The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-01-21


good weather on the ocean
improvements In Religion and Politics.
We have been very much gratfed by observing
manifest improvement of late IN the management
of theological discussion, and also in the conduct
of one class of the politicians We allude particular
ly to the Catholic priesthood and to the Irish polit
clans. Instead of induging In violent and unchris-
tian inveciive against the various denominations
of Protestants, the Catholic divlnes appear TO be
employing themselves in the more creditabe and
profitable work of indicating, by sober appeals to
Scripture and reason, the peculiar dogmas of their
faith. II is true that some of the characteristic
teneis which they attempt to explain and defend,
will not altogether bear the light of the present
day, being the mere pigments of another time,
when imagination and romance occupied in re.
ligon that place which intelligent and discern.
ing faith alone should occupy Still it is gratifying
in high degree to see such men as DR.. Pise con-
filming themselves to their own appropriate sphere
as ministers of religion, and instead of infaming
the passions of men, by fostering their political or
sectarian prejudices, endeavoring to lead them TO
knowledge of the truth as they understand it.
Even Bishop Hughes himself appears to have been
awakened to sense Of the propriety of this
duct, and is now following in the wake of DR..
Pise, by delivering series of lectures in ST. Pat
rick's Cathedral which are attended by very large
auditories.
In the field of politics too, decided change for
the better Is manifest in the behavior and move
ments of that class who have been called Irish poti
clans. They have become quite modest and re-
firing. Even the "litte beggarman," Mr. Nc
Keen, who attempted for time to initiate
small scale here, the agtating movements of the
great political mendicant on the other side of the
water, has settled down into a tolerably modest
and quiet man. We do not hear now of any in
Hammatory appeals to the Irish class. Car
roll Hall no longer rings with the Infatuated shout
ings of an excited mob, and the sacerdotal vest
ments of the Catholic Clergy are not now seen
sweeping the filthy floor of the political arena
This is, indeed, gratifying-this is it should be
1t shows that both the Irish priesthood and the
Irish people have learned wisdom from experience
and are so fully convinced of the folly of the past
that we are encouraged to hope that they will not
for the future be easily msled by demagogueism,
whether lay or clerical
Still there seems to be in the midst of this gene
raj improvement one little spot in the mind Of
Bishop Hughes that resists the genial influences
of returning common sense and wisdom. He will
not see the folly of his conduct in STOPPING from
the holy altar to the political platform. AS Polo
MUS says of Hamlet, he is :" still harping on my
daughter" Every now and then some whimper-
ing alluson breaks forth from the Bishop to the
source of his sad disquetude. He seems, indeed,
like some of those unhappy beings of whom we
read in eastern fable, TO be quite fascinated with
the instrument of his own torture. To this thorny
subject his mind is perpetually reverting Thus we
find in the very last number of his organ-the
Freeman's Joynal-published in this city, the fol-
lowing reference to this subject, which occurs in
review of some half dozen ephemeral publications
relative to the Philadelphia riots and their
causes
In his letter, Bishop Hughes vindcates himself tri.
umphany from the foul charges made and reiterated
asa be boldly chaenses james, Gordon .enna VIM
Stone and others to establish the contrary Of the fellow
ing propositions
is proposition have never, in my life done
ton, uttered sentiment tending to abridge any hui
being OF all any Of the rights OF conscience which
claim enjoy myself under the American constitution
"2d have never asked or wished that any denomina
ton should be deprived of the Bible such version Of
the Bible as that denomination conscentiouy approved
in umon or public schools.
I'D. have never entered into intrigue or collision
party or individual ever approached me with in
sultipg proposition.
'M have requested or authorized the black.
enng the public school books the city of New York
STU In all my public lie in New York, have done
action, uttered no sentiment unworthy OF Christian
bishop and an American citizen"
After putting the same or similar propositions, in an
facts which held himself prepared prove thus
boldly addresses his revilers:-
Now therefore. James Gordon Bennett William l..
Stone and We other deceivers Of the public stand forth
and meet Bishop Hughes. But then come forth in no
w IN sna
on your lips know you can write WELL and can multi
ply words and msrepre'ent truth this !. not the thing
Bishop Hughes places himself in the simple panopy Of an
honest man. before the American people. He ask: no
ho nu Uhoth tha n1spt nofR
White true that with the American people no man can
be put down by calumny".
attempt to stand forth :" but think will he univer
sally allowed that they proved match for the bishop;
that they dealt in idle defamation and in personal abuse
in words words words while he called for and dealt in
facts. The result of the discussion most happy
clouds of calumny which had been for years gathering
about onr great commercial emporium and it left
Bishop Hughes and the Catholics in proud position.
Now all this is exceedingly characteristic. One
of the tricks of the dialectcians of the
Jesutical school-in which Bishop Hughes is
very accomplished discple-is, when engaged
with an adversary, to shift the ground of the
troversy by substituting for the proposition which
they are called upon to meet, another set about
which there is no dispute at all. This is very well
described in the common language as "whippng
the devil round the stump" 1t occasionally an
swers the purpose toleraby well, but it will not
serve the Bishop. We will, therefore, take the
liberty of reminding the Bishop of the true facts
of the case, and refreshing him by another oppor-
tunity of looking at the issues which were pre-
seqted to him, and which he did not find it con-
venient to meet.
From the first organization up to the advent of
Bishop Hughes, the Public Schools of this city
commanded the appreciation and regard of all de-
nominations of Christians. There might have
been some trihing expressions of discomfort in
quarters, but they never attracted any attention,
and did not at all produce any agitation or dstur-
bance. But when Bishop Hughes entered the
field, the case entirely different. He har.
rangued the Irish people, and, grounding his in
fammatory defamation on some petty differences