, 1873-06-15
FATHER O'KEEFFE.

Bouverio, II. P, involving the principles at
issue between Bishop Whitehouse and Mr.
Cheney, whose long pending suit opened new
chapter On Wednesday last, before Judge WILL
iams, Of the Circuit Court. There ia this dif-
ference, however. In tho respective bases OF
action: LII. Cheney's counsel desires that the
civil authority shall decide what is
tho doctrine Of the Protestant Epia~
copal Church in the United States, upon tho
written and other evidences supposed to con-
tain that doctrine, before adjudicating upon the
equity OF legality Of the Bishops suspension and
Deposition OF Mr. Cheney that is, Judge Will
| iauns is to assume the tiara and the keys, and
! dsfne doctrine before expressing an opinion
upon gmns ."sstcr 81 'sc'p!'Gaa; ri a:on Rns
purely. He does not deny that his own Bishop,
the Right Rev. DR.. Moran, Of 0ssory, or Cardi-
nal Cullen, OF Pope Pins K-,--An Of whom are
inpleaded, has misstated any dogma Of tho
theological creed which they in common hold.
In fact, the issue raised BY Father Q'Keefe is
quite extraordinary. He desires Parliament,
the courts having failed him, to declare
that the Pope has no authority in Ireland.
That he has no authority, spiritual or temporal
and that this utter absence OF authority does
not arise from the Pope's having been, at ono
time, potentate Of foreign realm but because
the prohibition OF spiritual jurisdiction by the
Pope over tho Catholics Of the British Empire,
first by Henry the Eighth, and confirmed by
Elizabeth, has never besn repealed, aud is still
in force!
Esther O'Kee1e is An irreprassihle Iihhman,
aged so years, who became in 1868 parish
priest Of Ca1lan- Under the National School
statute, this position gave him control Of the
State schools Of bis parish, and the handling Of
eome tax-payers' money. He was not
satisfied with the National schools, and entered
into negotiations with some Frenchrnen With
view to opening young ladies' soninary In
CalIan. Bishop Moran disapproyed Of the idea,
and intimated that he was nat 4 proper person
to have nuns under his control. W4ere4po4
Father O'Keeffe brought action tor slandet against
the Bishop, Who compromised, With much sore-
ness Of spirit, by paying E600 to o'KeeHe for
his legal expenses. subsequently he brought h
second action Of like nature against tho Bishop,
and lost; but compelled one OF his curates to
pay E2o0 for intimating that he misused parish
funds.
But, when he brought his first civil actiop against
the Bishop, be violated whAt is d universal canon
OF the Roman Catholic Church; what is NOW
canon OF the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
United States and has long been canon Of the
Church of Scotland, Of the Wesleyan Methodists,
and of the Quakars. khs Larger Catechism OF
the Scottish Church quotes St. Paul: "Are
there no honest mon among you, who could set
tie your disputes, instead Of bringing them into
courts before unbeleyers?" Father O'Kee1e,
fully sware OF his violation Of the law OF the |
Church, entered into correspondence with Car
dinal Cullen, Primate OF Ireland, who persuaded !
him, in order to escape. accommodation, to
submit to the Bishop and refer the dispute to |
Rome. hTeanwhile the Bishop suspended him,
and O'Keefe refused to recognize the sus- [
pension Cardinal Cullen tried aIniAble |
to coa1 him ont Of Bishop Morans !
diocese; and, O'Keeffe scornfully resisting, the |
Cardinal confirmed the Bishops suspension by !
rescript from Bone. Whereupon O'Keefo |
brought an action for libel against Cardinal Cul~ |
len.
The jury decided against o'Keeffe, who de-
nurred to the verdict, and appealed to tho Irish
Court of Queens Bench Tho four members Of |
he Court are Lord -CMef-Justice Whitesida,
Barry, Catholics. The last three decided the de- /
nur1er nlntenable and without merit, and thus
he Cardinal won second time. OKeeKe |
instantly brought the issue before the
Government BY resolution in the Commons
0 inquire whether he is not de jure manager of
he National schools OF. Cn11an+ The question
Ill p,ove an ugly and ve1atious one, and ri1l
id nothing to the mental peace Of Mr. Glad
lone. who does not appear yet to be Convinced
b2t Church and State cannot harmoniously bs
IN ky ops and the Same person. ): |
Tho point 1aised By Q 'Keahos eounael that
ar1ind Cullen had no authority to act in the
reuaisee, because the Pope has 20 authority, |