The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-04-09
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
aEw ORLEANS. SUNDAY. APRIL .. ls71.
Patron Fairs. Protestant Palatines Imported into
Ireland.

his legal right. Every Catholic, on the
other hand, suspected his Protestant neigh
bors of being spies, and Of having covet-
GUS designs on. his worldly goods. Inform
ers were active and well rewarded and
society groaned under that most dreadful
of tyrannies-systematize espionage. The
Irish House of Commons resolved unani-
mously "that the prosecuting and inform
ing against Papists was an honorable ser
vice to tho Governments" and it is hard
ton, since whatever he did, or did not do,
was taken awry; his cause was prejudged; it
was certain that he was an idolater, almost
certain that he was plotting for the Preteh-
der, and in the highest degree probable
that, if he had any property, he had no
was an inquisitor and prosecutor ex-o1icio,
and to be lenient or remiss towards the |
0eits lucifuga, the hated race, was to for |
felt his position and to be signally dis
graced. How essentially persecution was
part Of the English system Of governing
times overriding the personal bias and
opinions of the Ylceroy, who represented
the Sovereign. Thus the Duke of Ormond,
who was Lord Lieutenant in 1903, and who
promised that he would recommend the
1sBill to prevent the further growth of Pc.
chat he wOnnSdo everything in, his power
to check the increase of the Roman religion
was at the very time in regular correspon-
dence with the exiled James, was ready,
even then, to deliver up the country to his
"Popish" sway, and afterwards, when
George came to the throne, fed from
England, joined the Pretender, and forfeit
ed his immense estates to the Crown! II
the cause of James III had been crowned
with success in l7l4, the Duke OF Ormond
might have have reappeared among the
Irish, not as prosecutor of Catholics, but
as q champion of their rights. But no
such happiness was in store for that atfiict-
ed people, whose history, as one of their
own writer's says, "can be traced through
the Statute Book like the track of wound.
ed man through the crOwd-by the blood:
The Earl Of Pembroke, who was Vlceroy In
l7O6, spoke of them in Parliament as ''do.
mestic enemies" and ''the common enemy"
was the established phrase by which they
were designated in both houses. The DIS
senters preferred submitting to the rlgor-
GUS exclusion of the Test Act, rather than
weaken in any way the great Protestant
interest, and abate any OF the pains anu
penalties imposed on the "cOmmon enc
my" .
Scotland was effected, in 1907, there was
to Ireland. Some of the Irish Lords, how
ever, having heard that good deal Of bri-
berry was going on north of the Tweed,
thought, naturally enough, that they also
might perhaps make something out OF the
sale of their country. The Queen was &C
cordingiy petitioned by their honorable
House to unite Ireland to England, as she
had graciously been pleased to unite Scot
land. But the Union which they solicited
was delayed for nearly o century and
many of their great grandsons received,
through Lord Castlereagh, twenty times as
much as would have come through Lord
Somers, for the obsequiouspart which they
took in the transaction.
The religion of the native Irish continued
to be their chief, if not their only, solace
during the reign Of Queen Anne and Win
and hallowed festivities: Gne of these was
0Patron,n or a patron fair, held on the fes.
tiyal of the Saint to whom this or that par
ticular we'll was dedicated. In the county
of Meath, for example, there was holy
well named the Well OF st. John. hlthet
from time immemorial, multltudes has re-
sorted to perform their vows and to obtair
relief from their sufferings and maladie'
through the intercessfon OF the SAINT
Sometimes the pilgrims who sought 18Th.
healing we'll far over moor and moss
could trace the site of seven churches clus
tered around a sanity hermitage; ant
while the more devout fingered beqIde th'
granite cross erected by their forefathers
the Younger and less afflicted portion o
them visited their friends and relations
and purchased toys and cakes In the lltti
cinity. But the government looked wit
an evil eye on these pious exercises so am
dark and treasonable plot of lying at til
bottom of every such assembly and it Wis
tied on the people of Ireland the offence
of those in the southwest Of Scotland
who, in 1908, contrived plan for lnvitin
the Chevalier of St. George to ~ ap p e1;
among them in arms. Forty -one Cathoil
gentlemen were arrested at once and coz
veyed to Dublin Castle, without any chare
whatever being brought against them.
fine of ten shilIings, and in default of pay
ment, whipping, was made by law the per
meeting at any holy well. A fine e.E Of tw re-.
paid, wasinfiicted on every one who shou
erect booth, OF sell ale, victualss OF con On
trates were required to turn iconoclast
and to demolish all crosses, pictures al
inscriptions, set up in public for the ;, e
couragemeat of "Popish superstitions."
During the same year, l7O5, twas enac
ed that no Papist should serve on Ju
10 .l~..-, as JrsNf