The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-01
mornIng Star and Catholic Messenger.
NRw ORLEANS, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY /, 1874.
lFrom Our Own Correspondent.l
OUR IRISH LETTER.

DUBLIN, January 8, 1874.
The contest now proceeding in Limerick 10
one of very great interest for many reasons
and the attention not only of all Ireland, but
of England and Scotland too, is directed to it,
As may be seen by the copious reports concern
ing it which are every day published in the
English and Scotch, as we'll as the Irish news
papers. First, it will be the first county cleo
ton in Ireland under the ballot, and what tho
farmers of Limerick will do under the ballot
will certainly be done by the farmers of every
other county in Ireland outside of Ulster.
Secondly, the candidates for the vacant seat
have attracted more than ordinary attention.
do not now take account of the individual
named Reeves who has thought fit to issue an
address in which he announces himself Con-
sentative opposed to Home Rule. He has con-
fessedly not the slightest chance of triumphing
and he has not stirred yet in the way of can
wasting. allude to Mr.. William Henry OSul-
van and Mr.. John j. Kelly. The former is o
hotel-keeper and farmer, q simple, honest
intelligent man, as true as steel to Ireland, and
ready to do anything whatever that is honora-
BILE, to secure the success of the national cause.
He was imprisoned in 1867 ON suspicion of
being Fenian, and his son was also impris-
oned for the same reason, and what manner of
man he is may be judged from the fact that
he was offered and refused the release of his
son on the condition of respectfully asking for
it. Such is William II. O'Sullivan, of Kilmal-
lock, and his address to the electors is quite
in accordance with his character. Fully, ex-
plicitly, and in ringing terms, he goes in for
Home Rule, UNCONVENTIONAL education, fxity
oftenure at valued rents for the tenant farmer,
the liberation of the political prisoners, and
other measures of importance and interest to
the people of Ireland. Mr.. O'sullivan is, of
course, Catholic, aud as to his physical ap.
pearance, I can say from personal knowledge
that he is splendid specimen of the human
race. He is over six feet in height and has a
handsome face and bright, healthy COM
plexion. Mr.. Kelly had never been heard of
by the general public till he issued his address,
he is young Catholic arstoorst with plenty
Of money does not appear to be very clever,
but processes himself of the same political
creed as Mr.. O'Sullivan, though his address to
the electors is not half SO explicit. Although
Mr.. Kelly was the first to take the fold, he is
not the popular candidate. AS soon as he ap-
peared before the electors, several objections
wore taken to his candidature THAT he had
been a Home Ruler for only two or three
weeks that he had done no service to his
country; that he was related to and had the
patronage of the old rotten Wing party of the
county and, above all, that he was the son of
the son of the greatest exterminator Limerick
ever produced, and should, before attempting
to get into Parliament, follow the example of
Captain Nolan of Galway, and restore the
evicted families to their old homes or give
them adequate compensation for having been
sent adrift the world. Accordingly, the
Farmers Club called together meeting of
delegates from every parish in the country to
select proper candidate. This meeting was
held on New Year Day in the Theatre Royal,
Limerick, and was very we'll attended, several
Catholic priests being amongst those present.
It resulted in all but the unanimous selection
of Mr.. O'Sullivan as the popular candidate,
and since then the great mass of the people
may fairly be said to have ratified the decision
of the meeting. For whereas Mr.. Kelly has
been regularly hunted from every town into
which he has gone to ask for votes or to ad-
dress the people, and has been compelled to
confne himself to holding private meetings in
hotels, Mr.. O'Sullivan has been resolved ev-
erywhere with open arms, has addressed vaat
audiences in the open air amidst the most en-
thusiastic demonstrations of applause and the
most ardent expressions of welcome, and has
secured the support of the leading members of
all the middle GLASSES. The objections against
Mr.. O'Sullivan are that he is too advanced q
Nationalist, and that he is not what is called an
educated man. As to the first, it is certainly
strange, almost incomprehensible, that any
Home Ruler should advance it; and as to the
second, Mr.. O'sullivan appears to be a better
speaker than Mr.. Kelly, and is certainly much
more competent to speak in the House of Com
mons than three-fourths of the members of
that assembly. Besides, an honest man, even
though he be wanting in culture, is any day
to be preferred to an accomplished rogue and
no one denies Mr. OSullivan the merit of hon
esty. It is most unfortunate that the Dean of
Limerick (Dr. O'Brien) and a considerable
number of the clergy have taken sides against
the people by espousing the cause of Mr.. Kelly.
All Of those clergy probably are Home Rulers,
and all of them have no doubt acted from pa
triotic motives. Some of them took up Mr..
Kelly before Mr. O'sullivan was put forward
by tho great county meeting, under the i'm