The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-05-12
EEW YORK HERALD.
>sw Ysrk, sunday, May ~. 1874.


Father Mathews visit TO the United states.
1t is expected that Father Mathew will visit this
county sometime In the course of the present
month He has had this voyage TO our shores IN
contemplation Tor some time past-his noble, phi
ianhroplc spirit seeking to embrace both worlds in
the grasp OF sympathies and love, as expansive as
humanity itself and it is believed that all his ar
engagements tor this purpose have been now com
pleted The arrival of this great apostle OF peace,
sobriety, and virtue, will be indeed most auspl-
cious event. and the results OF his mission, at this
particular crisis, cannot fail TO prove emnentiy be-
neticial. Let us briefly glance at the consequences
which may reasonably be anticipated to follow the
labors of Father Mathew in the United States
The very first consideration which has presented
itself to our mind, in rejecting on this matter has
been the influence whichihis visit of Father Mathew
Is likely to exercise upon the conduct of his country
men in this land, and the feeling entertained to-
wards them as a distinct class, by many Of their
fellow citizens of different creeds and different
origin. Indications, as conclusive as melancholy,
have of late presented themselves on all hands,
showing the alarming extent TO which feelings of
the bitteres luminosity toward the Irish. class,
at present prevail. The exhibition of prejudice
against the Irish is, indeed, new thing. But
until very recently, 1t has been confined to the il
liberal and unenlightened portions Of the commu-
nifty, and whenever il has manifested itself in
grossly offensive manner, il has been promptly and
efiectualy rebuked by the intelligence and justice
OF the American people Thus in this city in the
disturbances of the spring OF 1884, and subsequent
ly, when the attempted organization of an Irish
volunteer company, under the designation OF
"O'Connel Guards" Occasoned considerable
popular excitement enlightened public opinion pre-
vented any serious outbreak, and despite OF the in
famous pursuedby several partizan prints, who
enGeavored to inhame the public mind and stlmu-
late the mob to outrage, peace was preserved, and
the city and the institutions of the country pro-
tected from disgrace. But within the last two or
three years and terrible spirit of discord has
made It's Observation-Disclosures of fearful
omen have been shouted aloud-religious bigotry,
with hdeous and blood-stained visage, is scatter.
ing fire-brands far and wide, kindling, in many
quarters, into fierce and kissing blaze the vilest
passions of opposing sects.
Nothing is more painfully indicative of the les.
sening influence of that liberal spirit, and of those
god-ike charities which characterized the found.
of this republic than the eagerness with which
such'watch-words as Ono Popery ~ " Down with
the Paplsts' are caught up and re-echoed by null
titudes Of the people Of this country. Well, in
deed, may the intelligent friend of the freedom
and free institutions of the United States, feel
alarmed, when he thus witnesses the introduction
into our midst OF those potent elements of civil
dscord and ruin, which have in the old world so
impeded the progress of humanity and so repeated
ly converted Chrstendom into one wide field of
blood. And who are they who have thus let loose
upon US evils of such fearful magnitude, and
against whose introduction 1t had been supposed
that the sagaclous patriotism of Washington and
his compeers, had interposed an eternal safe.
guard! We can have no hesitation in answering
this question. On the heads of certain of the
clergy Of the Catholic and Protestant Churches,
aided and allotted by unprlncpled political dema-
gogues, rests this terrible responsibility The
Hugheses and the Morlartys, the Brownies, and
the Kinks, aud the Cheevers, the Mckeons and the
Ketchums-these have been the men who have
done this these have been the men who have
industriousy the seeds Of religious fanati-
cism and sectarian hate--these have been the un-
halowed instruments Of arraying in fratricidal hos
tilty against each other great masses of the cit-
zens OF this country Dare they deny 1t? Dare
any Of their misguided adherents deny it! In
vain may the leaders Of either sect, charge upon
those of the other, the crime Of being the sole
the first sggressors. We regard the clerical dema-
Fogues both of the Protestant and Catholic
churches as being equally culpable- they have alike
violated the precepts of the master whom they pro-
Tess to serve, and alike put In jeopardy the glorious
civil institutions under which they live, and whose
privileges and blessings were designed to be, like
the dews of heaven, for all men, of whatever
creed, or lineage, or cline.
Such, then, is the crisis, at which priest, Ca
tholc priest, an Irish Catholic priest, comes TO our
shores, as the missionary of peace and good will
10 al men-Of temperance, of sobriety, of social
aad individual vrtue-not breathing forth an athe-
against rival creeds, not to seek renown in the
osy arena of polemcal controversy-but to spread
The peaceful triumphs of the Cross, and in the true
earnest, loving spirit OF the great Apostle of the
Gentes, displayed before the judgment seat
when the soul of Felix trembled within him, and
AgIippa exclaimed" Almost thou persuadest me
to be Christian % Coming at such a time, ANNA
ted by such spirit, preceded and attended by as
sociatons commanding the reverent esteem and
respect Of all men, we too sanguine in hoping
that Father Mathew may do much to exterminate
prejudlces, TO subdue animosies, TO quench the
flames which blgotry and fanaticism have enkin-
died We do think that the mission Of this great
and good man. if aided, as we trust and cannot
doubt it will be, by the pious and patriotic of all
sects, may exercise a most potent and pervadng
influence for good, which will go far TO counterfeit
the evils which the folly, the intolerance, or the
sehshness of those to whom have already adj
verted, have produced. The harmonious union
OF citizens Of all creeds, in this great work OF
raj reform, cannot fail to soften down sectaran
pertles, and obterae, TO no inconsderabIe extent,
the preludces and bigotries which unprincipled.
reckless, or designing demagogues, clerical or poll
teal, SO readily turn TO :" their own base uses'
Again, at the commencement of an excited Pre-
sidentlal contest, and one which now threatens to
be accompanied by scenes of debauchery dissipa-
lion, and drunkenness, as disgraceful as those