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 Lis way, a greater
man than President Lincoln. 0 bvicusly superior
to the President in intellect and judgment, he
could command the votes of thousands of Irish
and German Catholics in support of, 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 Mary, Emmettsburg, Mary-
land.AoftfeArlobuenintgSt.ordained
priest he 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 185 i he was one of the
prelates of his persuasion Rho
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
was a stanch adherent. Archbishop Hughes

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. He has manoeuvred
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 Hughes was only an ambitious and suc-
cessful prelate. He was au ardentpolitician, a wire-
puller, a Cabinet maker. Presideiit -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 partzbus.
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 be 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, he
said that " a legitimate prayer now would b
e to
both
stop the effusion of blood--to pray
for mercy for
sides of the line, that God in His bountiful Provi-
dence might bring this unhaprY state of affairs to
the Pope addressed letters
to
a glorious conclusion." It
may be remembered that
archbishops of his
Church resident in Now yoric and New Orleansrespectively, ezPressivo of his wish for the cessation
of this struggle among Christian brethren.hes was
Archbishop Hughes in 1840 warmly opposed
in Ameri
insisted that schools should no; ca ; he
to the system of public instruclinn
be sustained by the
public taxes, or that a certain Ohara should be paid
to all individually—the archbio"P objecting to the
reading of Scripture in the notional schools. He
was also author of
" Lectures on the Moral Causes
,
which have produced theevil Spirit of the
Times," " ri Debate before the
Common Council of
A Review of the
Lectures of Kerivan" (1855),
4l The Proprietorship
New York on the School Fund," "
of Church Property" (18551, ss.