The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-10-09


Some clever financial critics have announced,
through the columns of our evening contemporaries
q most important discovery; they hare ingeniousy
attempted to prove what no one will feel more sur
prised to hear than the reverend gentleman himself
that Father Mathew is, OF what, according to their
logic, amounts to the same, ought to be wealthy
man; that his receipts have been very large, CHS
disbursements they have conveniently everlooked);
and that, like some modern philanthropists, he
ought to have viewed the whole temperance ques-
tion merely in the light of dollars and cents, and
taken especial care of CT number one." To those
who have watched Father Mathews public labors,
in this movement for the past fifteen years, are
acquainted with the an.ecedents of his benevolent
and disinterested career, this insidious attempt
would, at any other time, only provoke smile;
but as 1t is evidently put forward at the pre-
sent period for the unworthy, though fruitless
purpose Of neutralizing the benevolent exer.
tons OF his friends we feel ii our duty to dis
abuse those whose credulity may have been
imposed upon by the apparently formidable array
Of figures marshalled for their Inspection and snb
nit to their judgment the simple facts of the case,
which defy contradiction. In the first place, it may
be important to remark that taking certificate or
medal forms no ess ential pert Of the temperance
obligation that the pledge is and always has been,
administered grAtuitousy; that the names of the
recipients are invariably registered without charge;
and that the taking Of either card medal is purely
optional, and its payment purely voluntary. So
we'll is this understood by the parties themselves
that thousands in every locality satisfied with
the simple registr alton Of their names. The pro
portion Of those who take out certificates is abou.
sixth or seventh of the entirs number pledged;
AVID AVIAN Ior nnn " hla hha
distributed gratutously--so the INN atss Of work.
houses, prisons, orphan asylums, and charita-
bic intitutions; and when the manufacturers
bill, the salaries and travelling expenses Of
two secretaries, and other incidental expenses,
are betrayed from the balance, the most
fastidious critic must admit that the surplus would
leave but little for the relief of the many cases of
distress and restitution which are daily brought
der his notice, and from the existence of wh,h even
this great and prosperous country cannot claim q
tota! exemption.
We we'll recollect, when Father Mathew returned
to New York, in feeble health, from the New Eng
land States in the winter of Is 49, beset he With
applications Of this kind that after haustng his
means, be was obliged TO borrow from merchant OF
this city his travelling expenses, and on leaving the
South his last act in New Orleans was to visit the suf
feriDg em;g,auts who arrived in that over crowded
plague ship, the Blanche, administer hope and
comfort to them in the fever Sheds and freely share
with them his last dollar. Long before the tempe.
rance reformation commenced, for fully q quarter
of a century was his unostentaticus goodness and
benevolence before the Inhabitants Of that city
which was the great central point of his mission;
and our couItrymen who lave visited the south OF
Ireland, know well how ghiy bis character ' essi-
mated there by those who had the best oppor.
tunities of forming correct opinion. To nons
did the dying parent entrust his ofsprlng with
greater confidence in his paterna care ard protec-
ton than to Theobald Mathew. has discharged
greater number Of charitable trusts than perha
any clergyman 10 the world, aud never was his high
sense Of honor mistrusted or impugnei. He was
the frst who intro iuced the subject Of extra mural
iueInents in Ireland, and in hs owa beautiful
cemetery in the vicinity Of Cork, large portion
is laid out in pe-petuty for the burial OF the poor
free Of charge As further proof OF bis liberalitv
il may be wen to add that the surplus receipts ofth,t
extensive cemetery are annuslly divided amongst
the Protestant and Cath olic charities Of the city
the right Of interment being guaranteed to all
sects during the late famine he converted his dwell
ing house into dispsnsary and soup depot, Dor
rcwed largely from the banks and from bis private
friends, and literally fed the furnishing Thousands
daily from bis own hands. To many Of our readers
il is scarcely necessary to enter into those de-
tails. They know Father Mathew, and their
respect and confidence in him alike un bounded.
The people of America hold him IN equal es.ima-
ton In the hands and under the management of
the gentlemen who have projected ''the Mathew
fund, combined With the generous and delicate offer
Of assistance from Miss Catherine Hayes, its sue
GEES iscertain the liberal and truly generous man
ner in which we understand MIR Clay noble appeal
is daily responded 10, places the realization OF the
object beyond any reasonable DOUBT In an age,
when, whatever may be It's other faults, insratl.
ude 10 its real bensfactors cannot be Justly clased
amongst the number, an age that has supported
through their public career, and muni6cent!y Law
ished pecuniary rewards on o Golden, On Arkwnyht,
a Paxton, and Rowland Hill, cannot be insensible
to the claims Of whose peaceful moral victories
are bis proudest triumph whose liabilities shrink into
insignihcance compared with the magnitude of the
work he hasaceompiished and whose services to the
human family, immediate and prospective. cannot be
estimated by any mere pecuniarY standard These
remarks will, perhaps, be deemed, by Father
Mathews friends, unnecessary, but; go jealous are
his disciples OF his fame and reputation, so anxious
world as not only "innocent but above suspicion,
that we, knowing something Of the man aud mis-
ininistatioas felt il our duly, for all TO de-
fine his true position, and leave the rest, with con-
fdence, to the generous sympathy Of the American
people.
a Plum for Ko,sushs
Q,,g.. N.,pu LAT