The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-03-19

tu0 merits OF b0e CaGnOllC genGy, fOf WnOee
: relief . bill was ss6on TO be introduced.
ssWhen speak Of their. obscurity," he
said, II do not mean that they are desti-
Cute Of hereditary virtues and hereditary
dignity; that they are nota part OF that
.elass which ought to be denominated aIsin's
homanorMns. Icannot contemplate mon
Gent Roman Catholic gentleman in sae
!. midst Of his people, exercising the virtues
Ifhey are obscure, It is because they are
y6scribed ss aliens to the State; because
ley areshut ont from this assembly, where
Asny Of those who are far less worthy are
4 allowed 70 sit. Have they ever tried those
4 hich are exercised SO successful
jU ~ My many who creep into pensions
ana piaee9 Have they ever attempted to
obtain their rights either by clamor or by
has proved that no other body is more just
~ entitled to respect and to admiration"
| Such was the unbiased opinion entertain
ed Of the Catholic gentry of England by
| william Windham in bis sixtieth year. He
had been the friend of Burke and the col
small number of politicians who advocated
the emancipation of Catholics while they
resisted parliamentary reform.
The petition in the House of Lords was
presented by Earl Grey, and it was evident
from his speech that he regarded the fact of
very differently from those lax Catholics
who afterwards pretended that they had
meant Nothing in signing it beyond ga
mere general expression Of good humor."
He believed, as all sensible persons must
have believed then, and as they believe
themselves to submit with gratitude to the
humiljAHng imposition Of the veto.
Vixen their proceeding and its results
became known in Ireland, q throb of indig-
nation was felt from Cape Clear to the
Giants caan:sway. II. The pIssyailing sensi;
been betrayed by their English brethren.
No premises, however bright-no hopes of
civil emancipation-no bestowal of worldly
goods on their poor and indefatigable
clergy, could induce them to listen COM
placently to the plans of Sir John Cox
those plans were based upon the principle
that the sovereign power in every State, of
whatever religious communion, is Earned
with legitimate authority in all matters of
ecclesiastical arrangement within its do
mibion." The Irish prelates Immediately
them who We're present, as well as twelve
who sent their proxies, concurred in repu-
dating lay interference in the affairs Of the
Church, and in condemning the fifth reso
tion firstly, because it was too vague, and
secondly, because it bound Catholics to ac-
variance with the integrity and security of
ecclesiastical discipline. They likewise
passed n vote of thanks to Bishop Milner
for his "Apostolic constancy in resisting
the said resolution" They had double
reason for thinking themselves betrayed by
the English Catholics, !" for these latter had
notonly adopted most Questionable line of
conduct, but had done SO in spite ofapromise
which they had made to take no important
step in public matters without the concur
renee Of their Irish brethren. In the nego-
tiatious between the prelates of England
Synod, the results were not altogether
satisfactory. They all appeared to be
unahimous in repudiating the veto, but
there were some among the bishops in our
own country who would not distinctly con-
dlmn the fifth resolution.
In April, 1913, Mr.. Grattan presented in
he House of Commons q relief bill which
hsd long been expected, and which was
Hooked forward to with great, and even
with anxious interest. Incredible pains
had been taken by Charles Butler and his
associates to induce the Irish prelates to
reverse their decisions, and to, pronounce
their solemn synodical act a forgery. Their
vote of thanks to DR.. Miner was stigma
tizedSby these people as libel" and as
an awkward attempt of malice, to forward
dangerous views and scandals." The stout
hearted Bishop was threatened with having
"the door of every gentleman in England
shut against HIM J" and the menace was put
in force as far as it was practicable. Two
Wears Apostolic, gained over by the Charles
Butler and Catholic Board party, encour-
aged the refractory laymen in their tortu-
GUS course, and assisted them in that COM
plant intercourse with Wing statesmen
which Issued in the introduction of the
relief bill of 1873. Thus DR.. Miners foes
were those of his own household and he
had to fight almost single-handed in Eng.
land against open enemies without, aud
against secret adversaries and temporizers
within. On the day that Grattan presented
his bill in the Commons. Canning gave mo-
tice of his intention to move for certain re-
strictions to be added to it, but intimated
at the same time that those limiting clanses