The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-06-07
ADluuAL 1AaRAaur.

"A correspondent OF the ndODI0 D0Hy ne
gister writes as follows of this somewhat
noted Parsonage:
A friend sends me French paper of a
late date, containing the following notice :
Admiral Farragut has created a sensation
at Rome, as well as everywhere else.
A few days ago, after having visited the
ruins Of the Coliseum, he repaired to the
Vatican, where he was received with high
ceremony by one of the a. eR1inences," who
greeted him with distinguished courtesy in
the name of the Holy Father. After having
expressed his admiration of the marvels it
contains, the american hero said in English
to one of his suit: /" And yet that Colossus
will fall as well as the other" No, promptly
replied the Cardinal, who understood En-
glish, "the modern Coliseum belongs to the
modern Church, and the gates Of hell shall
not prevail against it," "The Roman
Church, ," bitterly retorted the Admiral, f" is
royalty, and will meet the same fate as
all other royalties
This dialogue reported to His Holiness,
rendered the subsequent interview between
him and the commander of the American
feet far less cordial than it would otherwise
have BEEN" .-.-
1t is impossible to imagine q more brutal
way of acknowledging foreign hospitality
than that chosen by Admiral Farragut,
whose claim to be styled "hero" is, I sup
pose, based upon his forcing an entrance
into Mobile Bay, at q cost of over three
hundred lives. 1t may do for our French
war in Greeley's trashy book, to bestow on
Admiral Farragut the high title of hero at
SO cheap price, but for those who wit
messed this " daring feat and remember
the sixteen vessels, carrying two hundred
| and fifty guns, crowded out our three little
Tennessee, the claim is of q rather dubious
| character, while the true heroism is on the
side of the gallant little crafts which obeyed
the command of the noble Buchanan.
But, outside of these presumptuous
claims, we may well wonder at the bad
taste and worse manners of the highest
representative of the American navy, Civ
ing vent to his vulgar and incorporate re
marks within the very walls which extend
to him the courtesies of international well
come and still more may we wonder at the
spirit of fanaticism which cannot resist the
self qualification of heaping insults on the
venerable head of the Christian world.
Fortunately, there are more and other
Farraguts to sustain the honor of Southern
chivalry and the true spirit of Christian toll
erance. The widowed sister of Admiral
Farragut, Mrs. Gurlie, of New Orleans, was
or is-if she still ives-a devout Catholic
and a devoted Southerner, who, when the
Federal fleet was riding abreast of Ship
Island, n self condemned exile at Pasca-
goula, persistently refused the offers of SER
vice of her "heroic" brother. And then
there were his nephews, the sons of Lieu
tenant Farragut, who were doing their
duty in the Southern army, while their
widowed mother, also devout Catholic,
was Indignantly rejecting the visit and pro-
lection Of her brother law, then ruling,
with the iron rule of Beast Butler, the
helpless city of New Orleans. We do not
desire to reopen the bleeding wounds of
the past, but as Americans, as Christians,
we cannot witness, without profound dis
gust, such exhibitions of narrow fanaticism.