Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-06-13
Sneech Of MIR. KiIgOur.


country.
speech Of MIR. KiIgOur.
Attic opening Of, tho Convention of tho
Catholic Beneficial Union Of Virginia, i'll Rich
mond on "Wednesday, Mr. William kgour
of this CITY,, President of the Union, spoke as
follows. / GO ,--
Gentlemen ofthe Convention, Another year
Of rand transit has rolled by since last l had
the honor of presiding over your deliberations
I'm Convention assembled in the city oftFreder-
hkSburg The retrospect is such as to gladden.
| and cheer every one who has at heart the IN
lterest welfare and success Of those indestructl-
BILE principles which are founded in the stability
of faith, the pleasures of hope, and the bless
ings and rewards of charity.
+ 1t becomes now my duty, as it smy pleasure,
I to call to order the third annual Convention OF
tho Catholic Benevolent Union of the State of
Virginia. In doing SO, / am forcibly struck
| with the rapid growth which our Union has
1 made within the past three years. Originally
composed of about three societies, aud those
societies representing comparatively buta small
number of the Catholic manhood Of Virginia,
it has gone on in faith and in spirit until almost
every society in the State which is Catholic 10
heart and sentiment has united itself with us.
More than this: the grand objects, as contem-
plated In the formation Of our organization,
i have so favoraby and strongly commended
thcmselvesto the Catholic mind throughout
the State that in those places where no socle-
tics exist the propriety and necessity of their
establishment are already conceded and We
may consequently indulge the anticipation that
with every annual convention our Union Will
| .aj;t;on,l ofronufh md pownr
Independent of these local considerations
may state that our Union has been firmly and
| I hope indssolubly connected with the Irish
Catholic Benevolent Union of the United States;
an institution which, though in its cradle,
stretches its arms from the "Granites" of the
| North to the ''Et Dorados." Founded upon
| the cnduring rock of Catholic charity, its pro-
press has been onward and its mission is freight
ed with the holiest works OF love and mercy.
Though bearing the name of Irish Catholic
| Benevolent Union" it's members in convention
have solemnly declared '::that they we're not
organized for national purposes, nor would
their deliberations be characterized and govern
| ed by national sympathies. They have
hoisted the symbol Of their faith, and with
outstrctched arms earnestly Invoke all nation
alities into her folds who can accept the artl-
Giles Of their religious belief.
There is man upon their honored roll that
answers to the State Union Of Virginia. y l
sincerely hope that 10 action upon our part
will ever tend to tarnisb its lustre or seek to
sever its connection. Matters of serious lm-
portance will be brought before you, to which [
would invite your Ca IN consideration. The re-
| ports Of the Committees upon Education and
Emigration as well as the report Of the Com
mittee upon the Constitution certainly require
more than passing notice.
With the close Of the present Convention
will terminate my oHisial relations with the
| Union which, it is needless for me to say, have
| been OF most pleasing and gratifying charac-
| ter. At the time you selected me as your pre-
| siding officer, | was thoroughly impressed with
| the conviction that You could have chosen from
! among your number more efficient and expe-
rienced pilot An enterprise in It's very lntan.
cy, and in which was embarked so much of all
that is good, LAUGHED upon sea ofuncertainty,
necessarily awakened anxiety aud care, lest the
objects should miscarry and its grand mission
should fail of successful issue: Aided and sus-
tanned by the wisdom and ability of your Execu-
tive Committee, cheered and animated by the
societies comprising the Union, am proud to
know that we have successfully surmounted
the barriers and difficulties which impcdcd our
progress, and to-day We assemble under the
shadows Of the Cathedral and around the altar
ofour beloved Bishop.
In retiring from the presidency Of the Union,
| which | have had the honor to hold FROM its
| inception, I should be doing injustice to my
own sense of gratitude as we'll as to yours, if
| did not allude to the uniform kindness and
| courtesy we have received through the press
| and at the hands of those who differ with US in
| matters Of faith. 1t could not be otherwise in
Virginia. Her people are characterized by
generosity, magnanimity, and high sense OF
honor. And when time shall have grown old,
and all the bitter passions which party strug-
giles NAV have engendered are buried beneath
the murky veil of oblivion, even then the Catho-
lie heart will remember with gratitude that Pc
riod in the history of this Government when
| the people of the proud old Commonwealth OF
Virginia, under the guidance Of her distinguish,
ed sons, rose in their might and. power and
beat back the waves of passion and prejudice,
and proclaimed 10 voice which rolled and
reverberated through her mountain fatness,
There shall be no religious persecution in Viz
ginia Living in State with such record as
This, with her institutions founded on the cnght.
eminent ofthe age and her laws dealing out eqaul
and impartial justice to every man, peopled by a
brave and generous race, we may rest secure IN
Ll6 assurance CuaG WHaleSeF MS duu luiSiol-
tunes it may be her destiny to endure, its free
dom of conscience will be protected and reli-
gious liberty be preserved to the end. have
nothing more to say, but to declare the Con
vention in session, and after prayer by the
Rev. F. Janssens will proceed with business.
/ RAwLEY SPRINGS. IF the object in going
to the Springs is health, as we'll as pleasure, We
know of no place where that object can be bet
ter realized than at. the Rawley Springs so
testify those who have been there, and proven
the virtues, Of the water by actual experiment
for tasting, feeling and seeing is believing.
Since the last season the accommodations
We learn, have been greatly enlarged. But as
the most liberal provisions for visitors at these
celebrated watering places are frequently ex-
hausted, let those who are determined to be
accommodated act upon the maxim, First
come, first served" and secure accommodate
tions at once. - ~:
A double daily, line of stages runs between
Harrisonburg and the Springs, both of which
places are also connected by a telegraph line,