Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-08-22
An Abolition Device.


from its new ally and abolition confrere in Gin
cinnati-the Catholic Teegraph-a letter from
Daniel O'COnnell TO some Irish Catholics in Gin
cnnati, in lS43 1t was one of the mistakes of
O'Connell-or, as an American gentleman saws
was avowed to him by O'Connell--it was policy
he felt it proper TO pursue in seeking his immedi
ate aims as to lreland-to JOIN with the Ab0li
tionists OF England and of New England in de-
nuDcatlon of African slavery. O'Conne never
succeeded in doctrinating his countrymen, on
either side OF the ocean, with the idea and as
time has passed on, they have desired to drop
the incident from the memory of their great
cOuntrymen. The magnificent answer of Bishop
England, Irish born and Irish bred to o 'Connell's
avowals OF abotionism settled the question as to
the argument. and lett to the great agiiatOr ONLY
the field he knew SO well how to fill. of denunci-
alton and declnmatory assertion. The letter to
Irish Catholics in Cincinnati. an argument. is
of no value. 1t is unkind To the great Irishman.
now that he is ut rest, to rake it up But il is
part of the Puritan method, in this miserable war
to play the hyena. and to disturb the repose even
of the dead.
The letter in question errs in matters of fact
and in matters of doctrine. You say the Con
stitution in America prohibits the abolition of
slavery Paltry and miserable subterfugel The
Constitution in America IL founded on the
Declaration of independence" So wrote ami
erred O'Connell. The Declaration of lndepen
dence, drafted in l776, was the manifesto of col
onies leigued together for the common object OF
achieving the sovereign Independence of each
from the English Crown The Constitution.
drafted III lIcI, set forth the terms which SOW
ereisn and independent States agreed to A Union
Of limited reach, and for defined objects In the
latter document there is the least alusion to the
former The Declaration was a popular address.
the Constitution agreement on funda-
mental grants and guarantees of law
Mr. O'COnnel said in that letter I'VE have
indeed heard it said that some Catholic clergy
men have slaves OF their own; hut, il IS aided.
and we assured positively. that no Irish Cath
olic clergyman is a slave owner" The Verv
Rev. Edward Purcell rakes up and publishes the
old letter, containing such assertions Did he
not know that his own Most Rev brother Arch
bishop Purcell an Irish Catholic clergyman"
only few weeks before the date of thi~ letter of
O'COnnells. Shareholder in Frederick
county Md.-and. more than that. that shen he
left Maryland for Otio he felt it in no wise in
cumbent on his conscience either To manumit, or
to take away from Maryland the property in
slaves which nc had held? Only the h,bitual
simplicity aud good faith manifested nv Father
Edward Purcell Editor Of the Telegraph. can
account for his publishing this mistake of O'Con
nell, without correcting it by his own better in
formation. So much To some OF the errors as
to matters of fact.
Mr.. O'ConneIl in this letter denounces with
the vehemence Of which he is so accomplished
master. "the Irish by birth or by descent in
America, rs perverted depraved." souls
become stained with blacknesS darker than the
negro's skn"-"silly," guilty "calumniators
OF the aboliIionists, etc, etc The vocabulary of
abuse ia large. aud used with u eeping general
iiy of application against the lri,h in America -
against whom be quotes the testimony of the
amiable. popular. suobbish and hippant Lord
M0rPeth. who hid vistel The United States
year or two before. md. on returning had in the
sacred precincts of Exeter Hall uu-parincly de
nounced the Irish in America. in that assembly
OF the English saints. as 1.-The worst enemies Of
negro equality But the kew note of Mr.
0'COuneis letter in denunciitior Of his country
men in America on which he m kes most of his
periods turn. l. their "moBstrous" assertion of a
right OF "property" H. slaves Mr. O'Connell
could easily be excused for misunderstanding a
system he had never SEEN never become ac-
quainted with the practical lifFicul,ie. surround
ing il But. as highly educated Cltholic gentle
man, lie i not so easily to be excused for writing
with dogmatic vehemence on a subject on which
age after ge the Catholic Church has legislated-
on which the great authorities Of the Catholic
Church have written and deined--and vet to
ignore the canOns OF the church that forbid steal
ing or seducing slaves away from their masters
To ignore the facts written in the annals Of human
and of divine law that do recognize ave, and es-
tebsh the right of man 10 property in man.
Mr.. O'COnnell, in the autOcratic spirit With
which circumstances put il il bis power TO issue
edicts for Irishmen from Cancellation Hall. saws:
I'VE proclaim to the world our conviction that
no constitutional law can create or sacction
slavery"
The Lord and Ruler Of all, pronounced on
the offspring Of Cham that he should be ser
want of servants to his brethren" This was
constitutional law, sanctioning and establishing
slavery" God, who spoke to Noe, was intalli.
bic. Mr. O'Connell takes the opposite side
In the Book of Josue, in the sacred Scriptures
it is written that Josue gave orders in regard TO
the Gabaonites-of the posterity of Cham or
Ham-that you shall be under a curse. and
your race shall always be hewers Of wood and
carriers OF water" That was constitutional
Law creating and sanctiouing slavery" It was
approved by God Il was By error that Mr.
O'Connell denied its Justice
Moses, the divine lswgiver, had before this
established the right of propety in man. Tho,e
of the race OF Chanaan the lSraetes might hold
in servitude forever Even Of their own race.
they might buy and cell under limitations. Nav,
a"stranger" dwelling among them might buy
and hold Hebrew man or woman as his slave
This was constitutional law creating and sane
tOning slavery" Mr.. 0'Connell erred in his de-
na Of such a right.
The Christian ages, from the DAYS of the
Apostles 10 this dag. the unchanging. the un-
changeable doctrine Of the Catholic Church. has