The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-03-10
ASSUMPTIONS OF CARDINAL VAUGHAN
Ably Refuted by the Editor of
the Dublin Freeman.
A scATHING REBUKE OF HYPOCRISY
Clarifying England at Expense
of Better Nations.

The eloquent culogy which his Emi-
ncnce Cardinal Vaughan has thought
it his duty to pronounce on the British
empire, its methods and its objects, de-
mands discussion, which respect due to
the exalted position OF his Emincncc,
renders all the more essential. No pas
toral, which was in effect a pronounce
ment OF unqualified approval OF Eng
glands criminal and cowardly attack
on the liberties OF the Transvaal, was
addressed as religious or charitable
exhortation in this special season of
peace and good will to the dcvout
Catholics who look for Christian guld-
ance to his Eminence, says the Dublin
Freeman's Journal. The high position
which his Eminence holds demands
that his address should be calmly and
respectfully discussed. If Catholics,
and especially Irish Catholics, cannot
accept his eulogy of the British empire,
it is their right, it is even their duty, to
state clearly the reasons of their dis
sent
SThe British empire" writes Cardi-
nal Vaughan, "has been raised up by
the same Providence that called the
Roman empire into existence, and as
God used the one toward the attain
ment of His own Divine purposes Of
mercy, SO does he seem to be using the
other. In spite of the blunders and
crimes committed by many OF her sons
in building up the empire, the empire
has made for peace, for liberty, for
law and order. An empire that has
power to establish these conditions,
which are preliminary to the spread OF
Christianity, is possessed OF a great
and sacred trust, not to be surrendered
until God himself shall demand the
surrender"
King Henry the Eighth, Queen Eliz-
abeth, and Oliver Cromwell were
amongst the most conspicuous OF the
empire builders who are involved in the
glowing cu1ogy OF the Cardinal. Cath
olics, and Irish Catholics, do not usu-
ally accept the view that the achieve
ments OF Cromwell, for example, were
made for and designed by God for His
own wise purposes" or "madc for
peace, for liberty, for law and order"
England abandoned the Catholic faith
with obscquious facility, at the bidding
Of a pronigatc king. Ireland stood
firm to the Faith, through centuries Of
the fcrccst persecution. The faclc
pervcrt proved the savage and rclcnt-
less prosecutor.
The mcrciless penal laws, not yet
wholly repealed force themselves on
| our remembrance The details Of these
laws are discussed in an admirable
treatise by Cardinal Moran, entitled
"Thc Catholics of Ireland Under the
Penal Laws OF the Eighteenth Cen
tury" which the London Catholic
Truth Society has just published for
the instruction and cdifcation of the
faithful.
In that treatise his Emincncc, Car
dinal Moran, sets out in lucid detail the
abominablc, the almost diabolical out
! RACES to which Catholics were, through
the whole Of the eighteenth century
| subjected by this bcncfccnt empire,
| which, we are told, is possessed OF a
great and sacred trust in the interests
| of Christianity. 1t is not needed here
to enter into the details. Christianity
| was encouraged and protected by the
hanging of priests. Enlightenment
| was extended by hanging the school
| masters. For fuller details, our read
crs must go to the vivid pages OF Car
dinal Moran. But VIC may be per-
mittcd to quote from his book, where
they arc collected in the introduction,
the views of some eminent Protestant
statesmen on the system.
Let Edmund Burke be first heard.
1T was complete system" says
Burke, "wcll digestcd and composed i'll
all its parts. 1t was machine of wise
and elaborate contrivancc, and as well
fitted for the oppression, impoverish-
mcnt and degradation OF feeble pco-
| pie, and the dcbascment in them of hu-
man nature itself, as ever proceeded
from the perverted ingenuity of man. :"
| Dean Swift declared: "This kingdom
of Ireland is now absolutely starving
! by the means of every oppression that