New-York daily tribune., 1845-02-25
THE TRIBUNE.
THINGS IN IRELAND.
arrcsnondence Of The Tribune.


ms, dsnar,ure from New York, that ! would prepare
for the columns of Tie Tribune faithful reports OF
he history and progress OF affairs in Ireland, parc-
sa,ly Of the Repeal Cause, now take up my pen
TO fulfil nv promise, and hope place the passing
events OF this unfortunate country before my Amer
ican friends, in "a shape acceptable to them, and IN
etrct accordance with truth and justice-for take
It to be the province of letter writer 10 sivc not
his owa individual opinions upon affairs OF State,
and on matters connected with the political history
Of the day, but faithful Dagucrreotype Of the con-
duct and writings Of men, who have become, as II
were, landmarks on the shore of the troubled wa
ters of political agitation. With this pledge Of I'M
parali,y shall content myself, and proceed dl-
recty to the present position of Ireland.
The year lSl5 has opened TO unhappy Ireland d
prospect OF continued and violent agitation. Peace
and prosperity, it, at the close OF 1914, they hovered
near the green hills of Erin, anxious TO find rest
ng place, after years oabsence and OF sorrow, have
eenfrshened from their purpose, and have lelther
"To weep ser her sad desolaion.'
The new elements OF agitation are strangely con-
founded First in the cup Of bitterness is the rup
ture between The Protcs,anis and the Government,
on tie subject Of National Education-the Protest
of the Preates of the Protestant Church against the
National Systeul-and the open and unequivocai
withdrawal by the Protestant aiiy, ct their conf
dence in Sir Rober, Peel and his ministry, The Sc
cond ingrcdieat is the interference Of the Pope Of
Rome, through, it is alleged, the influence of the
British Minister, i'll the temporal affairs of Ireland
The third is, O'Connel's backslidng, as some vo-
lent patisans term il, from the cause OF Repeal In
favor OF Federalism, and his beng on too good
terms with the Ministry. These three may be con-
sldered the principal topics OF agitation, and as 1t
will be Impossible 10 go into them all al length In
single letter, | propose 10 consider ilrst. the cause
aud origin of each, and then to follow up and trace
out succnclly the effects, as they become developed
IN the course OF events.
As the more recent cause is generally the most
interesting, | shall commence with the subject OF
the Pope attempted interference with the temporal
affairs OF Ireland or, PLAIN words, his mandate 10
the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and Clergy TO cease
nngling themselves up with the political agitation OF
OConnell and the Repeal party lna letter from the
Propaganda 20 the Irish PIcates, bearing date
October, 1914 the Pope ntimates TO the Irish
Priesthood that their condHct In lending their pre-
sence, influence and personal cxertions, 10 the
rolitical agitation carried on by the Irish people
against the Government, is g not congenlal 10 the
mild spirit of their sacred ministry" pretty
strong hint that the munster OF religion must not
degrade the sacred Office to which he has been
solemnly set apart, by becoming raning, brawl-
ing politician A hint which has been rather more
same class Of persons, when they attempted 10
make the political arena, the theatre o! operations
for the advancement OF sectarlan dogmas, and the
acqul,onof political power!
This * rescrpt" as ii is termed, was read IN Sy-
nod and al the last general meeting OF The Catho,
lie Prelates, resolution was unanimously adopted
bv them to use their influence with their clergy 10
compel them TO obedience 10 the Will OF the Head
of the Church on Earth A portion OF the Pre-
lates however have refused 10 withdraw them
selves from the Repeal movement, on the ground
that as Irshmen, they owe their country duty,
and until her independence as nation Is acknow-
lcdsed, they cannot cease to JON their fellow
Irishmen in working out that object by peaceful
and constitutional means This is the language OF
Bishops ,McHale and Browne. But what avail will
their example be to the mass of the Irish priest
hood who are bound in obedience 10 the Pope, as
strongly and as indlssoubly as the sacred rite OF
ordination can make them Already the symp-
toms OF submission are abroad, and the lay Catho-
lies have become alarmed lest their darling scheme
NAV be paralyzed, by the withdrawal of the Irish
clergy from among them. Daniel O'Connell, or
the freemdns' Journal calls hum % the most dstin-
guished Law Catholic IN lreland,' has, IN a long
letter TO Bishop Croly, pronounced the "rcScupt"
forgery. or if it has emanaed Irom the Propa-
canda il is not caaloncdi, and consequently the
Catholics of Ireland, whether priest or layman, are
not bound to observe II. The F1emans' Journal
of January lllh, IN leading article on the subject
rhc mssvc OF the Propaganda TO the Catholic Prmac,
whatever may be its particular recommendation. lis nota
cdRoa.-Vi document. II refers temporal affairs,
spiritual 1t is therefore OF no force validity Of any
kn As far, 10 use the language OF "thc most disiin-
sused lay Catholic Of these countrtcS-aS as lr as may
ireat OF matters Of temporal nature matters relating
ne poicai rights dad liberties c dte iii people, IS
pialiiy yoid, aadef no effect"
Neither is this the language of a portion OF the
Catholic press, or OF Daniel O'Connel alone-it Is
the language of the LOYAL National Repeal AsSo-
clation at their last meeting IN Cancellation Hall,
he'll lasr |
20 ascertain from actual observation, the feelings
and sentiments of the leaders, and how the people
would receive those opinions and sentiments, II
hostile 10 the Head o, the Church). There was
no mlSakns The expression oi hostility TO tne
Pope's temporal authority in lrel2nd esweli by the
leaders, AS by the deuse mass OF Catholic Irish,
men and women, which filled the Hall 10 ITS capa.
city. uncomp.omis!ng hostility TO the interference
ot the Pope with the political affairs OF Ireland,
was the theme of McNevln, Daunt, Grattan, Nu-
gent, Neagle, Il. O'Gorman, and Smith O'l5nen, al
that meeiing and the reply Of the people was gwen
in thunder tones, which, as Counsellor McNeyin
observed "will have their echoes IN the hills thai
look on the Tiber." Listen 10 the language OF
O'Neili Dauntas hnd II reported IN the Eyretaans
Joryiai, " if the Priests once deserted Repea-the
PEOPLE would desert the Priests, cloud, long and
Vehement cheering)," and as an eye witness !
would add, such waving OF hats, such shouts of
I'VE would they dare not desert Repeal as
proved how bound up IN their leaders are thePeopie
IN the Repeal cause.
What, then, must be the issue and how vii! this
open opposition 10 the Hierarchy by the Catholic
Laity eventua,e! What, but in schisn, IN violent
contest in the Catholic Church IN division o. the
Clergy from the Laity the great work OF Irish as
,aton: and. in the words OF O'lNeW Daunt, again,
is hideous it is horrible contemplate the anar-
chy which mus; follow, Take away" says he,
The saccrdo,al influence that alone can avail 30
s;iil the boiling ocean of the Peoples discomfort,
and who can answer for the Sansulnary horrors
which Irish misery might then produce s-misery,
ursoo,hed unsanctitied unsllevia,ed by ,ha, close
aad affec,ionate communion between Clergy and
People, which at once b!unrs the poiguancy of sui
ierins and s,tayaWeeS The public psace :" have
ttcliciScd the last four wor0s in order to point cut
more torcibly the opinion OF this champion OF Re
peal the influence of the Catholic Priesthood
IN stcmiping the current of outbreak and violence
during the years OF agitation which are passed Ii
is 10 the Priesthood thai the, Irish People were obe
dent when they assembled IN hundreds of thou
slnds upon the green hills of their native Isle 10