The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-14 00:00:00

THE LATE ARCHBISHOP HUGHES.

A telegraphic despatch in our yesterday's impres-
sion announced the death of one of the most remark.
able men in the United States—a man distinguished
not only for his enthusiastic devotion to his peculiar
faith, which he propagated with Hibernian ardour,
and with a success denied to his countrymen at
home, but also for his eminent political position.
Archbishop John Hughes was, in his way, a greater
man than President Lincoln. Obviously superior
to the President in intellect and judgment, he
could command the votes of thousands of Irish
and German Catholics in support ot, or in opposi-
tion to, the successor of Washington.
John Hughes, according to the follow-
ing account of him, as given in the Morn
ing Post, was born in Ireland in 1798. At
18 he went to America, and was a student at the
seminary of Mount St. Mary, Emmettsburg, Mary-
land. After being ordained priest be obtained
charge of a Catholic community in Phila-
delphia. In 1834 he first became known by his
controversy with Dr. Breckenridge, a Presbyterian.
In 1838 Dr. Hughes was
appointed bishop of the
Catholics in New York, and in 1853 he was
nominated archbishop.
In 1854 he was one of the
prelates of his persuasion who accepted the Pope's
invitation to a congress in honour of what was
called the "Immaculate Conception of the Blessed
Virgin," of which new dogma Archbishop Hughes
was a stanch adherent.

There can be no doubt that, under the energetic
guidance of Archbishop Hughes the Catholics
have attained almost a troublesome height lof
power in New York. His energy has been un-
flagging, and there can be no question of his per-
fect sincerity and earnestness, lie has manceuvred
Presbyterians out of their chapels, and it is a great
discredit to the Church to say that he has been
doing his best to get hold even of the old-esta-
blished churches of the Anglican communion, the
" well-endowed rectors" of which may perhaps be
not so active in defending the right as their aggres-
sore.

But it would be a great mistake to suppose that
Archbishop h Hue
''' es was only an ambitious and suc-
cessful prelate. He was an ardent politician, a wire-
puller, a Cabinet maker, President Lincoln sent
him on a conciliatory errand to England and France
during this present civil war. In France he was re-
ceived with empressment of course, but the here-
tical English saw no reason to care for the opinion
or advice of a Catholic prelate ex partibus.
During the riots of New York the archbishop ad-
dressed the rioters in a very inflammatory speech,
derogatory to his position as an
official of any com-
munion. It ought to to noted that the archbishop's
voice was not for an insane prosecution of a war
which may never end. Not many months ago, on
the consecration of a Catholic place of worship, ho "
a legitimate
said that prayer now would be to
stop the effusion of blood----t° pray for mercy for both
sides of the line, that God in His bountiful Provi-
dence might bring this unAuPPY state of affairs to
a glorious conclusion."
IL may be remembered that
the Pope addressed letter6qo the archbishops of his
Church resident in New York and New Orleans
respectively, expressive of his wish for the cessation
of this struggle among Christian brethren.
Archbishop Hughes in 1840 was warmly opposed
to the system of public instruction in America; he
insisted that schools should not be sustained by the
public taxes, or that a certain share should be paid
to all individually—the archbishop objecting to the
reading of Scripture in
to national schools. He
was also author of i, Lectures on the Moral Causes
which, have produced the Evil Spirit of the
Times," 4, A Debate before the Common Council of
New York on the School Fund,"
" A Review of the
Lectures of lierivan" (1853)1 " The Proprietorship
of Church Property" (1854 &C.