American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-04-12
TTron ths New York Observer
KIRWAN'S LETTERS
70 TIE RIGHT REV. JOHN HUGHES, Bishop
OF NEW YORK, 81
LETTER I.

stranger TO Youi nANe tob ioI many
wears greatly interested in your history
aud dolnys; AMI for tho following rea-
sons:
You are the chiefpastoro of a very impor-
tsnt portion of the Roman Catholic ChHrch
in this country; and your ecclesiastical
position makes you emphatically public
man. II bishop in Mexico or Missouri,
like many mitred priests, you might live
unknown to fame; but as the papal bishop
of the Commercial Metropolis OF ths
Western world, and oSthe most populous
and wealthy diocese Of your church in the
United States, this could no! be expected.
Position, you know, has much to do with
our public character.
Busin addition to your position, which is
one ofhigh influence, you possess the re-
quisite qualifications to It, THIS is con- !
fessed by your most ardent opponents. By
your genius, learning. and eloquence-by
your sleeplcss devotion to the duties ol
your calling, you have obtained position
In the very tirst rank of the ecclesisstlcs
Of your church.
Besides. at whatever odds, you havo
fought like man with al your opponents.
In controversies religious and political,
YOU have not Stunned the hall Of debate.
nor discussion through the press. You
have taken your positions adroitly, and
YOU have defended them with remarkable
skill. And even when convinced OF the
utter fallacy Of your positions and def"nces,
have yet sympathized with your manly
frmnesV. II is in human nature TO re-
spect the man that with an earnest soul
contends for what he esteems right. And
must confes that as to some things,
when the public vcico was against you,
yorr course met with my appreciation.
Besides, if public rumor is worthy OF
belief you have forced yourself into your
present position by the force of your tai
ents and character, from social position
comparatively humble. To mo tlis is not
the least Of the reasons why have felt in
terested in your career. The men Of our
race have been what is commonly called
sclf-made men. The heroes in history
have been nearly all such. Il requires
high attributes both Of mind and soul "a
rise above the disadvantages Of family
and fortune; and to take precedence Of
those who would fain believe that birth
and wealth give patent-right TO the high
places Of influence. Your past history,
unless misunderstood it. must have had
lberalizing influence upon you. You
must look upon things in larger and
wider scale, and through clearer medi'
um, than you had been Graded in Grim
son. and educated in q convent. fo'
know the distinction between prejudic'
and prnciple--betwecn what is entitled t.
belief, and what wo have been educate'
10 believe between what is truly reason
able, and what is only enthusiastically so
And therefore address myself to yol
with a confidence far stronger that what
shall say kindly and truly, will be kind.
and truly weighed, than If l addressed
myself to priest from Maymooth or 81
Omers. educated merely in the litcratur
oflcgends and liturgies, and whose min
only possessed what was distilled into
from others. | shall address you not mere
" as a priest or bishop; but as higl
minded and we'll educated gentleman.
Permit me 10 say that there is yet al
other reason why have felt interested
your career. You were born in lrelan
shat land of noble spirits and OF was
hearts-that sweetest isle Of the ocean,
And so was I. We are natives OF Il
Same soil. And although in principle, /
education, and in all my feelings tho
oughly American, yet ! take great prl'
In the high achievements OF native Iris
men. America has had its Montgomery
its Clintonq, its Emmetts, its Porter
from Ireland. It's soma have adorned q
bar, the bench, the pulpit, the army, I
navy, tho legislature. the Congress
these United States. That there are mi
titudes from Ireland who were no loss
their own country, nor any advantage
this, cannot be denied. The reasons
this may examine hereafter. But
wo have many fine illustrations Of Iri
genius, character aud vslor, all along o
history. And have regarded yourself
one OF them, so far forth as genius a
force Of character arc concerned. AM
have often pointed you out as nm illus',
lion OF the high responsibility whl
Irish character is capable OF attanl
when relieved from the burdens that
press and dobase it. Hence l have
garded as your eulogy the snecrs OF 'ht
who have addressed you q" John Hugl
the Gardener" Such tanntS como
from true men.
Having said so much IN reference
YOU, permit me now to say word III I
srsuce to myself. have just stated tha
was born in Ireland. lmay say to you
addition, thst was born Of Roman Oatl
lie parents, and received my early edu
ton in the full faith Of that churci
whose allars you now servo with such
tinguished ability. was baptised b
ptiest--I was confirmed by bishop
often went to confession, II have worn
amulets, and have said my Paer n
tsrs and my Hail Marys, more times I
lean can now enumerate. Whenin yo
none excelled me in my attention TO M
nor in the performance Of the ponance
Joined by she Father confes"sor. Z.
whatever were my occasional mental
Kivings, remained true son Of the CHI
nntil had nearly searched the yea
manhood. Then, on as full an exam
ton OF the subject as could give it, lie
70 the conehson that could not reI
. Roman Catholic. first became an
del. Knowing nothing Of religion
that which was taught me by parents