The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-07-11
The Rev. &c. Keener, of the Christian
Advocate.

Methodist Episcopal Churchs'' oOdR IL ehis
section, having, in his editorial imperson-
atty, suffered merited castigation from
the pen of the Revs Father jeremiah Moy-
milan, has q relapse of Know=Nothlngism
and, reviyipg IFS old dark lantern antipa-
thies, in especially malignant to the Irish.
1t would be unjust to hold all of the sect,
which he is deputed to represent, in the
columns of the Advocate, accountable for
his innate proscrip tive ma1ignity, as there
are many who, though agreeing with him
theologically, steadfastly refused to iden-
tify themselves with his bsrbarous political
ethics, in the years before the war, and who
since have been confirmed in their liberal
and just views regarding race whose sol
diers contributed unstintingly to the glori-
GUS record the South has made for itself
for valor and for chivalry, and regarding
religion whose priesthood and whose Sis
ters of Charity illustrated practical Chris
tianity in its most heroic and exalted type.
1t is not, therefore, in referring to the
editorials of the Advocate, necessary it
should be said that there is no intention of
wounding the susceptibilities of the Rev.
Mr., Keeners co-religienists, who have
higher sense of their obligations as Chris
tians and their duties as citizens than he
has. 1t is with the Rev. Mr.. Keener alone
the matter must lie.
1t was, of course, from 1854 to 1860 very
easy matter for such as he to sit in high
council, and smilingy approve the assassi-
nation and thuggery of Irishmen and Ger
mans, of Frenchmen and "Diegos," and of
such Americans as were not " sound ON the
GOOSE" whenever an election was near and
Democrats were to be overawedI The
coup d'etat of Napoleon III STOCKS the
nerves of the tenderly humane Keeners,
but they could continue>for years in New,
Orleans the cold bloodedr atrocities which
it is their pleasure to impnte to him, but
which, if he were guilty of what they say.
! of hIm, he had not the hardness of heart
ts>continue beyond a single day. The Rev.
Mr.. Keener, and those of his lk, are ad-
vised that times aEe changed since the ante
te1lant period, and that those q internal .
Foreigners and papists have learned to APP
preciatc Know Nothing yalor at its exact
value, land, be assured, the estimate is very
low one. ed.
The political role of the Rev. Mr.. KeeneT
is not entirely an obscure one. He was in
| go and 81 blatant pro- Southern man.
He was among those in '61 who were anx-
ious that the I" red mouthed Mick" the
&c stolid Dntchman !" and the =. frivolous
Frenchman'' should shoulder musket and
go and do battle against the Yankee, who
was to be whipped with Southern corn
stalks Those Irish, German and French
went, side by side with the native sons of
their adopted State. But what became of
the keeners2 They were spiritual advisers
and political exhorters, and, of course, they
had a mission to perform. That mission
proved itself to be to watch with the most
reverential solicitude for the safety and
comfort of their own precious persons.
While the Able Turgis, Father Sheerar,
Father Hubert, Father Shoulders, and
other Catholic priests from this city, were
sharing with the soldier the dangers of the
battle field, his weary marches, his rags
land his starvation, the Kecncrs were shell
terinS themselves under the wirg of some
thrifty quartermaster,- paCtakinG- the gen
eFe#s prevent of setftt: august rurnmtssaTy
enjoying the shelter of some hospital safriy
away from the front, giving stated meet
ings" to shirks and deserters in the pine
woods, or endeavoripg to get up revivals
among the moss backs,'' who took sane
tuety from CONSUMPTION in the swamps
1t i'll becomes the editor of the Methodist
Church South to speak disrespectfully of
Irishmen, and if the Almighty had blessed
him with those heroic qualities that make
a soldier, priest OF Sister of Charity,
and if he had participated in the great
struggle through which the South passed,
he would have been incapable of the sneer
of which he is guilty. 1t is not for him.
without malice or without the excuse of
ignorance, to cast reflection on "the
MOynihans," or any of the grand old race
from which they spring. For six hundred
years that race has commended against the
supremacy of the invader History attests
the fact that Spoon Butler, poltroon as he
is, made the Know Nething Keeners in
Npyv Orleans within civ Ivpal-S oft