The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-22
The pull Text Of Archblshop Pareelra

CINCINNATI, March 20,-The following
Archbishop Purcell's letter in full:
| "70 Ny Friends and he Public:
2 II deem 1t my duty to make known Il
the very large numberof persons 10 whou
I happen to be more less known, In Eu
rope and the United States, that In tht
eightietll year OF my age and the forty
nth year OF my episcopate am burdeneG
!, with a heavy debt, which ] am unable tc
liquidate. This debt, as all who know me
are aware, was not contracted by waste
high living or extravaganza. II Is my only
consolation that my conscience bears me
this testimony, and II Is acknowledged by
Catholics and Protcstarlts, as well as BY
citizens OF every and no religion. It Is
asked how came to owe so muUh2 /
must answer frankly: l was born of
poor parents, who had to stint themselves
TO give me an education, the best
their means allowed or the town in
which was born afforded. To attain the
position In life for which l was conse.
Grated, II God so pleased, before was
born, l felt that my only choice was 10
come 10 America and study for the priest
hood. When | succeeded in this regard
neither sought nor expected to be rich.
Food and ralmcnt was all received, and
with these, II l may presume 10 say SO,
ike st. Paul, was perfectly contented.
was sent to Paris by the venerable and
sanity Dubois, superior OF Mount st,
Mary's Semi mary, and afterwards bishop
OF New York. On my return as priest |
continued to teach, US well rs | could, In
that time honored school OF the priesthood
until ] was made bishop and sent to Gin
ctnnati. In this new sphere, as in my
earlier lie, began SO poor that had to
borrow $500 for my travelling expenses to
my see. for myself and two or three stu.
dent aud domestiCs. Then | had soon to
contract debts for the many wants Of new
diocese. For this debt had to nav In.
terest, and this interest growing yearly
now makes, according to the report Of the
trustees appointed to examine the accounts
and liabilities OF tho diocese, more than
half of the Indebtedness OF the diocese.
OF the debt contracted by the financial
agent OF the diocese Think it can be safely
said that not more than S5OOOOO was
money deposited with him. The rest is
the result OF compound interest. AS n
proof Of this will state ono Of many facts
creditor called with claim OF 81, 100. In
presenting 1t he eadmitted that $500 Of the
amount was interest, and expressed his
readiness to accept for It three hun.
dred dollars. the original deposit. The
claims ol hundreds arc OF tho same
nature. The Indebtedness OF the diocese,
In equity, does not amount to more
than 81 100000. to place 1t at the highest
figure. In accounting for the money
loaned OF deposited with the financial
agent OF the diocese the trusteesan others
have overlooked one very large item OF
expense. Until 1852 no general collection
was ever taken up in this diocese lor~ tho
support oil tho Diocesan Seminary. For
twenty years, therefore, the burden OF
educating priests fell upon my financial
agent. lie supported the seminary with
out asking aid from the diocese. When
II was located in Brown county, upon the
farm now occupied by the Ursuhue COM
munity, he paid the salaries OF the profes.
sors during many years, and fed, clothed
and educated the scminarians, He mid
all the expenses during tho same long DO.
rlod Of ecclesiastical students at Mount st.
aary's, diminishing, in France and in
Romo. In twenty years all these expenses
which, In Justice, the whole diocese should
have borne, amounted to a vast sum.
In my various voyages to Europe had
the interest otreligion in mind, especially
in looking for priests for our missions,
German, Irish, and othernationalities, and
oil defraying the expenses OF a library Of at
least 10000 volumes, philosophic appa-
ratus, &C., all OF which required large ex.
penditures Of the diocesan resources,
which, exclusive OF sums spent in the
building Of the Qrphans' Asylum at Cum.
mingsyiile, o., churches and the cathedral,
and other buildings, for tho support Of
seminarians for so many years. far schools
for which ! had 10 GO heavily IN debt,
finally swalnped mo. My brother, the
Very Rev. Edward Purcell, ordained
priest in 1882, in 1888, seeing me over.
whelmed by all these labors and responsi.
bilities, generally helped me to bear these
burdens. But they were too heavy for
one who had no kind Of mercan.
tile or financial training to 1t him
for the hard work he had assumed,
and to which, for forty years, therc was
no ono else to devote himself. Ills life
was one Of immense labor, and no reward
but tho consciousness Of serving God, tho
church and his brethren 70 the extOnt OF
bis ability, taking no recreation, no respite
from toll, or any rest-his selt-sacrilicing
spirit, any one who knows him can Tell :
and he eneyer put one dollar of the money
OF the church or the people to his own
personal account or credit. The official
report OF the Trustees, while it shows nm
enormous debt OF $3,Q00,000, has emphat-
icaIly declared that not the slightest stain
rest upon tho honesty Of my brother, who
was entrusted with the financial atEairs oi
the diocese. They report the conviction
which all who know him hold,
that ktndheartedness and excessive
trust In the honesty OF others
who borrowed from him, united
with the payment OF compound interest,
have alone been the cause OF my financial
calamity. Still, ! honestly owe nv three
thousand creditors. The debt IL large. Il
has crushed me with Its weight. Of my
t9rty.tiye years in the episuopacy this Is
the darkest, most painful, most sorrowiul
hour; When the storm broke upon me l
should have sunk into my grave had not
been strengthened by the remembrance OF
my duty as a bishop of Gods Church, and
had not been sustained hy the generous
syWpathy which thousands OF Catholics
and Protestaats alike have shown mo In
my distress, The Catholic bishops oi tho
countFy have me their debtor forever by
tlelr offers OF assistance, Though unworthy
oil so much universal Kindness, still |
rejoice over It because Ii gives me
the honeot meeting my obligations. It
cheers me that the charity OF so many has
been stirred by the misfortunes OF an old
missionary bishop whose race Ia nearly
run. After this truthful and faithful OK.
pose oil facts appeal to all Catholics and
othsrs who feel for others woes to help
me out Of my embarrassments, TO relieve
THO poor and toiling creNiteFs who lent
me their money to hdtid churches, to edu;
OF charity, religion and 6eneyolenSe, a" and
merit the assistance Of Almig&tY God thariI
such good works NAV never f5n 4rcst