The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-07-15

said to me HAT there WIS nothing in
his life he repcnted more Than The haste
with which he had misjudged one of
Americas noblest pen, and In expla-
nation stated that he had taken his
version from a-mislnterpreted and
grossly false account which had appear
ed in a local paper. He discovered his
ierror when it was too late to make eff
fective retraction, but he did SO now
with his whole heart"
This led the Omaha Republican to in.
terview Bishop O'Conuor on the sub
iect, with the following result:
After a few introductory sentences
upon his errand the reporter re-
marked:
In u recent issue Of the Republican we
reprint an interview taken from the
Philadelphia Inquirer In which DR..
Heating is represented as repeating q
conversation VITA you while in Omaha,
recently, in which you had something
to say about Grants Des Nome:
speech.
Bishop O'Connor-The Inquirer 4:
not exactly correct as TO what l said.
Dr.. Heating or the reporter either may
have misunderstood my exact words.
What I meant to have said was this: ]
attached too much importance to the
speech when I wrote the article in the
Catholic Quarterly Reri.,C. If 1 had
read the speech at all, I read it In q
hasty manner or read an incomplete re-
port of it. On reading it afterward, J
felt that what Mr. Grant said could
have been uttered without intention to
reflect upon the Catholic community.
1t certainly could have been interpret.
ed more mildly. You will see from the
remarks l made that 1 wrote without
the speech before me. said what
said largely in the light of the view.
expressed in the case of Catholic news
papers. In the light Of his later expla'
nation l think I, us well as others Of
the Catholic church, misinterpreted hi.
motives. He ought to be acquitted OF
any intention to offend, and I am glad,
indeed anxious, to make amends fol
my mistake.
Reptile interviewer puts your re
cantation too strongly
Bishop O'Connor-Yes. My CONVEX
sation with DR.. Heating may have Deer
unguarded. met him and Mr.. Boris
at Fremont and rode to Omaha Will
them. On the way here amoug q hun
bred other topics that came up-I hav'
known DR.. Heating since his CHILDHOOD
and Mr.. Borie WAS a parishioner Of
mine in Philadelphis, hence We talked
quite freely was referring to thu
portion OF Mr.. Grants speech, 10 which
he said, 9The next struggle will not b
with rebellion, but with ignorance, will
the opponents of general education,
or language quite like that. You viii
remember lie commended the common
school system and arraigned its opp,
nentstn general terms Igot the idei
that lie had made n specific attack upol
tile Catholic body, and So incidental.
in the article in question referred to tn,
speech. I am now satisfied Mr.. Gran
had no intention to arraign Or condemn
the Catholic church, and I regret tina
I misinterpreted his motives. Thu
was the substance of our discussion o.
the cars, and I can see now thai tcoul'
have been said in such q way as t
lead tothe slight mistatement made Il
the Inquirer.
Reporter-What is the opinion o
Catholics generally Of Mr., Grant as
manY teuS
Bishop O'Connor-Amcng intelli
gent Catholics it Is thought he is
mar of no Settled religious impressions
I think him q well meaning and abb
man. In his private relations he i
certainly agreeable and his conduc
worthy. / believe no is u stncere, tru'
mar to his friends. vi
Reporter-Is he not regarded as F,
P~rotestanti His wife believe, is Q
Methodist.J aS1A bllb louCts
Bishop O'Connor-He is said to be
good deal under the influence of Meth
odism. This was perhaps manifest il
his appointment of Rev. Mr.. Newman
to a government position Of considera
BILE Importance. However, he probabl.
has no fixed religious opinions. Hi