The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-20
THE LECTURE OF THE POET,
PATRIOT AND PRIEST.
FATHER Ryan SPEAKS III The PEO-
PIE OF OUR CITY.
THE WHITE LEAGUE.

end orator III Lu0 AOlAOW1u6 WVAoo AoNAOo oAu |
gentlemen ; it is my high privilege to introduce
to YOU the eminent divine and distinguished
patriot, the Rev. Abram J. Ryan.
Father Ryan then said
Ladies and gentlemen, I am certainly
glad to see SO many ladies and gentlemen, |
White Lesgu srs. in New Orleans. lApplausel,
I understand l have been attacked in
a newspaper called the Republican. am not in
the habit Of stopping to answer those who are as
innocent of argument as they are guilty of bad
manners. [Cheersl. But if there be reporter
of that paper in this house, let him come to this
table, will give it to him and let him report my
lecture.
They think it very strange that 1, as priest,
should have anything to say upon matters which
more less pertain to the political order OF So
ciety. l, as a priest in my duties, do not lose
my rights Of citizenship: MY cradle was rocked
And while in the moral order the nations arc but
one in the Christ OF all, in the political order OF
nations, ii there ever comes up question IN the
world as between race and race, and the inter.
ests of one race against the instincts OF another
common human interest tells me, and as re-
iigion does not prohibit me, stand by the
white race, and not simply from natural reasons
IApplause.l 1t has built up the civilization Of
the world, in the material as well as IN the moral
order. .
Who penned the eternal poetry OF Rome! Who
built mp our modern CIVILIZATION ~ was me
ter OF accident: it is not merely local isolated
matter. but it must be the law OF Divine Provi-
dence, of history, as it is manifestation OF u
vine Providence that wherever the ,ohte race mas
been: wherever the white hand of the ,rhNe man
has been raised, monuments OF intellectual labor,
moral as well as material, have appeared in the
world, manifesting its power and showing tnat II
history be a manifestation of Divine Providence,
il is the divine mission of the uaie race to march
in the van of civilization to lead the entire world.
!, From the days OF the history OF Epam,nondas,
who stood IN the rugged pass OF Thermopyi@
against Xe-xes, to the days when Gen. Lee stood
at Appomattox Court House and yielded mp the
most spotless sword that ever was yielded lap
plausel the rlite man has given to the world the
grandest manifestations Of human bravery. And
from the time of Socrates down to our own time,
it was the pale white brow that gave to the
world its philosophy, out Of which the world de-
duces it's own intellectual life. [Cheers.] Hence
it ia for these reasons, apart from others, that
have been induced to give this lecture ana per-
shaded into occupying most delicate position by
the pastor of st. Johns Church-his persuasion
being so extremely strong that, while know ne
is in sympathy with the White League, might
suspect that he Is IN hlgh memDersdp u sne
same.
AS there are so many ladies present, and as
the normal state Of ladys mind is curiosity
Japplausel-and as 80 many ladies', suppose,
have husbands, and those who have not, sup
pose have sweethearts who belong to the White
League and as reckon they would like to know
the secrets of the White League, without saying
whether l On White Lacquer ct al, ! wiz
satisfy and az the same time dIsappoint their ex.
pectations by saying that they have no secrets at
all but this secret, the secret OF right right
which rises in eternal truth-rises like star
fixed in the broad ground OF beautiful ana
heavenly truth-rises like q rock, gray and grand
and glorious, out in the white sea OF human
opinion-a rock that rises grander than the foam
OF passion-and the secret il their own right:
And this position Of theirs they base upon what
do not wish to argue the matter intellsctu-
ally, but to argue it upon facts. What was the
Goyernment Of the United States founded upon
Upon the law and the right and the fact OF revo'
luton Revolution against what! Revoiutlon
Against the power that exerted its tyranny over
them. =,
few old ladies and old maids [laughterl in
Boston, in the last century took notion that
they were very fond OF tea, and they also TOOK 3
notion that 1t was entirely too dear. There was
a stamp duty on tea, and they gathered around
the table mot to reason, not saying that ladies' oo
not reason, but they generally have more OF VIII
than Of mind) men who reasoned ana actea upon
the principle that axatiOn without representation
is wrong, is false in theory, is unjust IN pracnce
They pe,itioned, they pleaded, but the Govern
ment OF England did not listen.
My friends, mark me, am responslDle 10! ~ NY
church-about public opinion care very little
l am responsible to my church for every word
saw in regard to the moral order-but my respon
sibility to her goes no further.
Men by reasoning came to the concius1on y, y
what was right and just and legitimate, and tina
under all laws there always existed and always
will exist the right of resistance against ina
which is wrong. So they not only petition bu
argue. But sometimes, my friends, arguments
will not reach their conclusions sometimes at
puments fall upon the ears OF those who are op
posed to those who argue. Sometimes, ana per
haps most oftentimes, petitions may be wrlt'eh
but they avail nothing.
reason. the rifle must reason, [cheers] the can
non must reason, [cheersl. Hence is that on
of the grandest theologians OF my church
speaking of the peoples Of the earth. and taxing
a broad. grand, deep and glorious view, admit
that in the people, in their collective capacity
when tyranny can no longer be endured, rest
the legitimate right and the power to overthrow
it, with the words on their lips "sac se'speT 'y'
IT, WAS more than day. 1t was the old Fourt
of july Of the last century come back agal
Iapplause] with not . shadow on Its glory, DC
canse those who acted upon that day shove
what Is but too seldom shown, mo ? an AL
PRINCIPLES are eternal. They never change
Men change men may change. Have you LOOK
ed at the sky to-day? Ihe gIay cl4 }hs hr SsT
glor GUS light of the sun. Tomorrow iook "
again. and the clouds may have passed away
Clouds may hide it, but the great s'and SUI
shall still be there. ~,
shadows. very often obscuring and marrlns ia
beauty and light Of principle and truth. bu
principle is where it always wss-it Is fx xe
in the ornament Of right Let the clouds sh 70
on. let the lightning hssn, c mi; i hs t H
So the 18th Of September was more than
day, and the deed Of that day. was more tnan
deed. It was the manifestation Of princlpl
that lies deep in the heart and conscience thara
tyranny, I in my conscience have right to 80
to every government: You are wrong and ~
right; shoot me down, if you please, fetter me
please put me IL dungeon .ho you B Put
right 90 principle is an eternal word, th'
never can be erased.
While it may be in part erased from ono 9
two pages Of human history, it never can
erased from the tablet of human hearts. go l0n
as the human heart has the nobility to worshi
At the footssool Of principles rather than crne
and crawl at the pedestal OF expedlency an
policy, and offer there, upon the altar, hear!
minds and conscience, temporal as well as soci
int Il - POlicX IA tt