The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-10-30

of names that it must come before Parlia-
ment as the admittedly unanimous express
sion of the win of the Catholics of Ireland.
Tho Duty Of Irishmen.
The Odd Fellows Hall, Middlesboro',
England, was densely crowded recently
by respectable audience, to. listen, Gays
the Gazette, local paper, to the opinions
OF the Rev. J. M'Cartin upon what he con-
duties of Irishmen. He said he did not
speak 70 please any party, nor did he wish
to offend any, but would declare freely and.
without reserxe what he believed to be the
duty of Irish Catholics. One of the great
est difficulties the Irish people had to
garded with q certain amount of suspicion
as dangerous characters. In one instance
in Middlesboro' gentleman was followed
to his private houseyAnd his papers ex-
amined by a whole posse of magistrates
and police. They hid been deceived in
this matter by false rumors got up by de-
signing parties. Ireland was poor coun-
try, but England made Irish Catholics par
ticularly poor. Under Henry VIII and
Elizabeth the church property of Ireland
was cOnfscated, and the monasteries aud
glebe lands made over to strangers. I'm
der Elizabeth and Cromwell more than ten
elevenths of the soil of Ireland was wrested
from the Catholics and distributed amongst
the Protestants; and hence you find, at
this moment, that English and Scotch Pro-
testants (whO form but o few hundred
thousands of the popuiaton) are masters of
nearly all the land of Ireland. The Irish
Protestauts were not to blame for being in
possession. He only mentioned it to show
that England ought to receive them ina
civil way when exercising a mission, which
unjust English laws, made in past times,
had forced upon them to the present day.
AT a very early date, when England was
poor and oppressed, the doors of Irish mon
asteries were thrown open to her, and
people flocked in thousands and received
food, clothing, and education gratis, as
the historian, the venerable Bede, testifies.
He thought it strange, therefore, to hear
from some venerated priests, that when on
mission of charity in Middlesbrough,.
tionists, at a time when the whole of the
London press was praising the loyalty of
the Catholic clergy of Ireland. Such things,
it was to be hoped, had ceased, so that
Irishmen, both priests and people, would
no longer be subjected to such insults and
out some of the most important duties of
Irishmen, resident not only in Middles-
brough, but in England generally. In
speaking of the duties of Irishmen to the
country in which they lived (and where
are not Irishmen to be found y one of the
first to be insisted on was to cherish feel
ings of mutual good will and respect for
their neighbors. If Irishhen complain of
the injustice done them by the English
Government, they do not on that account
hate the English people. But what shall
we say of your duty to Ireland, to holy
Ireland, the Poland Of the seas, the land Of
saints and scholars, of patriots and mar
tyrsq -"'Tis treason to love her, tits death
to Offend" Yes, tits treason to love the
land of your birth; but no, it is glorious to
love your country and make any sacrifice
for it if you happen to be a Spanish or an
Italian revolutionist. To overturn the old
est government of the world by brute force
leave his kingdom. This is patriotism
Garibaidi is q patriot; Mazzini is a patriot,
a noble soul. And these men have been
all their lives: but it was not
against England, and that makes all the
difference; had they beeo Irishmen, instead
OF being honored with the title of patriots,
they would be branded as rebels Among
all the affections implanted deeply by Pro-
vidence in the heart of man, to which
every human soul responds with generous
thrill, one of the noblest, the strongest, the
most uncoDquerable, Is the love OF country.
Such are the sentiments of the great Bishop
of Orleans, and he adds further, 'But in
whom does that feeling live with such in
destructable power as in lrishmen !" I'm
dying devotion to faith and country con-
stitutes the glory and perpetuates the suf-
ferings of Irishmen. "Green Erin" says
DR.. Newman, sis land ancient yet young
ancient in her Christianity, young in her
hope of the future" Yes, fellow country
men, you have indeed country to be
proud of; an old land that claims your de-
votion, gem in the west which has shoDe
with brilliancy peculiarly its own. Let
any one point out single battle in which
the Irishman flinched from his post
Whether ON the plains of Families" the
heights at Fontenoy, at the gates of Co.
runna, or in the late American contest, at
Fair Oaks, Malvern Hills, or Antietam, the
Irish brigade was always brave, always
victorious To this old country we all cling
with an honest pride, aud an honest Eng
lishman will not think less of you for low
ing Ireland; on the contrary, man who
would betray or become renegade to his
country, is always despised. Faithless to
his fatherland, he cannot be trusted in
anything else. The old enemy "division,"
is still at work. "Divide and govern" is
the old maxim, and unfortunately many
lend themselves to perpetuate it. Let all
divisions cease among Irishmen, and fac
ton and feud pass away. Can Ireland ever
hope to make any impression on the
British government SO long as it does not
speak, as it were, with one loud voice from
centre to shore Let there be, then, but
one boundary line by which you will know
an Irishman, and greet him as brother.
The Catholic priest to-day in Ireland is as
much beloved as in the days of persecu-
ton, for the people know we'll his sym
pathy and devotion. Let no one say the
Irish Catholic does not Obey the voice and