The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-02-09
M1scE1LANEous FOREIGN NEWS.
IRELAND

iu ties OF Catholics in politics imPelI1,
,ional, and local, has been quoted, Sna c' n
Dublin. Most of the remarks OF his lord
abip are fully applicable to the constlsaeno
m. OF Ulster, which return twenty niue
Protestant members Of Parliament, thus
excluding 900 900 northern Cathohcs ron
by a single member o. "sm
Nv ganization. make itself victorious IN
ireland, and at least respected IN England
md Scotland, Ii the Catholic vote cahnoS
return Catholic, it can soften anu ihouy
hostility to Catholic feeling ana lnteres.s.
Mr., Butt, awaiting himself OF the aglsaoion
now organized In England, seeks to divert
r. into the new groove of home rule. AS
regards the ends stated by the Bishop OF
Ss1ford. there can be Ho second opinion
mopgst Catholics; whilst when a Mete
political, national, or party g9eseion
raised, the fragments into which IL may
break US will dissipate and weaken our
strength.
The Catholic Union.-The January me3.
inc of the Council of the Catholic Union
wHs held at their rooms, Henrietta street,
his Emipence the Cardinal, presiding. 1t
has been suggested, and with much force,
that monthly council meetings, with quart
erly public meetings, have never oeen
features In any popular OF successful e. sn oh
privacy, infrequency Of meeting, and ao-
seuce of active work, where 80 much 10
claimed to be done, are unsuited to the
habits and genius of the people. The Union
must show work as well as programme.
Except to pass o few sympathetic fesol9
Etions, and adopt one or two excellent a.
dresses, nothing has yet been done. The
Irish Educational Question occupies the az
tention of Ministers, of mem oers OF farHa-
ment, and of the whole press in England
vet the Union has done nothing towards
declaring Irish Catholic opinion, or COM
batlng the objections and arguments
brought against Catholic claims. The
Parliamentary representation OF Catholic
lcland, one Of the chief sources of national
weakness, remains without exposure
| by the Union, and without suggestion OF
effort to place it on an Improved ana
satisfactory footing. The status OF Catao-
and local boards of the Kingdom, and IN
public administration of the country, needs
only able exposure to secure early and rad
ical reform. Half . dozen earnest and able
men might in q week produce such num-
Der of practical reports on the public
} claims of Catholics, as such; as were they
duly circulated, and supported by pubic
meetings and the press, would soon effec
f remedial progress. The Union shoult
f show more work, have more practical aims
and hold monthly public meetings during
3 large portion of the yepr.
RUSSIA.
A correspondent of the London Table
f writes very interesting letters from 81
Q Petersburg, from the two last of which
l. dated Dec. "a and Jan. 5, we select tn
v following:
:, Panorama of st. Petersburg.-The preser
population Of this city is G67 1868, whic
Is figures denote an increase of l2S,0S5 sou
l. since the census of 1864. Our first stats
&c tics date from tie death of Peter the Firs
d in 1725, at which period there were I
,e more than 10000 persons living on tn
morass, and they were exiles. In 377 81
he men there are only 1907 600 above the a,
to OF 30 F; and the half of the heads of famili
Sd 1.-Two in separation from them. These tv
re facts must cast q dark shadow over o
ID, estimate of public morals. 1t is calculate
ed that there are in st. Petersburg 81 3O5 fc
he eigncrs-ten years ago there were but II Z
ey -and 20eS2 Catholics, who possess thr
churches. 1t has been said that the RI
,st report only shows i, 672 passports to ha
ss. been granted during last year-not an {
,rk cessive number. What is more to be
Id mented is, that during the same peri
it los, 337 persons were committed to prise
en- which gives an average of 343 per die
ow 1t may DO charitably presumed that at le
nm the half of these committals was mer,
.ht cases ofArunkenness. In 1871, the dea
h's from intoxication were 1858 this y
Idy they have amounted to 2,640. There
is one remark to be made on this subje,
the Russians are people who habitua
!. drink the least of any, and yetitis anon
them that intoxication makes the great
les, ravages. The reason Is that when tt
n of once take to drinking they will drink hi
the for several days together without eat
,ter- nything. 1t is believed, and with reas
tous that the multitude of holidays increa
tent inebriety more than it stimulates devoti
. the Besides the '1mperial" fete daye, will
n ali gatherings and family meetings, there
Glow l26 days in the year on which the Pc
hiCh forbid work. To some saints as s. Nicho
for several days are dedicated, and even
they the midst of harvest whole holiday is
home in honour Of the foundation of Consta
ago. nople Each one of these supererogat
,nts. solemnities costs millions to the coun
pure The result of this aouse is, that the pc,
num- sit idle in the public-ho literally {
half of the year. Emancipation has
ror- materially increased drunkenness.
So peasants are now no longer stopped
80 their masters, who consider that they
49, not now any business to trouble themse
,nS, about the morals of their late serfs,
n". who, moreover, would not listen to the
IS and by way of augmenting their dimin