TILE AIIERIICAN PRESBYTERIAN
AND
GENESEE EVANGELIST.
A Religions and Family Newspaper,
IN THE INTEREST OF THE
Constitutional Presbyterian Church.
PUBLISHED EVERY THITRSDAY.
AT THE PRESBYTERIAN HOUSE,
1384 Chestnut Street, (2d stem) Philadelphia.
Rev. John W. Mears, Editor and Publisher.
Rev. B. B. liotehkin, Editor of News and
Family Departments.
Rev. C. P. Bush, Corresponding Editor,
ROeheater; N. Y.
gmtritait tsollyttriait.
THURSDAY, MARCH 16; 1865
CONTENTS OF INSIDE PAGES,
szcoND PAGE—THE FAMILY CIRCLE:
"Remember Me"—The Rod-Cross Knight—The
Bias Rose—Sacred Lyrics—Our Soldier—Only Go—
A Word to Boys — Nickname—Grandmother's Pock
et—Mrs. Grundy Spoils our Girls—A lome—Joe
I Polls, the Indian Guide.
THIRD PAGE—EDITOR'S TABLE:
Robinson's " Physical Geography of the Holy
Land"—R. Carter & Bros.' Books: A., L. O. B.'s
Ned Franks; or. The Christian's Panoply . '—
" Schconberg-Cotta," " The Two Vacations; or, The
Sisters of Mercy at Home"--Trowbridge's " The
Three Scoots"—lngelow's " Studios for Stories"—
The Faithful Shepherd"—" Annual Report of the
Chief Engineer of the Water Department of the
City of Philadelphia , "—Magazines and Pamphlets.
Agricultural: Indian Corn as a Fodder Plant—Gapes
in Chickens—Sheep Bating Tobacco.
Miscellaneous A Religion of Feur:Letters—Mys
teries of New York.
SIXTH PAGE—CORRESPONDENCE:
Rev. A. M. Stewart's Letter7Encouraging Words—
Deep Religious interest in Newton, New Jersey—
In Memoriam—Jottings from a- Parish Joufnai—
Interesting Letters from Home Missionaries*, with a
Word from Secretary Kendall-:L-Rev.James Gilfiilan
on the Change of the Sabbath.
SEVENTH PAGE—U. 8. CHRISTIAN COMMISSION: ,
Army Reading Rooms—Wsoo from the Ladies of
the Sandwich Islands to aid the Christian Commis
sion—Receipts.
Miscellaneons : Peaceful Emancipation—Congrega
tional Singing.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN
AMERICA.*
There are three important eras in the
history of the Presbyterian Church in
this country : Ist, its origin ; 2d, the
division of the 18th century with the
subsequent reunion ; and 3d, the yet un
healed division of the 19th century.
These three stages of the history should
be familiar to every intelligent member
of the church. The first two are com
prised in little more than half a century,
after which, eighty years of growth and
development rolled by, without furnish
ing matter of more than ordinary in
terest to the historian. The materials
however, were gathering, and the forces
developing for the great rupture of 1838,
since which event, a very stirring, quar
ter-century in both branches of the origi
nal body hits transpired.
Dr. Gillett's History furnishes a lucid,
faithful, and sufficiently brief history of
the church, in which every reader may
easily inform himself upon these salient
and leading points, as well as upon the
general progress of the intervening
periods. We trust it will be widely read,
and that those for whom we write, far
from being content with, the series of
articles we wish to devote to 'the sub
ject, will be led to further investigations
in Dr. Gillett's instructive and very read
able volumes.
Unlike Episcopacy, which enjoyed the
royal protection, and which, in several-co
lonies was a State Church and a persecu
ting Church, even after the Act of Tolera
tion in the mother country; unlike Puri
tanism, which was, as we may say, in
earnate'in the settlement of New Eng
land, and under whose formative influence
the body-politic be :me a Theocracy
unlike Quakerism and Romanism, each of
which was planted in the British Ameri
can cplonies by distinguished founders of
the colonies themselves, Presbyterianism
had to gain a footing by its own unaided
exertions, and at first in spite of the most
determined opposition on the part of the
authorities of the States in which it was
planted and first propagated.
