The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-03-03
A CATHOLIC BISHOP ON SLAVERY,
WAsHNaToN, Feb. 3, 1864.
To the Editor of the Chronicle:

a.. ..t WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, lSG4.
TO the Editor of the Chronicle:
SIR There has recently fallen in
to my hands a pamphlet published not
long ago in Paris, entitled "Lettre de
Mgr. L'EUeque d Orleans an Clerge de
son diocese sur EscIavdge." This ad-
mirable address was delivered near the
close of Lent, and was occasioncd by
tho proposal by President Lincoln Of
his scheme of compensated emancipa-
'tion. Mgr. Dupaaloup, such is the
name Of the auther, is, perhaps, the
most distinguished prelate in France.
Occupying a high position in the hicr
archy, celebrated for his learning, q
member of the Academy of France,
renowned for his writings in theology
and politics, he is par erceIIeaee the
champion of the Church in that coun-
try, not to say in Europe; fulfilling a
mission there not a little resembling
that of our lamented Hughes here. l
have taken the pains 10 translate this
excellent production fcr publication in
your columns, not only because of its
intrinsic merits and the high source
from which it emanates, but also be-
cause it furnishes another evidence
that the efforts of President Lincoln
to rid the country Of a great evil, how
ever viewed by some at homo, are,
nevertheless, properly appreciated by
theloarned and good of the Old World,
but above all, because 1 believe it sets
forth the true position of the Catholic
Church upon this vexcd question, and
i'm that view may be interesting just
NOW to the public at large.
l have deemed it best to adhere
faithfully, and as far as possible, liter
ally to the original, presenting the
document whole and entire, without
omission or addition.
MEssIEURs AND DEAR FELLOW La
BoRERs:-You rarely permit tho dis
tant echo of politics to trouble you.
Your parsonage, which l SO much love
to visit, is the abode ofpeace; of study,
of prayer, and of charity. During
Lent you scarcely dwell in the parson-
age, you dwell in your church, you
keep yourselves, so to speak, standing
before men, and upon your knees be-
fore God, to preach and to pray, invo-
king upon men the regard and par
don of God, imploriug men to medi-
tate with you upon the death OF Jesus
Christ, and to unite with the suffer-
ings of His cross the suffcrings of your
life. ..
In the midst of your pious occupa-
tions, l do not come to bring of distrac-
ton, | come to ask prayer. For us,
prayer is politics, prayer is our grand
part in the events of this world. 10
speak of God to men and to speak Of
men to God. This is our mission.-
And certainly this is no small matter
even in the order of earthly interests
debated among men so earnestly
For indeed it is God who holds IN His
hands kings and the people and in
clines them as He wills. 1t is He who
quickly abandons them sadly to their
ways and who quickly arrests them
on the verge of the abyss and leads
them, willingly or unwillingly, by His
mercy. 1t may be that the lightning
of events suddenly shows them the
greatness of tho evil into which they
are falling; perhaps light from a
still higher source gives them finally
the true wisdom. However this may
be, Mcssieurs, the most Indifferent
know well that things do not proceed
here below without powerful combi-
nation of circumstances, which they
call chance, but which we call the
providence of God. They await them
too often in blindness. More enlight.
ened, we do not cease to raise to
heaven confident and peaceful cry
for the happiness, the progress, and
the future Of the entire world. We
pray for Syria and for Poland, and
for England, and for Russia, for China
and for Africa, for the victories of
France, and for the triumphs of the
faith; for. those who suffer, who weep,
, who hope; for those who groan and
pray with us, and also for those who
do not pray, who do not groan, who
are blind and forgetful.
To-day, Passion Sunday, at the hour
when the standard of the cross is raised
in all our temples, before the sacred
sign of deliverance, and of salvation,
I say to myself, my God has died up
on the cross for all men, and yet there
are mon who are still upon the cross
He has died to deliver them all from
every servitude; and there arc men
the noise which is made about this
great question at this moment unhap-
PLY reminds me of it-there are mil
lions of men who are yet in slaveryl
Good Friday is at hand. On that
day the Catholic Church, standing at
the foot of the cross, with eyes fixed
upon those extended arms which en-
brace the world, will recommend to