New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-22
Missionary Work for the Local Priest.
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NAl00kVUuHy VVOHA IO6 3uS A>OCAU SbVWts
hood
The following letter from an old Irish
citizen Of New Orleans contains some hints
which we hope our priesthood. both Catho-
lie and Protestant, will profit by:
New ORLEANS. November q. 1874.
Rev. A. j. Ryan. New Orleans:
S1R-Ou arriving in this city last Sunday
night was surprised to see in the Monday
morning Times notice that you were to de.
liver a lecture on Thursday following at
Exposition Hall. subject, the "White
League"
Though personally unacguainted with
you, have come knowledge OF your pre-.
vious history as an editor OF a paper in
Augusta, Georgia, and Of having read some
Of your poetic illusions. Had ! no other
claim to make free in addressing you this
letter than that Of politician. it would
Justify me without . breach OF ''good man.
ners" in my doing SO; but, cir. l have a
higher claim on you in thus making bold to
address you without any previous personal
ACQUAINTANCE. You are are a Roman Cath.
Ole priest and half Irishman, I am q
Roman Catholic and whole Irishman.
These, sir, are the considerations which
have induced me to address you this letter
without further apology.
and holy calling descend from the. lofty
| dignity Of the priesthood 20 the stuff Of q
political demagOgue. pandering TO the de.
PRAYED, morbid appetite of An enraged. Gls-
comfited and bloodthirsty community.
You are reported to say in your lecture:
"Should an exigency arise in which would
b. called upon 20 proclaim myself, will
cheeringl This would seem to intimate
that those white men in the South who are
Republicans. should war Of races be in.
augurated, would net be found to ''stand to
the white race" In this let me tell your
political reverence you are much mistaken.
am q Republican. and have lived in the
Sunny South upward of thirtysix years;
have had wife and eleven children born
here, and should this 'e1igency arise, Of
which you speak, will be found "standing
by nay yace:' and from my knowledge Of
the white Republicans Of this State. and
believe have had as many opportunities
of knowing their sentiments 20 any priestly
deMagOg.e in New Orleans. they are Of the
same opinion a. myself. But this is pO.
litical trick in forcing y question 60 the
surface which has never been in contempla.
ton. Nothing is farther from the blacks
than che idea Of war Of races. Their own
(colored} leaders we'll know that an attempt
to carry out such Ctopian idea would be
the signal Of their destruction.
My object in addressing yOu this letter.
my dear sir, is not with the view Of discuss
ing the points introduced in your lecture.
My object is, as you are priest, to call
your attention 20 another field OF useful
ness. which would cOmport more with your
holy calling than that OF miserable poll.
tician.
Not more than three squares eouth of the
Office Of the Morning Star there is locality
which would engage the attention Of a mis-.
siOnary 70 some purpose. From the bal
cOny Of the Commercial Hotel, on Girod
street. you might call an audience az nu.
merOus, if not az elite. as that which chung
with rapture on your honeyed tongue" at
Exposition Hall. How you could use those
rare talents, which it pleased God 60 bestow
on you, to call the denizens OF this God
fOrsaken district from the errors OF their
way. The most Of those wretched people
are professors Of your religion, and jour
name sounds so Irish that your lee.
lures would have most powerful eff.
feet in dragging those miserable. debauched,
degraded. self-debased wretches from the
polluted atmosphere of q sensual licentious-
ness. Christ says, "He who converted q
sinner from the error OF his ways. ehall save
. soul from hell and hide . multitude OF
| Sins" Here, sir, is fine field for the exer.
| else Of your talent. You certainly must be
| acquainted with the moral depravity Of the
neigh borhood Of the Commercial Hotel
You must have read in the police reports
| last spring Of the three blind beggare, all
Irish and Catholics; Of how they fought
| and swore. etc. enough TO make the devil
blush. 1t he were possessed Of blushing fac
ulties.
There is another feld-"white for The
harvest" sicle-abOut equal distance from
the office OF the Morning Star. as the Com
mercial HOTEL mean Elephant ohnny's
! on Front street. But you might object ia
this onerous duty 60 attend two such 10
| calities at once. Well, let u .compromise'
the matter. Suppose you call on Eathes
Kinney, by whom you say "you were
persuaded" 20 give the lecture las,
Thursday night. He, no doubt. would aid
you in your pious efforts to drag from Elm
and shame. from that moral degradation
and death, which is the portion Of those
GOd-fOrsaken wretches who are seething in
filth, stupid in crime, raising up genera.
ton OF sipeEs, "wharf rats" and "street
Arabs, to be fit subjects for the gsllow
and penitentiafy.
Should ] ever have Al occasion 60 address
your reverence on this subject, will show
! you where and how you can render an ever.
lasting blessing on these unfortunate peo
pie, as we'll ss being q benefsctor to the
"Wbite League" Yours, ETC..
An FRESHMAN.