So far as the early Presbyterianism of
the country can be identified with the
Puritanism of New England, the bearing
a these remarks must be Hi - lifted. The
churches, which these New Englanders
formed in Long Island and New Jersey,
which afterwards became Presbyterian,
were apparently unmolested in the earlier
stages of their history. Only_ after the
church at Jamaica, L. 1., had elected
elders, in 1702, to we hear of Lord
Cornbury's interference with its liberty,
and his high-handed sequestration of its
property for Episcopal uses. .Virginia,
however, dealt as summarily with a
colony of so-called Independents in 1648,
as she would like to do to-day with their
descendants in arms, who have got such
a stubborn foothold on her ' , sacred soil."
It is interesting to note the clear indi
cations which Dr. Gillett has furnished
us, of the strong , Presbyterian predilec
tion of many of the Puritan fathers.
They show us of what different material
was the Congregationalism of New Eng
land, in its heroic dap, from that which
now boasts the name and claims the
honors. of such ancestry, and they teach
* History of the - Presbyterian Church in
America by E. H. Gillett, author of "41The
Life anii. Times Of JOU Huss." Phila.
Presb. Pub.' Com., 2 Vols. 12 mo.
,
Ag Iran rt; onto tali
440 it.
New series, Vol. 11, No. "11.
us the historic grounds of the severe
charge .of 'degeneracy, Which has been
made against the brawling, intoler o ant
Independency of our time. We cannot
forbear quoting the bulk of .these tes
timonies from pages 2-5 and the note
on pages 25, 26 of - the first volume.
They also throw light upon the character
of that Presbyterianism which we are
fain to call " American," and which, while
free froin " Scotch jealousy or rigid
ecclesiasticism," is yet chargeable with
no needless laxity in affiliating with the
Congregationalism of that comparatively
pure era.
" The sympathy," says Dr. Gillett in
the note referred to, " between the Pres
byterian churches• and New England was
perfectly natural. Robinson (see 'Life
of Brewster') was a • Presbyterian, and
claimed, that his church at Lekdeia was
conformed to the rule of the French Pres
byterian Church. In 1606, Brewster
was chosen elder in Robinson's congre
gation, and in 1609 was made Robin
son's assistant. Then the church at Ply
mouth was in reality a Presbyterian
Church, with Brewster for its ruling
elder. A permanent ruling eldership
was accepted as a principle of church
order by the early New England settlers.
Salem and Charlestown had ruling elders,
Watertown and . Boston." Prince's
Chronology.
"'The office is distinctly recognized by
the Synods of New England, at Cam
bridge, in 1646 and 1680; and at the
latter date the Westminster Confession
was adopted. The Synod of Connecti
cut, in 1708 (.Saybrook Platform ),
adopted it. Even Eliot ordained elders
at Martha's Vineyard. Synods were
held at Cambridge in 1637, 1649, 1657,
1679, 1680, and at Boston in 1662, all
of which distinctly name ruling elders as
officers in the Church. This was the
distinct feature of the organization
adopted by the Synod, in 1680, in ac
cordance with Heads of agreement' in
England, in the formation of which in
1690, Dr. J. 'Mather. bore a distinguished
part."---Mather's Mag.
In another , place the writer says:
"Not'a few of the leading minds of
New England iegretted and opposed the.
tendencies upon which the churches were
diifting towards a relaxation-cit-elirtrch
order and discipline, and it is scarcely
surprising that they should have strongly
favored the Presbyterian system, when,
they felt constrained, like Stone of Hart,
ford, to define Congregationalism as a
speaking aristocracy in the lace of a si
lent democracy,' or to say of it, with the
elder Edwards, I have long been out of
conceit of our unsettled, independent,
confused way of church government- in
this land.' . .-In the absence of that
state supervision of the churches which
constituted the administration of the 'New
England Theocracy,' he [the New Eng
land Puritan] felt the propriety, and
yielded to the expediency of an organiza
tion to which should be committed 'the.
