(December 30, 1873–October 4, 1944), was the four-term Governor of New York, 1919–21, 1923–29; and the Democratic Presidential candidate in 1928. He had also served as an Assemblyman in the New York State Legislature, 1903; Sheriff of New York City, 1915–17; and leader of the American Liberty League, 1939–44. Alfred E. Smith, a Catholic, came under attack during his campaign for the Presidency. He responded in May of 1927:
I am unable to understand how anything I was taught to believe as a Catholic could possibly be in conflict with what is good citizenship. The essence of my faith is built upon the Commandments of God. The law of the land is built on the Commandments of God. There can be no conflict between them. …
What is this conflict about which you talk? It may exist in some lands which do not guarantee religious freedom. But in the wildest dreams of your imagination you cannot conjure up a possible conflict between religious principle and political duty in the United States, except on the unthinkable hypothesis that some laws were to be passed which violated the common morality of all God-fearing men.
And if you can conjure up such a conflict, how would a Protestant solve it? Obviously by the dictates of his conscience. That is exactly what a Catholic would do. There is no ecclesiastical tribunal which would have the slightest claim upon the obedience of Catholic communicants in the resolution of such a conflict.3212