The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-08-06
Triumph.

New York, that it might we'll succeed in
binding the eyes of many Catholics to the
real character of that affair. Viewed in its
proper light it was nothing else than a
splendid triumph Of the New York Church,
for which it deserves the thanks and COM
nendations of the faithful every where.
One third the population of that metropolis
is said to be Irish by birth. One third,
therefore, of it's most infiammable ana
daring material was to be insnlted openly
and grossly in their religious and nationai
feelings. Could it be supposed that any
ply steal force would be mustered atrong
enough to prevent u serious demonstration
on the part of such a population, or that
any moral influence could possibly restrain
them from giving vent to the frenzy
which would be SO natu raj under the Gil
cumstance 1t is true that Irishmen are
Catholics as general thing, but could it be
possibly thought that out of population
of three hundred thousand, there would not
be found men enough, totally beyond the
influence of their religion and the counsels
of their clergy, to create q bloody riot on
such an OCCASION
The facts show, however, that this was
the case. There was really no riot at all
except that of the military. The paltry
disturbance of two or three pistol shots and
few brickbats cannot possibly be called
riot, under the circumstances, though 1T
might be fairly esteemed such if occurring
in q small village or between parties OF
dozen or two men on each side.
It is truly marvellous that the exhorta-
tions of the Archbishop and clergy, second
ed by the efforts of Catholic Societies,
could control the population SO unanimous
" in the face Of the terrible provocation
which was to be heaped upon them and OF
the powerful appeals of secret societies for
resistance. Is there any population In
France, Spain, Italy, Germany or England,
that would be so free of rebellious spirits,
so full of fearless, violent men, fierce under
provocation, dangerous under insult and
yet satisfied to stifle every word of re-
elimination and cover their brows with the
| dust of humiliation because a priest spoke
a few words Of gentleness and authorityf
Glory to the Irish forever! Glory to them
not only in the land where the spirit of ST.
Patrick is in the very atmosphere they
breathe like spirit of 1nartyrdom, but in
this land of their adoption also, where they
have eaualed the faith of their fathers!
| And in all fairness we must say that this
conduct was to be expected of them. Ire
land is q country of martyrs. Since the
prosecutions of the early Church., which
ceased with the accession Of Constantine,
Ireland is almost the only country that has
been called on to sustain prolonged per-
secution. The extinction of its religion
was decreed by the British Government as
emphatically as had been done by the
Roman Emperors in the case of the whole
Christian people. A penal code was enact
ed, uniting the bloody edicts of Nero
with the subtler cunning of Julian.
Death, exile and confscation were skilfully
blended with enforced ignorance and the
prohibition of education. Often the hire
lings of Cromwell and other military
chieftains, refusing to wait upon the
slower machinery of the law, slaugh-
tered the people by hundreds and thou
sands with the sword-men, womer
and children. Famine was stealthily sent
among them to execute a sentence which
no court had dared to pronounce on &c
general q scale. Always while one hand
held the sword uplifted over their heads
8 the other presented a psalm-book as the
alternative. While famine was wasting theil
frames and prostrating them to the earth
soup bowl was placed within reach il
they would deny their God and live. Blu
:, both psalm book and soup bowl were alike
rejected with horror and the faithful Irisl
died in tens of thousands as unwaverinl
= as those earlier martyrs who stood before
wild beasts in the Roman Amphitheatres
The modern Church has not been called
"a on as a general thing to bear witness t.
10 the faith through blood. "A prominen
3, man here and there, an Archbishop or 1
,e Pope, undergoes a violent death or the at
y tempt to inflict it. Missionaries anon
d Barbarians frequently lose their live
10 which they so freely expose, still, the mos
expected of Christians, as general thing