care of the churches:"'
It is no wonder that such Congrega
tionalists unhesitatingly became Presby
terians when they found themselves be
yond the shelter of the New -England
" Theocracy." Nor is it any wonder
that the liberal-minded founders of the
Presbyterian Church in. this country
sought the co-operation of the New Eng
land of that day, no less than that of
Scotland, in Carrying out their purposes:
And what should follow from the combi
nation of these elements, but just such - a
Church as we have seen, or may-trace
in its carter of prospe.rity and progress
in the pages of this history, sound with
out bigotry, strong in government with
out oppression, elastic, vigorous, compre
hensive, assimilating the various'elements
of which it was composed into a unique
but consistent unity, until Scotch and
Scotch-Irish exclusivism, coming in with
a flood of immigration.= the one hand,
and " young independency" on the other,
were too many for the true representa
tives of its liberal idea. From the one
party came the rupture of 1741, and the
excindins acts of 1837 ; from the other,
the Albany Convention of 1852. But
the proof that American Presbyterianism
is a reality, a species ; as much as is the
Presbyterianism of Scotland and of Ge
neva, is the existence, vitality, expan
siveness, and prosperity of our own
branch of the Church, from which both
of the other tendencies eliminated them
selves, expecting that nothing would be
left. On the contrary, there remains not
only the true historic successor of the
original Presbyterian Church in this
country, but a Church the most thor
oughly American in its membership, in
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1865.
its political sympathies, and in its loyalty,
of any of the truly Presbyterian and
Calvinistic bodies of the country.
The early history of the Presbyterian
Church in America, say for a period of
fifty years, is a sketch, in smaller propor
tions, of its whole career. The first rup
ture, of 1741, anticipates that of a cen
tury later ; its causes were similar, the
tendencies brought into play were much
-the same; and the same great principles
are illustrated in the view of all thoughtful
minds. One great question is suggested
by the entire history, and that is, Can
the hard, rigorous, ipsissima verbs type
of Scotch and'Seotch-Irish Presbyterian
ism ever permanently lay aside its na
tional character and partake of the geni
ality and elasticity of the American type,
so as to form a harmonious and effective
combination with it; or must it ever
maintain its specific character, and - after
periods of seeming acquiescence and as
similation, be found again marshaling its
clans, pronouncing its Shibboleths of ex
clusivism, and flaming out in some grand
revolutionary movement as conscientious,
as vehement, and as reckless of conse
quences, when a figment of philosophy
or a question of mere interpretation is at
stake, as if the fell spirit of heresy itself
were abroad, and the cardinal doctrines
of the Evangelical Church were in immi
ment danger ? Can .the Scotch school
of Presbyterianism ever be materially
different from this ? Can it lay aside in
this country, constantly recruited as it is
from the sturdy flock of the mother coun
try, that perfervidum ingenium See
torum, which for ages has been at once
the glory and the disadvantage of the
children of that rugged and romantic.
land ? This is a question of the highest
interest and importance just at this junc
ture, when, after the experience of two•
divisions, we seem to be on the point of
trying once more the experiment of com
bining the two types. The world moves,
and Scotland moves-with it, doubtless.
But it is worth serious, consideration in
the light of this `history_ whether she
and her American representatives in the
ology have moved far enough to give
well-grounded hopes of harmony in, a
new, combination.
DRUNKENNESS IN HIGH PLACES.
At length the apathy of the public
upon the general subject of the use of
intoxicating drinks, and upon the personal
character and habits of candidates for the.
highest places of trust and power in its
gift, has brought forth its legitimate fruits,
in a great public scandal. The country
has been called to witness the astound
ing spectacle of a Vice'President, drunk
at the solemn moment .of inauguration ;
taking the oath of fidelity to his high
duties upon maudlin lips and with a
reeling brain ; entering upon his term of
office at this indescribably important and
critical period, in a debased incompetent,
brutalized state of mind ; as if the peo
ple had called him to a, carousal instead
of a post _of :the highest dignity and re
sponsibilityl
The grief, surprise and shame, we ,feel
at this development, cannot be put in
words. In common with the great body
of our fellow citizens, we admired the
brave and loyal Tennessean, before and
during the war, and testified it b our
vote.. We knew nothing of his personal'
character, but supposed that he was, no
worse than public men generally aro,
We were totally unprepared for such an
exhibition of utter want of self respect,
and disregard of all the ordinary and ex
traordinary proprieties of the occasion
'and the office. But whatever be our
surprise and whatever our former regard,
we renounce all sympathy with, as we -
are constrained unhesitatingly to aban
don all confidence in a man who has
revealed, such total unfitness for his place,
who in fact has only used it to signalize
to the entire nation his shameful incom
petency. In response to the vote of the
people, clothing.him with the mantle of
one of its very highest offices, he has
deliberately and grossly insulted us all:
He would scarcely have done a worse act,
if be had slapped the Chief Justice in
the face, as he administered tq him the
oath of office.
