The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-18 00:00:00

ANOTHER LETTER ON FENIANISM.
The Rev. Father Waterworn), 8.J., Roman Catholic priest
of Worcester, has published • second letter In Berrotr's
Worcester Journal, on Fenianism Its Causes and Its
ktemedloa"

With respect to the language ascribed to the Rev.
Father Lavelle and others, Father Waterworth says
it proves "that the speakers looked upon the lawless
aggressors at Mauchester as patriots using desperate
remedies to liberate their country, but nothing more.
They nowhere either advocate murder or justify
Fernanism ; but they simply declare that the would-
be-liberators of Allen and his companions had in all
they did their country's interests at heart. You and
may, and do indeed, form a different estimate of the
unfortunate and fatal proceeding and its results. We
take a very different stand-point and a different view
both of the conduct of the criminals and of their execu-
tions and declare that the condemned were murderers
and Fenians of the worst stamp, who well deserved
the sentence passed upon them. If with our convic-
tions we defended or extenuated their guilt, we should
be inexcusable; for violence and murder, united, place
the guilty beyond the reach of earthly pardon. But
we must not judge of others by ourselves. We must
concede much to other views and other judgments, and
by those views and judgments interpret both words
and actions." Father Waterford honestly owns his
detestation of the language employed by Father
Lavelle, and publicly declares "that nothing would
or should have induced me solemnly to offer the mass
for the repose of the souls of the Manchester mur-
derers, especially if they were members of the detest-
able and soul -destroying association ycleped Fenianism.
I would have prayed, indeed, for the deceased pri-
vately; have privately offered up the Holy Sacrifice
for the repose of their souls; but this I would have
done, not from a desire to seem to extenuate their
crime, but from a conviction of their repentance and
utter rejection of a condemned system, and of the
mercy of God and His acceptance of our cuff rages and
oblations in behalf of the sincere penitent." This view
of the affair, says Father Waterworth, has the high
sanction of "the illustrious Bishop of Kerry," who,
though he forbids public religious demonstrations, yet
"recommends private prayers and remembrances at
the altar in behalf of the deceased." The writer asserts
that Father Lavelle and other clergymen have
"uniformly condemned that wretched society "—the
Fenian Brotherhood. He thinks we are "at present
on the brink of a precipice; we must see how we got
there and how we can safely return thence." In fervent
language Father Waterworth exalts the Irish as a
nation. They are "bold, talented, generous, noble.
They become the most energetic and eonservative of
colonists. They earn, they hoard up, much; they are
universal favourites. Clearly they are fitted to be the
most useful and best of citizens." Father Water.
worth then asks, "How comes it, then, that ia Ire-
land only they are wretched and naked, and poor and
dirty, miserable and discontented and that there
alone the land is a sad waste--a kind of aceldarra or
field of blood—a Babel which is a ruin, and a Shitidim,
which is a howling wilderness?"