Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-04
FREDERICK o. PIERCE, Secretary.
IRELAND AND HE VATICAN.

IRELAND AND HE VATICAN.
 The approaching presidential election is beginning to exercise a salutary influence on republican journals. It is really won derful how sympathetic many of them have become for ''this landlord-ridden,t this impoverished, proclaimed and enslaved people," the Irish. One would imagine that this sudden conversion to be sincere, the result only of honest inquiry and a proper conception of the principles of jus tice. But the suddenness of the conversion is, to say the least, suspicious; and we who have hitherto been accustomed to sneers and unfair treatment from this quarter, do not now propose to submit to its self-im- posed tutelage. On the contrary, we are disposed to resent their unsolicited advice, and to distinctly inform them that as Cath olics and Irishmen we know our duties to our church and country. Were it not inn pertinent, we could look upon this inter ference ill our concerns as ludicrous, and pay to it the tribute of our contempt. It is not easy to forget the harsh and unjust treatment of the past, and, therefore, in spirit of the utmost kindness we request our republican neighbors to keep their ad- vice to themselves until called for. Now to these remarks, we call the attention of the Waterbury Republican. It's editorial in this mornings issue on the present rela- tions existing between Rome and Ireland is a cunningly devised plan to weaken the Irishman's love for tho Holy Father and to arouse within him feelings of resentment against power falsely represented as crushing him and joining hands with his inveterate enemy, With all the appearance of candor, the papal decree is cooly pronounced to be Ia terrible blow" it's auther in league with Ireland's bitterest enemies. With the foresight of seer it is predicted that neither the Irish clergy nor people will submit. And why not Because, forsooth, ''the fires of patriotism burn as brightly under the priestly robes, etc." Very pretty, indeed, and certainly true. But how the writer must have wrestled with his sense of truth and justice, to thus PuO1AO1y PAOAouASO 0 PAAOoo ShHcOAO VI oo extraordinary a virtue as patriotism Time was when with WI tiers of this class, the Irish people were priest ridden, when the priests, doing the behests of Rome, were crushing out the national life of the people; but, Oh, ye gods now the priests of Ireland are as patriotic as their people, so much so, in fact, that their patriotism has destroyed their proverbial devotion tc the Holy See. An esteemed compliment, truly. And all this with a presidentia. election in prospect!
 It is difficult to cast off prejudices that have been clinging to us for years. Writers who are accustomed to see in every advice of Rome to Ireland a symptom of politica interference, do not easily approach the study of purely mora question, untramm eled by bias. I may not serve their purpose.
 If the papal decree were studied on it merits, if it's words were interpreted ac cording to the ordinary canons of inter pretation, it would not require very extra ordinary ability to see that the Plan o Campaign and boycotting were condemne on moral and not political grounds; as be ing opposed to the principles of justice The consideration of questions bearing O morals falls unquestionably within tn province of the Holy See. In the questio under discussion there is no attempt curb the political aspirations of the Iris people, and it is true to say, that in a Europe there is not heart that beats wit stronger sympathy for Ireland than tf heart of Leo XIII. Surely he loves h Irish children as much as those writers wh never loved them, but who, imagining the see their opportunity, endeavor to nal the Pope out a loyal friend and ally of
 detested oppressor, an enemy cruel an heartless, of the oppressed. Justice to tt Holy See would prompt a careful stud
 of so important g document, and it wou.
 be wise to wait for an authoritative inte pretation of the decree before rashly e
 pressing an opinion of condemnation.