The Irish standard., 1893-09-30

Collections on Irish Church History y
the following incidental notice of Catho-
lie hostility to the Union:
''17O9, July l, Dr.: Bray, Catholic
Archbishop Of Cashel, in reply to urgent
appeals to procure, disoreetly, Catholic
signatures in favor of the Union,
in Tipperary and Waterford, says that
Lord Castlereagh, at whose instance
this application was made, should know
that he, as Catholic Bishop, had little.
influence. The Union might prove a
useful measure; but Bishops would only
ipjure their own character AMI the cause
of religion by interfering against the
wishes of the people, It is plain that
DR.. Bray intended this answer as po-
lite refusal A few days after he re-
ceived letter from the Archbishop of
Tuam, expressing his fear lest some &C.
clesiastics should be seduced by the gov
ernment into approval of it's measure,
particularly the Union, from which he
anticipated the worst evils"
The hostility of the Catholics to the
Union is recorded by Castlereagb, who,
on the 7th of January, writes to the Duke
of Portland "The Catholics still continue
agalnst U.S." On the 31st January, 1899
1900, Lord CORVALLIS writes to Major
General Ross "rhe Roman Catholics,
from whom have not been able to OBJ
tain the slightest token of favor, are join
ing the standard OF oppoition."
In full accordance with the Vlceroy's
testimony, Sir Jonah Darlington bears
witness that, Notwithstanding the defec-
tion of Drs. Troy, LAM an, and some
other Catholic Prelates, the great body
Of the Irish Catholics were true to their
country. The opposition of the Catho-
lies to the Union elected the ardent
praise of Grattan, who said on the 18th
January, 1900, that il Ireland were de-
stined to perish, the Catholics had done
their best to save her. ss>*a ~ =. 2
LII Vuo A1Cc vi dAl uAeSo 10oIIA0OAAoo VIC
are asked to believe that the Catholics
were sufficiently base as to acquiesce in
the downfall of their country. On what
grounds is this accusation made?
It is true that about ton Bishops
headed by Archbishop Troy, and fol.
lowed by few priests, assented to the
Union; but they formed small minority
of the Catholic body. Their assent to
the Union was doubtle.s a grave error.
1t cannot be justified; but some slight
palliation of their action may be found in
the horrible condition which their coun.
try then presented. It may be said in
their behalf, that, surrounded as they
were by tortured backs and azing cot
tagee, they might have placed faith in
the assurance that after the Union those
horrors should be terminated. They
saw the Viceroy exerting his authority,
to repress the brutal crimes, the widely
spread outrages, with which the machin-
ations Of Pitt had covered the country.
Ireland had been brought by that states
man to such hideous condition of san
culinary anarchy that CORVALLIS and
Castleresgh, in November, 1898, founded
their hopes Of Catholic support to the
Union on the belief that the Catholics
y ould deem any change better than the
then existing system. Probably Arch
bishop Troy and his episcopal confreree
were influenced BY the fancy that any
change must be an Improvement.
s.Trials," says Lord Holland, "if they
must be 80 called, were carried on, with
out number, under martial law. It often
happened that three officers composed
the court, and that of the three two were
under age, and the third an officer of the
yeomanry or militia who had sworn in his
Orange lodge, his eternal hatred to the
people over whom he was constituted to
Judge. Floggings, picketings, death,
were the usual sentences, and these
were sometimes commuted to Danish
ment, serving in the feet, or transfer
ence to foreign service. Many were sold
at so much per head to the Prussians. .
(See Memoirs Of the Wing Party during
Ny Time Z by Lord Hollandl
Lord CORVALLIS thus describes the
state in which, on becoming Viceroy, he
found Ireland:
.<On my arrival in the country Iput 3
stop to the burning Of houses and MUIR
der Of inhabitants by the ye omen orany
other persons who delighted in that
amusement TO foggine for the purpose
of extorting confessions, and to the free
quarters which comprehanded universal
rape and robbery throughout the coun-
try. s
B Ina Union it is possible that Arch
bishop Troy, Bishop Laniean and 9TH
Gro might have hoped for escape from
these results off governmental policy;
Continued on Eighth Page. 3i5.