The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-10
AN ELOQUENT TRIBUTE TO IRELAND,

Having been invited to participate in the
celebration of the Centennial of O'Connell,
Bishop Dupanloup. one of the most dstin-
guished members of the French clergy wrote
an eloquent letter to Cardinal Cullen, from
which we extract the most interesting portion
Ny Lord-I have already written to the
Lord Mayor of Dublin, and | must repeat to
Your Eminence how deeply regret my ina
bility to visit Ireland. as l wished to do.
just as l was about to depart, the physicians
have forbidden me to do so, and after severe
spell Of sickness, have sent me to the Eyan
waters
If anything could add to the real grief
feel to be unable to accept your invitation, it
would assuredly be what Your Eminence is
good enough to tell me Of the sympathies of
the Irish people, and of the friendly welcome
they intended to give me. 1t to a certain ex-
tent l am worthy of these sympathies, it can
only be on account of the warm feelings l
have ever expressed towards Ireland and her
people; for, indeed, what have 1 done for
them, b You'd preaching and making COL
lection for them at time when they were in
great distress? Since then, how much thew
have rewarded me for it! And how many
proofs have I already received Of what I
might call the virtue-how many proofs of
their gratitude
Yes, what have not your countrymen done
for my diocese during the late war What
generous offerings they have sent to me for
our wounded How lavishly they have re-
paid my efforts in their behalf! From every
village they wrote to me: "You came
come to yours" And was it not yourself,
my lord, who wrote to me: ''They would give
up their last penny for France
still more personal remembrance occurs !
to me now, my lord, and l crave your per-
mission to relate it to you, for it is such a |
touching illustration of the simplicity and |
beauty Of the Irish character
When we both returned from Rome in
1862, after / had made the sermon Just
alluded to, as was lying, completely help
less, upon the deck of the Ship l noticed
that while it was raining all around me, 1
alone did not get We; and looking up 1 saw
q young priest who was holding piece of
canvas over me, and who, as thanke him
replied with smile can never forget: "My
lord, l am an Irishman."
And were I to consult history, how MANY
traits l might recite OF their generosity, of
their sym pathy for France, as we'll as of our
Did and deep friendship for them Yes, they
love US, and we love them. This is why 1
would have been SO happy to see them before
die, and above all to be with them ia tina,
great festival, SO Irish and therefore so rel-
yIous and patriotic in commemoration of
JConnelL For religion and patriotism con-
titute the very soul of Ireland.
How dearly they love it, that blessed
country little of whose soil AMI vecdurs
hey take with them across the sea in order
o place 1T near their poor cabin in the dis
ant Western home, as reminder of their far {
way island. And how faithfully too they J
AVE kept the faith of their fathers For it !
hey have endured every trial without ever !
orsaslng it; they have been as unyielding in Z
heir faith as they have proved indomitable in {
var and under persecution. Ireland has suf- ,
cred everything, all things, rather than be-
ray the Gospel.
Oh why is it not granted to me to see Ire
md. not only its shores and lakes, its noun
lnS, It's green fields, its villages and cities,
ut Its people; its bishops, my venerable
rethren; its priests so full of devotion; it's
ons. so kind, so brave, SO generous-Irela u
ne Ireland of O'Connell f.
As on another occasion at the Church of T
{. Roch, l exclaimed from the bottom of nv =,
cart 40 dear Ireland noble Catholic land IL
ncient home of the S tints, 50 Astounding in W
lrtue and in suffering; land of faith, of
onor, of courage, am happy to tell thee.
le world looks upon thee with respect and
i b love-,he world pities thy misfortunes Il
Id admires thy consistency - But on the
resent occasion, we must Danish sad recol-
ctions, and give ourselves up entirely to
,pe, admire thee in thy rejoicings and parti- b
pate in thy gladness. All generous hearts
g with thee. tn
Be pleased to accept, my Lord, the re-
ectful homage have the honor to offer to CIR
ur Eninence.
fFELIx, Bishop of Orleans. /