secret nativist, unconstitutional political party: the Know Nothings, who shunned Quinn's ultimate sacrifice. The Know Nothings held sway in Chicago and elsewhere in America during the mid 1850s. Upon entering this secret political party, all Know Nothings took a solemn Oath to never to vote for any Roman Catholic to any office of Honor, Trust or Profit notwithstanding such a "religous test" was strictly prohibited by Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, which states, "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

It is time to correct this injustice.