Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-03-06
EsTHE SHAUGHRAUN''
One Of BOucicaults Best Plays, De.
neunced from the Altar by Two Cath.
Ollie Priests Of New York,
Who Embrace the Occasion to Cali Atteu.
tiOn to Harrigan and Hart as Libel.
ers Of the Irish People.
Boucicault's Protest to Cardinal McCiOs.
key-What Harrigan Has to Say
He and Hart Good Catholics.

t. It
Larkin, pastor of the Roman Catholic
Church of the Holy Innocents, on Thirty
seventh street and Broadway, took occa-
sion in his pulpit on Sunday to denounce
The Shaughraun, and also the plays pro-
duced at Harrigan & Hart's Theater, and !
to warn his parishioners against visiting |
either of them. "The Shaughrdun," said 1
the reverned father at high mass, "is !
disreputable production and disgrace to |
the Irish race. 1t pretends that the |
Irish priests are so depraved in taste
and ignorance that they don't know
the difference between whisky and
the milk in their tea. That man
Boucicault pretends to be an Irishman
and Catholic, and in sympathy with the
Irish people, and yet he puts such play
on the stage. In the scene Of the wake
he represented the Irish dancing and hav-
ing good time. The anathemas of the
Church should fall upon him and his dis
graceful piece. No church member in
good standing will go to see it. Remember
that. And those men Harrigan and Hart
are of the same sort, and all their plays
tend to degrade the Irish. Don't 90 near
them; cut them off, they and their dis
graceful pieces. All they care about the
Irish is the Irishman's dollar"
Mr.. Dion Boucicault was seen by the
Post-Dispdtch correspondent at the new
Park Theater yesterday afternoon as he
was about to begin the final rehearsal OF
The Shdughraun.
LETTER FROM CARDINAL N'CLosREY.
81 have written the following letter to
Cardinal McCloskey," said the distin-
guished author and actor:
HOTEL YIcToRIA, NEw YoRK. March 3. 1854.
To His Eminence, Cardinal McCloskey:
l beg, with the deepest respect and regret, to
bring to the notice Of your eminence the ineiosed
report of incidents that are alleged to have taken
place yesterday at the Church eff the Holy limo
cents in this city. L perceive that the reverend
fathers have not witnessed the play they de-
exist and never have existed in the work. They
have, unfortunately. been misinfOrmed. and if
satisfied that they have done any wrong I feel
sure they will be glad TO amend it. As [ write
there stands before me a statuette of the Shaugh-
to the author of the drama, 1t bears this legend:
From the Irish and Irish American residents Of
New TOTE 10 pion boueleault, IN recognition OF
and the Irish people," | submit with humble
confidence my long literary and artistic career as
race, to which belong aud the country that gave
me birth. l remain with profound reverence,
~ DION BoUCICAULT.
WHAT HE WILL DO WHEN HE GETS AN
ANSWER.
81 don't wish to get into any contro-
versy with them, and have therefore ap-
piled directly to their principal. / myself
and my play, Shattgrd,m, have been too
long before the public for me to saw any,
thing in rebuttal to Father Larkin's at
tack. That, it is my opinion, is not the
question at issue. am about to play in
theater in the immediate vicinity of Father
Larkin's church, and the management of
the theater naturally expect 8 GER
tain amount of patronage from Father
| Larkin's parish and parishioners.
Now, can the pulpit and influence
| to boycott the theater? Is it not crimi.
nal libel for clergyman to run down an
| other mans wares, whether they be boots
| or shoes, hats or clothing, or dramatic
| performance? That, according to my
view, IS the question at stake. 1t leaves
me out entirely as an actor or an author,
and my only relation toward it Is that of q
citizen entitled to the same protection
under the laws as any other citizen of this
country. That is all would care to say
about the matter at present. On receipt
of the cardinals answer to my letter, /
will take such action as / then deem
proper"
Mr.. HARRIGAN EXPRESSES HIMSELF FREELY.
| Mr.. Edward Harrigan was busily re.
hearsing the new play to. follow Cordelia',
| u
ter. When the rehearsal was over he ex.
pressed his opinion of the Rev. Father
Larkin's attack on him in the following
terms: at is nothing new to me. | hare
been denounced by resolution in meetings
| OF the Land Leagues and a number oi
Irish newspapers. Yet the theater il
crowded nightly with people who are
looking for a good, wholesome laugh. II
is not little thing in these times, when
there is so much occasion for tears tc
provide the material for laughter, and in
doing SO fiatter myself that am serving &
worthy purpose. l have letters from emi
nent Catholic clergymen indorsing my
plays, and | occasionally have the honol
of numbering them among my audience
Everybody in st. Joseph's parish, to which
l belong, comes to see Tony Hart and my
self act. If Father Larkin believes that
exaggerate anything, let him come will
me some day to certain tenementhouses il
this city, and will show him Dan Mulligar
alive and just as | represent him on tn,
stage. As to the other characters in ny
plays, why, you knock against them on tn,
street every day of your life. If Fathe
I.arkin will read the works OF Lever ant
Lover and William Carleton he will fnt
descriptions of Irish life and manner
written by men who were born and bred I,
the soil, and he will find in them no char
acteristics different from those in Mr.. .Bouci
cault's dramas. Where else in the work
should Mr.. Boucicault or my humble sci
find our materials except in the books o
such authors as / have mentioned, and il
what we see with our own eyes? 1 hav
not especially directed my play OF the fan
cy against the Irish race. Old Lavender
who, through the vice OF drink, sinks from
afiluence and high social position to abjec
misery and becomes a low tramp and out
cast, is an American. l have heard NJ
objections to the play from American
sources. No German has raised his vOic
against any Teutonic character 1 eve
drew. ] see no reason why the Iris
should find fault where no fault is in
tended"
WEAK people should use Samaritan Ne,