The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-08-15 00:00:00

FATHER MATHEW.

The simple public, in their admiration of the supposed
good effects of Father Matthew's labours amongst the
lovers of strong drink, have resolutely shut their eyes to
the nature of the movement of which teetotalism is a
mighty instrument. On Sunday last, however, it will be
seen that the display of the Romanist leaders of the move-
ment in question was a little too offensive to escape repre-
hension, and gave rise to a scene which perhaps may con-
vince these worthy personages that the Protestant spirit
of this country, when once fairly roused, will not brook
the insult with which they would fain visit it. The scene
in question, which took place on Sunday last, is thus de-
seribed by the London Times, whose reporter has up to
this time larded " The Apostle" after no unsparing
fashion.

A capacious hustings and barrier had been erected
on the northern side of the Haymarket, and at an early
hour a number of persons, decorated with green scarfs,
and bearing wands with brass crosses on the top of them,
arrived with a banner, which they at once erected at the
back of the platform. It was of very large dimensions,
composed of green silk, and bore at its top the words

" Somers-town Roman Catholic Total Abstinence Asso-
ciation." In the centre were full-length portraits of St.
Patrick and Father Mathew, the latter attired in the robes
of a Roman Catholic priest, and under them were in-
scribed the words " the two Apostles of Ireland." On
the obverse was St. Aloysius,' the instructor of youth,
kneeling to two bleeding hearts, with a cross through
them. The entire place presented the appearance of a
fair, and if the temperance movement in this quarter did
no good to any one else, the venders of ginger-beer and
fruit, not to except the publicans, reaped a plentiful har-
vest. Some of the temperance advocates commenced ad-
dressing the multitude assembled prior to the arrival of
Father Mathew, and it was certainly most ludicrous to
see the rush that was made into the various public-
houses in the vicinity the moment the clock struck
one, despite the entreaties of those on the platform.
The " great apostle," who had been performing mass
and preaching in the Virginia-street Roman Catholic ,
Chapel, arrived shortly after one o'clock in a bright green
carriage, accompanied by Father Moore and two or three
ladies. There were at this time about 2000 persons pre-
sent, but with the exception of the slight cheering of the
parties before alluded to in the green scarfs and bearing
the crosses, the rev, gentleman reached the hustings
almost unnoticed. At this time large bodies of the con-
gregation returning from divine service at Si. Mary's,
Dr. Dodsworth's church, in the immediate vicinity, min-
gled with the crowd, and loud and repeated were the
marks of disapprobation manifested at the banner emble-
matical of Romanism, hoisted above the platform.
Father MATHEW came forward to the front of the hust-
ings, and proceeded to address the assembly. He said
that in carrying out this work of temperance on a Sunday,
after attending divine service, he believed he was perform-
ing a holy work. These temperance meetings were purely
religious ones, and therefore he was committing no dese-
cration of the Sabbath day. They had assembled to pro-
mote the observance of that great cardinal virtue of tem-
perance, and in doing so the Deity was as much pleased
with it as with any other Christian work in the world.
They had among them all shades of religious and political
opinions, and they did net interfere with the religion of
any man. (Cries of " oh," and " look at your banner.")
A most respectably-dressed gentleman, and who had
very much the appearance of a clergyman, here interrupt-
ed the " apostle," and pointing to the banner, called on
Father Mathew to state why, professing as he did not to
interfere with the religious feelings of any man, he should
insult Protestants by, having that Roman Catholic banner
placed above his head ?
Another person called out, "Take it down; it is too
bad to have a flag with Romish saints emblazoned on it
waving over everything." (Cries of " Hear, hear.")
Father Mathew.—lt is not my flag. I did not observe
it before.
The person who first spoke to Father Mathew desired
to know under whose authority it had been so elevated;
to which the rev. gentleman replied that he did not know;
it ought not to have been put up, and had better be taken
down. (Cries of " Hear, hear.")
Father Moore would not take it down to please him
(addressing Father Mathew).
The gentleman said it ought to be taken down instantly,

and the keeping it up there would be a breach of faith.
If they came there as men of temperance, or total absti-
nence men, they did not come there as Jesuits or Roman-
ists.

Father Mathew said the Jesuits were no supporters of
- - - -

their society ; and here there were cries from several Irish-
men of " Turn him out ; make him hold his tongue.; how
dare he speak against the Apostles ? " A rush was made
by some of the men in green scarfs towards the gentle-
man for the purpose of removing him, and a large body
of the meeting at once surrounded him, and seemed de-
termined to resist any such attempt, some crying out,
" That won't do in this country," and others, " The
gentleman is quite right—take down the banner." A
serious collision seemed inevitable, when Father Mathew
called out, " For Heaven's sake don't interfere with him ;
don't put him out; pray let him remain; the banner had
better be taken away." _ _

One of the men in green scarfs.—Why should it be re-
moved ? It is only for beastly prejudice sake they oppose it.
Father Mathew (addressing Father Moore).—Take it
down; take it down. If it were St. Patrick, and I alone
up there, they would'nt mind; but it is St. Alovsius they
don't nice.
Father Moore called to the me❑ to fold it up if they
could, and several persons in the crowd called out for it
to be, taken down : and Father Mathew at once insisted
that it should be taken down, or they would have a dis-
turbance, and after considerable reluctance was exhibited
on the part of the men in green scarfs the obnoxious ban-
ner was removed. Father Mathew hoped they would
hear no more about the banner, and having further addres-
sed the assembly called for a batch to titre the pledge and
about 150 persons, nearly all Irish, came forward to re-
ceive it.

Shortly after two o'clock the influx of visiters to Cum-
berland Market became very great, and between threeand
four o'clock there could not have been fewer than 10,000
to 15,000 persons present. At four o'clock Father Ma-
thew administered the pledge to a batch, which he called
the Rev. Mr. Herne's batch, of the Roman Catholic cha-
pel, Somers-town, and which he said was at least from
400 to 500 strong. Father Mathew said this made nearly
3,000 that day, and he believed he should have 10,000
before he left off.