We rejoice to see the American Senate
giving proof of its self-respect in view of
the conduct of its presiding officer. A,
Washington telegram to one of city
dailies of last.week says:
"The movement privatelY inaugurate& on
Saturday night for the removal of Andy
Johnson from the 'speakership of the Senate,
is daily finding a more free scope, but it is
doubtful whether it will be seriously insisted
on. At the same time, members feel uneasy'
in their seats in view of occurrences likely
any moment to happen, the result of which-
could be naught but unpleasant to them per
sonally, and a tarnish upon the honor of the
nation."
A 4ate telegram to the same paper
(Public Ledger,) says :--
" Senator Foster still presides in the Senate,
owing to Vice President Johnson's disposi
tion to still - further continue his plebeian
manners of inauguration day. At present
he has been taken by . some of his, friends out
of the city, and there is certainly no desire
on the part of the Senate that he should ever
return, unless he does so to resign his office."
We have not the least doubt that the
country would fully sustain the Senate
in any measure necessary to rid the body,
as well as the' country at large of the
deep disgr,ace into which we have been
plunged. Another part of the same tele
gram shows that if the, Senate cannot
get rid of ken; 'Vice President, it
will at least; mark those of its own mem
bers, who have incapacitated themselves
for a proper, discharge of their duties, by
similar indulgences:
":The. Vice President does not, however,
appear to be-the only member of the Senate
addicted to drunkenness: Two Senators haie
been omitted from the Standing Committees
of tharbody for the coming year, because for
months past they have preferred the bottle
to: their duty as legislators."
And will the people now take warn
ing?.Will this most humiliating oc
currence arouse the better class' of our
citizens to the necessity of exerting their
whole influence for the selection of honest
and competent rulers in every official
station ? Shall the costly lesson avail
us anything ;. shall it not, quicken the
efforts made to revive the temperance re
formation,:and arrest by its conspicuous
and•overwhillming character the drinking
tendencies of, society generally and of
public men especially ? Let us show
bat we have country worth saving; not
one, which, when about_ being rescued,
by stupendous outlays of money and lifo,
from the slave power, succumbs after all,
to the more insidious and more degrading
usurpations of the rum power.
REBEL. PREDICTIONS FALSIFIED. .
There is scarcely a captured rebel city
but comes into 'the hands of our forces
upon the heels 'of *the most 'positive de
clarations of its impregnability, or at least
of the utter iinprobability of such an
event, made by rebel, correspondents and
editors; But the most remarkable in
stances- i:dy such , falsified , assufanees oc.
cnrred'i'dth rebel journals in Vicksburg
and in Charleston. -
The Vicksburg Daily Citizen of July
2d, 1863, was a curiosity every way.
It is the last number issued before the
place was captured, and consists of four
narrow columns printed on the reverse
side of a piece of upholsterer's wall
paper; the right side,; which is occupied
by what might be freely styled a " chaste
bedroom pattern," being, of course, un
suited for taking - an impression from
types. It, contains flowing accounts of
Lee's " great victories?' on the way to
Gettysburg, and says, "Old Abe has
departed to parts unknown!' Speaking
of the scarcity of provisions in Vicks
burg, it says :—" It is needless to attempt
16 disguise from the enemy or our own
people that our wants are great, but still
we can conscientiously assert- our belief
that there is plenty within our lines, by
an exercise of prudence, to last until long
after succor reaches us."
Another extract is as follows:
" ON Drr,—That great Ulysses—the Yan
kee Generalissimo, surnamed Grant—has ex
pressed his intention of dining in Vicksburg
ennSaturdSy next, and celebrating tbe 4th of
July by a grand dinner and so forth. When
asked if he would invite General Joe. John
ston to join, he said, No ! for fear. there will
be a row at the table.' Ulysses must get
into the city before he dines in it. The way
to cook, a rabbit is `first catch the rabbit,'
etc."
