The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-04-26

IL 'oo h'ihy instances, nave preJudiceC
many against a cause deserving and holy il
ltself-love of country. If Mackeys spiri,
had an echo in the hearts of all his CO. labor.
ers, the odium which good and holy cause
has incurred would have no existence. In the
correspondence of New York contempora-
~, we find that his own pastor says of him
Poor Mackey is, though we may disagree
with him in his peculiar political programme,
pure, disintereeted, nobte-minded patriot, as
'oeH as Jerrent and deuoted Catholic'
In response to the usual question, lac said :
Ny lord, what said last evening think
calls for u little explanation. then said / was
fully satisfied with the verdict-that it was q
fair and just one. say still, hut wish to
state that consider it only so i'll accordance
ance with my ideas of right and justice. 1 feel
that with the strong evidence there was against
me- according to British law, the jury could not
thank them again for their recom1nen tlation
sofnercy, which, have no doubt, was prompted
W good Intention toward me, and desire to
mitigate what they considered would be long
and painful imprisonment. Still / will saw
with all respect that feel the utmost inditfer-
-ence to 1t. do SO for this reason: now in
that position that must rely entirely upon the
goodness of God, and feel confident that He
will SO dispose events that will not remain II
prisoner so long as Your lordship may be pleased
guilty, it only remains for your lortlship to give
effect to their verdict. The eloquence the abb
llty the clear reasoning, and the really splendid
arguments of my counsel failed as knew they
would to affect the jury. feel, therefore, that
with my poor talents it would be utterly vain
and useless for me to attempt to stay the SELL |
tence which it now becomes YOUR iortlshps !
duty to pronounce. I believe NV lord, from |
what seen of your lor1sl,ip, and what have
heard of you, it will be to you painful duty
TO infiict that sentence upon me. To one
cinging 30 much to the world and its Joys,
to it's fond ties and pleasant associations, as i
naturally do, retirement into Punishment is sell
dom, very seldom, welcome. OF that however,
l do not complain. But to amy whose
heart glows with the warmest impulses and the
most intensefOve of freed6n-strongly attached
to kind friends. atfcctiOnute parents, loving
brothers and sisters, and ii devotedly fond and
loving wife, the contemplation of II long period
OF Imprisonment must appear most terrible and
appalling. To me, however, viewing it from Il
purely personal point of view, and considering
the cause for which am about to suffer, far
from being dismayed-far from its discouraging
met proves to me rather IL source of Joy and
comfort. True. it is IL position not to he sou ht
not to be looked fort is one which, for many
very many reasons, there is no occasion for me
now to eNplain--may be thought to involve ,
disgrace or discredit. Butso far from my view
ing it i'll that light, do not shrink from it, but
accept it readily, feeling proud and glad that it
affords me an opportunity of proving the sim
cerity of those soulelevating principles of free
dom which good old patriotic father instilled !
into my mind from my earliest years. and
Il
whose fervor and intensity are second only to
the sacred homage which we owe to God. If, {
having lost that freedom am to be deprived ,
of all those blessings-those glad and Joyous +
years should have spent among loving friends,
L shall not complain, shall not muriur, but I
with calm resignation and cheerful expectation, $
L shall jOyfully submit to Gods blessed will, L
feeling confident that He will open the strong +
ly-locked and barred doors of British prisons. {;
Till that glad time arrives it is consolation and
reward enough for me to know that have, the Il
=,
ings of Ircland's truly noble and generous |
people, and with them far easier more soothing e
and more comforting to me will it be t" go t
back -elieefless cell, than it would be to
live in slavsl ease and mNury-a witness to II
he cruel suiferings and terrible series of this
!lown-trodden people. Condemn me, then, my IL
ord-condemn me to n felon's doom. Tonight "
will sleep in prison cell; Tomorrow. L will T.
wear convicts dress but to me twill be far t.
nobler garb than the richest dress of slavery. W
Coward slaves they be who think the countless d
and degradation of prison life dis ii
grace man. / feel otherwise. 1t is as mpos- ii
sible to snbdue the soul animated with freedom W
u it will be for England to crush the resolute II
will of this nation determined it is to be free =,
II perish in the attempt. According to British a
aw, those acts proved against me-tairly C
proved against me acknowledge-may be il
;rimes but morally, i'll the eyes of treemen and Ii
he sight of God, they are more enrolling than t.
iisgracetul. Shame is only II connection with I'll
aw, to assist our fellOw-nlen to acquire those
d-given rights which no men-no nations p
AN justly deprive them Of If love of freedom IL
ma desire to extend it's unspeakable blessings al
10 all Gods creatures, irrespective of race, to
;reed, or color, be crime-if devotion to Ire I'll
ana, and love OF its faithful, its honest, its w
Kindly people, be a crime, then say proudly IL
md gladly acknowledge my guilt. II it is IA IL
iisgrace, all l can say is glory in such shame w
md dlshon0r; and, with all respect for the al
curt hold i'll thorough and utmost contempt h,
he worst punishment that can be inflicted II
upon me, far it is intended to deprive me nj
u tins feeling, and degrade me in the eyes of e;