Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-12


Pops f.s0 Oh Ifsisna.
The following is ths letter on the
condition Of ireland by Pope Leo
XIII, received by Cardinal McCabe,
who forwarded copies OF it to all the
Irish Roman Catholic Bishops:
Our beloved son, health aud erc=-
tolio benediction. We had a new
proof Of the love and devotion Of
yourself and the other Irish prelstes,
our venerable brethren, in the letter
which, by their order and in their
name, you addressed to US on the 4th
of October last. That letter testified
the deep Affection and gratitude you
bear toward Us for the interest We
take in the prosperity Of Ireland, and
Tor the advice which, In view Of the
growth of popular disturbances, We
Thought well in giving In our letter OF
August LIST last for the good Of our
beloved children---the faithful people
of Ireland. Assuredly we have rea-
son TO congratulate you, our beloved
son, and the other Irish bishops. for
| the zeal becoming your ministry with
which you devote yourselves to calm
ing the disturbances Of your country,
and to guiding your faithful people as
we'll as the Catholic people themselves
for receiving your words in willing
obedience; for bearing the ills Of an
unhappy lot in q Christian spirit, and
for not allowing their aims to outstep
the bounds Of duty and religion. But
although the faithful people of Ire
land give striking proofs Of their zeal
for religion aud of their devotion to
the Supreme Ruler of the church,
still the state of public feeling re-
quires that they should continue to
keep before their minds the counsels
which, in our affectiOnate regard fer
their we'll being, we have already
given them.
SECRET SOCIETIES CONDEMNED.
"For the adherents Of evil societies,
as We have been grieyed to observe
during the past months, do not cease
to put their trust in deeds Of crime to
excite the passions Of the paople, and,
by seeking remedies worse than the
disease, to adopt course calculated
to lead their fellow cOuntrymen not to
safety but to destruction. Hence
the faithful people should be
firmly persuaded, as we have already
reminded them, that the standard of
utility aud honesty is one aud the
same; that the national cause should
be kept distinct from the aims, pur
poses and deeds of unhallowed asso.
Citations; that while it is just and law
iul for those suffering oppression to
seek their rights by lawful means, 1t is
not allowable to make use Of the pro
lection which crime affords; and that
Divine Providence allots to the vir.
tuous the enjoyments of the fruits Of
patience and we'll doing, but subjects
the evil disposed, after their fruitless
labors, to heavy punishment from God
and men. While we thus speak from
our earnest desire for the relief, peace
and happiness Of Ireland we have no
doubt that you, our beloved son, and
your venerable colleagues in united
counsels and brotherly love will con-
tinue to keep your youthful people
entirely apart from those who, led
away blindly by their own pas
stems, think they can serve their
country by sleeping themselves
| in crime, by drawing others
into the same depraved courses and
imprinting a foul stain on their
country's cause. We rejoice beloved
son, that you have lately SO effect:
lively discharged this priestly zeal
when, in view of the snares and dan
gers prepared for the Catholic youth
of ireland, you issued a pastoral letter
| in which you denounced these dangers,
stirred up the faithful to vigilant
care, and consulted at once for their
salvation and for the interests OF re-
liEion and your country These
grave duties OF the pastoral Office and
the public interests of the Irish people
imperatiVely demand that the clergy
should give every assistance and to
use their best efforts in calming the
passions Of their countrymen and
checking public disturbances.
PRIESTS AT PUBLIC MEETINGS.
"For the proper exercise of this sal
utary influence Of the sacred ministry
especially when the question Of pop
ular meetings in which public affairs
are very warmly discussed and
dissensiOns arise--we deem it q wise
plan il, adheving strictly to the DEGREES
you have already made regarding the
junior clergy, you would give leave TO
attend such meetings only to those
ecclesiastics in whose wisdom you
have special confidence, whose mature
age and experience have rendered
them conspicuous for prudence,
wisdom and weight, and who are
therefore, best able to guide an ex.
cited assembly TO what is right and
honest to meet the fallacies of the
evil disposed, TO guard the cause o.
Justice and be the best defender Of The
most judicious courses. In this wal
the clergy, constituted by you guar
dams Of public security and defenders
of the common veal, will be Of thu
greatest utility to the country in III
present disturbed state. Finally, WI
cannot on thisoccasion omit TO oxpresl
10 you, our beloved son, and to Oul
venerable brethren the bishops Of
ireland, called to share in our solici.
tude, our special feelings ofpraise anC
affection on account Of the cart
you have taken in common fol
the defense of the Catholic education
, of yorr yo,,th and for the nreservatior