Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-15
TFrom the Chicago Times /. +,

chscago' beneuncing the Brother.
hood--Letser from Col. Muiiigau In
dorsing the AssOciatIOn.
Mention has frequently been made in the Col
umns of the Times, of an association of Irishmen
having the title of the "Fenian Brotherhood" !"
Its objects and purposes, expressed by ITSELF is
TO foster and organize a sentiment oil Irish ma
tionality, and 70 ultimately redeem Ireland from
the yoke of British oppression. Reference also
has been made to the difficulty between the
Brotherhood" and the Catholic clergy The
{ (organization was denounced some time since as a
~secret one. repugnant to the discipline of the
Catholic Church. At the National Convention
of the Fenians, held in this city in November
last. Il was sought to remove this objection by the
passage of the following resolution
Resoloed, That we nost distinctly declare and
make known TO AL whom il may concern that
the Fenian Brotherhood is not a secret society,
inssmuch as no pledge of secrecy, express or i'm
piled, is demanded from members thereof, neither
is it an oath bound society. for no oath whatev er
Is required to entite a man to all the privileges
Of the association Hence. If the mere fact Of its
members plejeing themselves to secrecy can rem
der an association sinful according to the laws of
the Catholic Church, there being no pledge OF
sesrccy, there can be no sin in becoming a Fenian
Brother Again. if the mere fact its members
being required to take an oath upon entering il
can render it sinful. where there is no oath re-
quired there can be no sin. on the grounds above
stated, 10 joiuing the Fenian Brotherhood $
2 Resotued, That. in order to prevent misconcep
ton as to our obligations in the future the fol
lowing be adopted as the only form that hence
forth is obligatory in order TO entitle candidate
to all the rights aud privileges of membership in
the Fenian Brotherhood: sg
81, -, solemnly pledge nv sacred word of
honor. a truthful aud honest man. that will
labor with zeal for the liberation of Ire
lanl !rom the yoke of England. aud for the es
tablishment of a free and independent govern
meut on Irish soil; that j -, will implicitly
obey the orders OF nv superior officers in the
FenIan Brotherhood; that will faithfully dis
charge the duties Of my IN mbership - laid down
in the constitution and bylaws thereof that
will do my utmost to promote feelings of love
and kindly iorbearance among all Irishmen; and
that | will foster, defend and propagate the
Feuian Brotherhood to the utmost of my power :"
his appeared to satisfy many Catholics, who
previously had conscientious scruples against
connecting themselves with the Brotherhood,
and the Fenians increased rapidly in numbers and
influence. IL did not satisfy the clergy, however.
They regarded the Fenisn resolutions as cunning
evasions. designed to misead by an ingenious ar
rangement of words. without going into the es-
sence OF the point Mt issue. The Fenians propose
holding National Fair in Chicago, in March
next, and the grand preparations making for the
affair has brought the Brotherhood once more
very prominently before the public Bishop
Duggan embraced the opportunity thus presented
TO express again the sentiments of the church
relative to the Brotherhood. On Sunday. Janu-
ary 3lst. he alluded TO il in an address from the
pulpit One paragraph was quite significant:
"Thereis secret in the inner circle. although its
external outward members do not know il and take
no oath: but there is secret IN the inner circle
which 1 cannot ascertain and which | have
right to demand of Catholics connected with this
society. what It's object what is meaning That
secret have not been able preciseiy 20 learn
have been told the object is to sever the depend
ence of ireland on England. and this is to be
accomplished, not by moral measures, but by
violence. by force of arms and bloodshed To
those could not have given my consent; it was
contrary to the laws Of the church, and that the
members of II fall under the bsn OF many re
scripts and bulls of the Pope, who ha<Deiong ago
condemned such associations :"
He also denounced the fair as an effort of cer-
tain lr'shmen 10 "trafic in the svmpathies of
their countrymen." in innueudo, that the objects
of the association are unattainable. and therefore
the proceeds of the fair will be appropratedlso
the personal use of the leading men Of the Bro
therhood. -fla-
Not stopping here, the Bishop addressed the
following circular to the clergy of the Diocese,
which will be read and commented upon from all
the pulpits to-day.
H fi CHICAGO. Feb. 3. 1864.
"REv. DEAR SIR: | feel myself again CON-
PEELED to call your attention to certain society,
the dangers of which have already pointed out.
and against which you directed TO warn the
members of your flock.
1"This society. calling itself the 'Fenian Bro
therhood.' has been solemnly condemned as a
secret. and in every sense illegal. association.
by the unanimous votes of the Bishops of Ire
land. anu by every Bishop in this country before
whom the matter has been brought. f
Its movements aud workings are secret. the
ruling or Inner Circies' being hound to secresy
by the obligation OF an oath. whilst its avowed
object is 10 overtarn recognized government,
and the present condition of society in Ireland
by violence, force Of arms, and consequently
bloodsbed '-ffi
II need net remind you that all such assoca-
tons are condemned by the laws and spirit of the
church (and ina special manner by the bulls
.iof her Pontiffs.) as dangerous to faith and
morals and contrary to the interests of society.
"All the articles usual in such secret asso-
Citations have been Of late freely used in this
city, and throughout the entire Diocese. to
propagate their schemes and compass their ends;
and to increase the number of their associates
who are at once their victims aud their dupes-
neither calumny, nor falsehood, nor misrepre-
sentation has been spared. la tie prosecution ol
their unhoiy designs. they have shown a disre-
gard If not positive contempt, of all authority
and have resorted TO every means, however OBJ
jectionable. to attain temporary success.
would also remind you that their ostensible object
seems to be mere pretence--if not an unmiti
gated fraud. They cannot surely hone TO
ceed in the dark plot of violence aud blood
whilst their real design contemplates the enjoy
ment ef the i'll directed generosity of their de-
luded associates. i. -s1rs s0i 3Fera
"On next Sunday then, you will bring clearly
and forcibly before the members Of your cougre
CATION the motives contained in this circular. and
| such others as may be suggested by your owr
knowledge and zeal. to deter them from entering
this unhallowed association.
'sAfter this general warning throughout the
Diocese. should any prove so peryerse rs 70 be-
come members of a body so unequivocaliy repro
bated by the laws of the Church and of civil so
ciety. or directly aid and abet by their contribu
tons and presence its unholy objects. they are Il
be excluded from the sacrament until thev per-
form suitable pennance for the scandal gi, en- b,
their conduct, and for the disobedience Of which
| they shalt prove themselves convicted.
a0 / remain. reverend dear sir. ef.
st tsri Faithfully yours in Christ,
aesi sffa sor tJANEs. Bishop of Chicago
The Fenians have passed resolution to tn
| effect that they will hold no discussion with tn
clergy relative 10 the matter at issue
In the meantime preparations Tor the fair ar
| progressing finely aud il receives the encourage
| ment of many ilIustrious and influential Irish
men Among them is Colonel james A. Multi
gan, who has written handsome letter to th
Fenisn Brotherhood Of this city. in which he ez
presses his warmest sympathies with the aim
and objects of the association. Col. Mulligan'
letter was received on yesterday, and we appen
copy With which we have been favored: