Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1847-10-30
No.. 80

and between the arches were thrown feA.
Ioons o black velvet, white and yellow ORA.
PerieS Of other material, ell fringed with
gold and silver. In the centre, between
the sransepts ofthe cruciform church, and
in front OF the altar, was an immense ca,a.
faIque, a good deal resembling in design
that erected for the funeral Of the late Pope.
The lower story, q quadrangular structure
OfwoOd, painted in The same lugubrioua
colours, with large inscriptions on three
sides, snd a Grecian portal on the fourth,
opening on q light of steps Aanked by fous
massive tripods, on each of which burn, =
lurid fame. Above was a tower, on tho
four sides Of which were painted, in imits.
ton OF basso relieve, u female figure exs
pressing deep grief; a group representing
oconnell addressing = large meeting
another in which he, with his followers, /,
receiving from a priest the bensdicaon Of
the Host lastly, armOrial bearings Of tho
deceased. This was s~uru.ounted by a cir.
cuIar pinnacle, on whose apex stood a col.
lOssal statue of Religion, bearing tho cross
Branching chandeliers were attached "a
the angles, and with numerous rnpe,.
rose from the several storeys and other can.
delabFa, must have formed nbout 200 ligbts.
on or surrounding tho fabric. A tempora.
ry pulpit had been erected, lower than the
permanent one, and opposite to a large
Ioggia for the choir, including different in
struments, and q great number Of s~ipgors.
Beneath this, and in some Of the eide chan.
els were rrserved seats for persons Of rnnk
and for ladies' The celebration Of mass
bya bishop, was accompanied with all The
mou'nful magnidcence, expressive Of sor.
row sublimed by Hope and Faith, which
the Catholic ritual ON these occasions al.
lows ; and the music was of a character
perfectly In accordance. 1t was impossi.
bic to contemplate the scene. NJ the
church was filed to its utmost limits by
persons Of all ranks, religious and secular,
guards stationed round the catalogue, and
distributed at intervals throughout tho
aIsIes' the officiating clergy accompanied
by a numerous train in white and black
veStments, with burning torches. Il was
impossible to regard the whole, and the
intense interest that spoke in the demean.
our OF the people, without the n of q
great occasion Of mourning, in which tho
teafs~ ofnations were to unite. The Az
u Del swelled forth from the choir with
singular majesty and earnestness of en-.
treaty, as inploring reposO for the soul OF
one who had been the beloved OF millions.
The singing OF the prayer Of ~absolu.ion al
the end, in which the vocal and instrumen.
tel powers ofthe choir were s1erted. wsv
most impressive.
The effect produced by the Grafton Of
the celebrated Father Ventura WA extra.
ordinary. Lasting, as 1t did, more than
two hours, there was no tagging of atten.
ton, o%rthinning of the crowd, though q.
bout one.haIf were obliged to stand tho
whole time. At the different pauses
when q main period had been concluded.
the mumur Of appreciation, without being
actually artictlate, was still sufficiently ez.
P~ressive /; and at the end many forgot them.
selves 80 far as loundlyt to applaud, but this
was immediately hushed by the rest, and
by a significant action from the preacher.
Not satisfied with giving a view of the
life and political actions of O'Connell. and
q portraiture concluding with a mot elo.
quent eulogy oftl,e Irish character, Father
Ventura made the theme one of still higher
interest, by passing from details into gen.
eralization, from comments On individuals
to the defnation Of principles, Of true AZ
opposed to spurious liberty, Of revolutions
involving progress, and those which, or.
rnencing in anarchy, only lead to aggrava.
ton Of Ill. -CLasgoD paper.