The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-06-22

airy and obviously true, that he was almost
ashamed to quote authorities in support of it.
he added on this point the statement that the
Chief Justice had not been asked even by Fa-
Their O'Keefes counsel for this direction be-
cause, said Sergeant Armstrong, no counsel
who knew his business would ever dream of
asking any such thing. Then Sergeant Arm
made a grave mistake in admitting Father
O'Keeffes evidence on the questions Of Canon
Law as that Of an expert, reminding the court
that Father OKeefe had admitted that he
never read line of several of the chief wri-
ters on the Canon Law. Finally, he anima d-
verified severely upon the Chief Justices dec
laration that the Eccles street trial" was no
trial at all but proceeding repugnant to all
notions of natural justice, and in reference
to his and Father OKeeffe's deuial of Carolina
Cuilen's authority he quoted Father O'Keeff.'s
own words after the Eecles street trial az
call upon your Emiuence, as haring authority to
do SOTO decide that am the aggrieved par
ty." You see, according to Father OKeeffe
dance with the laws of the Church-decide in
favor of Father O'Keeffe, but he had no au-
thority at all to decide against him! Well,
after Sergeant Armstrong sat down, the Chief
His ostensible purpose was to in form the court
of what he had said to the jury and the
grounds upon which he went in his directions;
but it was easy.tc see that he felt himseIf on
his defence-on his trial-and so he spoke in
petulent, almost angry mood. His conclusion
was characteristic of judges of his class. 81
firmly believe acted in conformity with tho
law. am here the representative, but longo
interrallo, of her majesty, and as long as 1 am
here in that capacity, am determined to up
hold the Constitution of the country" This
was cool from judge who had deliberately
set at nought solemn decision of the court Of
Queens Bench! After some further discussion,
the decision of The court was announced by
the senior puisne jndge-Jndge O'Bricn. OF
ia n ,fa1 fr,,,, e -
in favor of printing Sergeant Armstrong; ap-
pication. The1 efore, Father O'Keeffe will now
have to come into court and show that White
sides law is good and if, as is likely, he is not
able to do this. his barren victory will he
changed into defeat instantaneous In
giving judgment, Judge O'Brien expressly said
that the Chief Justice had distinctly tram
pied upon the decision of the Queens Bench.
He said another notable thing. At the trial,
after the giving of the evidence had conclu-
dcd, Chief Justice Whitesde was asked ard
refused to tell the jury that the second defence
was not sustainable-the very thing he did af.
forwards tell them in his charge Judge
O'Brien maliciously remarked that he for one
could not assume that there was no weight in
tanned to giving this direction. But, of course,
from the very beginning of the trial, before it
ever commenced indeed, the Chief Justice had
determined in mis- own mind to do everything
he eventually did; and if he refused, when
asked by Father O'Keeffe's counsel, to direct a
verdict for the plaintiff, it was sim ply because
ne wanted 10 deliver q speech on the whole
subject, and would have been debarred from
doing SO if he had printed the application
So stands the Ca]lan case at present.
Father O'Keeffe at home," has been the
subject of much newspaper comment during
the week The unfortunate priest went down to
his parish some day in the middle of last
week, and according to the accounts of the
organs who sympatbize with him, his return
ing by vast multitude of people. There is
no doubt that many hundreds came to meet
him, and that shouts of welcome were raised |
But there is equally little doubt that the ma |
jority of the people present were chiefly from |
outside the town and parish, that very many |
were present simply in expectation of some |
uncommon occurrence, that many more were
local Protcstants-it would be d trjhe too alb |
surd to suppose that the persons who cried !
" Down with the Cardinal !" and cheers for
the Chief Justice J" were Irish Catholics-and
that most of those who showed their feelings
by shouting and hurrahing were paid for do
ing So. 1t is, however, l am sorry to say,
true, that mauy Catholics of Callau adhere to
the cause of this degraded priest, sand attend
the fact that Father O,Keeffe is q native of
Callan and has probably known personally ev-
cry man in it since he was a boy. But to pur-
sue my narrative: Father O'Keeffe on Sunday
said mass administered communion to about
one hundred persons, and then from the altar
steps made speech highly characteristic of the
man. He alluded to the new trial motion. He
alluded to tire question of the national school
managership. He then gave q long catalogue
of prospective law suits. He is to have one
against DR.. Moran, his bishop; one against the
one against the local school
inspection; couple more against newspapers
and others in his minds eye. In fact, he is
going to go tolaw with erybody.
token of the way he is going, it may be
that he spoke Of his bishop as
Moran" that he said it made no difference in
The world to him whether the man he proceed
ID against was bishop, priest, or layman.
imagine it " onld be better for him to go over
formally at once to the Protestants.
1t was not to be expected, but several organs
of'English opinion, have declared that shonld
he Act of Elizabeth be held to be in force
which declared Papal Rescripts in Ireland IL
egal. it should at once be repealed. Even the