The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-05-26
birth place of his ancestors, and
resting. .nlaca of all that Maa NOR

the resting place of all that was NOR
tai in them. He loves it. in foe, because
it is more closely connected with him in his
affections. his enioyments, his hopes and his
fears, and even in his sorrows, in the past, the
present, and the future, than any other country
upon the face of the earth. By the recognition
of this important truth, tie distinction of iace
we in no degree weaken the tie which unites
all races and nations in one great brotherhood
Patriotism, however, to be thoroughly
beautiful and good, must be enlightened by,
and in perfect accordance with, religion /;
other wi ise it may become depraved, vicious,
harmful, and lead to many excuses. This
part of his subject our author we'll illus
trates by q reference to come of the scenes
of the French Revolution. In his next
chapter be treats of national rights, of the
immortality of invading and endeavoring
to destroy them, and of the steps lawful to
be taken by those who have suffered from
such injustice. He says:
The redress of his'country's wrongs is the
aim of the true patriot, but the means which
he should adopt for the achievement cf this
great purpose must be suited to the oircum-
stances of the time in which he lives and the
nature of the power at his disposal. Armed
resistance to tyranny may therefore at one
period be an aot Of xSartae and duty, and at
another o crime. do not, could not with
truth, maintain the wisdom of the great
OConnell dictum, that "the freedom of q ma.
tion is not to be purchased by the shedding of
a single drop of human blood" but affirm
that he who by peaceful means seeks to accom-.
pish his design, is wiser, If not better man,
than he who appeals to the arbitrament of the
sword. To justify an appeal to the sword
every degree of wrong or oppression does not
quired before the sword can be lawfully uu-
sbeathed lat, that the wrongs endured are
intolersble ; 2nd, that there is no rational
hope of redressing these wrongs by pescefnl
agitation 3rd, that there exists fair proba-
bIlity of success 10 the case of armed resistance.
He who, without these conditions, urges his
fello ~-countrymen to take up arms, is not their
friend but their worst enemy. He who h as never
seen human blood shed in anger, and knows
naugbt of the dreadful evils entailed by war,
save what he might have learned in the retire.
ment of his study, may talk lightly of engsg-
ing therein. Had he witnessed the results of
war-the CORY horrors of the battle feld-the
ravsged felds-the burned towns and cities I;
had he heard the wailing of the widow and
be that hope of freedom which should justify
me, before God and my fello W w-countrymen, in
drawing down such woes upon my country"
Next "Patricius" proceeds to treat of
several classes of patriots, or pseudo patri
OTIS. First there is the sham patriot, the
man who really cares not pin for the
honor or interests of dis country, and VINO
affects regard for them only for the pur
pose of advancing some objece of his own.
Then there is the Denagogue, who ls ever
"pantiDg with eRgerness to pour forth the
flood of frothy verbosity which is ever
swelling within him, like some highly
efferveacent fluid in q tightly corked bot
tie. He has at his command large and
varied stock of fine and catching words and
phrases. He does not attempt to give them
their true Specification. He is unable or
unwilling to do 30. Such explanation
would render them useless for his purpose,
by destroying the effect of appeals which
are addressed to the passions and prciudices
rather than to the reason of his auditors"
Oar author holds that sometimes the dem
agogue has an honest love for his country
underlying the vanity that forms the chief
Ingredient in his composition bat there is
another variety of the species-the renal
demsgogue, who is "utterly bad" Next
he goes on to speak of "Ihe Anti Patriot"
the professed enemy of his country, who
does all in his power, wilfully and deliber-
ately, to bring about the defeat, degrade
tion and ruin of his native land. Sup
poee his country's ruin accomplished"
writes "Patricius," )" cher soil in the posses
sion Of her foe, her towns garrisoned by
his soldiers, her flag rent, dishonored and
trampled in the dust, then indeed the
traitor openly triumphs and exults in her
downfall" We think there are but few
such monsters in any country. A far more
numerous class are the Intolerdnts, of whom
"Patricius" writes as follows
The intolerant patriot is a strangely incon'
sistent beng. The wrongs endured by his
country are the legitimate theme of his denun-
citation. Now, what are the wrongs of which
any subject and oppressed people complain
just rights and liberties. Suoh restric-
tions, enforced by arbitrary power Of the
strong over the weak, are the reproach of the
tyrant and the grievance Of the oppressed.
Bot the intolersut patriot is himself tyraut,
inssmuch he denies to others liberty of
thought and speech, and it is TO bs presumed
that had he power he would also deny to ell
who differ with him liberty OF action. He de.
uies in practice the liberty he upholdB in
theory. He denoupces as tyrannous that
power which fOrbids him, under threat of pun
ishment, 20 ventilAte his political opinions,
while he himself denies 70 others she exsreiSs