AS brief note from the hand of a Union
soldier, finishes the last column of the
and indicates both its fate and
that of the city. It runs thus :
"NOTE
"RmY4, 1863. Two days bring about great
changes. The banner of the Union floats
over Vicksburg. General Grant has `caught
the rabbit;' he has 'dined in Vicksburg, and
be can bring his dinner with him. The
Citizen , lives to see it. For the last time it
appears on wall-paper.' No more will it
eulogize the luxury of mules' meat and fricas
seed kitten—urge Southern warriors to such
diet never more. This is the last wall-paper
edition, and is, excepting this note, from the
types as we found them. It will be valuable
hereafter as a curiosity."
When Sherman entered Charleston,
there was found in the Charleston Cou
rier office an editorial in type for next
day's paper, beginning as follows :--
" There are no indications that our autho
rities have the least intention ocabandoning
Charleston, as we have ascertained from care
ful inquiry."
The compositor had not time to set
the whole article before he was called
upon to evacuate.
C , {NATIONAL ALMANAC for
1865-6. Mr. Childs announces that
this, annual Will , appear hereafter in the
fall.of the year.., The forthcoming.nuto.-
bet will contain information for the pre
ceding eighteen months.
Genesee Evangeli.st, No. 982.
THE AMERICAN COLONIZATION SO-
The annual report of this Society, re
cently published, shows that the receipts
of the Society for 1864 were over ninety
one thousand dollars, and the expendi
tures nearly ninety thousand. The So
ciety's packet, the " M. C. Stevens," has
had so little employment, that it was
deemed expedient to sell her, which was
done last October, for the sum of thirty
thousand dollars, which are invested in
United States securities. Thirty-five
thousand dollars of 'the annual income
have also been invested in a similar man
ner, and thirty-five thousand paid to the
Government of Liberia. Only twenty
three emigrants have gone to Liberia
during ,the year. One of them is Pro
lessor Martin D. Freeman, a native of
,
Vermont, graduate of Middlebury Cob
lege, , and for several years the -popular
PrinciPal of a Collegiate Institute for
colored youth, in Western Pennsylvania.
- Subscriptions for Mr. H.'s support as
Professor of Mathematics and Natural
Philosophy in Liberia College have been
procured by the Society.
While the emigrationfrom this country
has fallen almost to nothing, a movement
in the direction of Liberia is reported in
Barbadoes. Aid for the parties prepar
ing to emigrate has been solicited from
the Society, and ten thousand dollars
was appropriated to this object by the
Board of Directors. Liberia, as our
readers are aware, has been formally
recognized by our Government On the
25th of February, 1864, Hon. Abraham
Hanson, first Commissioner and Consul
General of the United States, was for
mally received by the authorities of Lb
beria ; and on the 18th of May following,
Rev. J. B. Pinney was received as the
Liberian Charge d'Affaires resident
,in
the United States. Besides the United
States, three other governments, Sweden
and Norway, the Netherlands, and Hayti,
recognized Liberia during 1864. Every
indication of material and moral' pros
perity is given by Liberia at the present
time.' The liberated Africans thrown
suddenly upon the country from captured
slave ships, have disappointed the fears
of the Liberians and their friends, by
showing remarkable capacity for civil
izing processes, and are becoming a
valuable addition to the population.
We regret to notice certain intimations
in'this report Mat the existing civil disa
bilities of the African race in this country
are likely to be permanent. The idea is
pretty plainly thrown out, that this is
the white man's country, every acre of
which will be monopolized by the Anglo-
Saxon or some cognate race, and that
the young, and vigorous, and intelligent,
and ambitious of the colored population
will wisely prefer to leave. If coloniza
tion is to be presented as an expedient
by which we may evade our solemn duty
to the African race in this country, we
wish to have nothing to do with it. lt
is time for Christian men to unite in
earnest efforts to put down the unchris
tian prejudices against color 'of which we
are guilty. This is our first comprehen
sive 'duty to the African race, and any
form of reputed beneficence which takes
a course unfavorable to the higher and
more pressing interests of justice, is
likely to lose favor with the true friends
of the race.
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL.
This State Institution for the Insane,
recently founded at Dixmont, near Pitts
burg, appears to be under excellent
management. Thomas Bakewell, Esq.,
of Pittsburg, is President, and. Dr. Jos.
A. Reed, is the Superintendent. From
the annual report of the managers, just
received, we learn that two hundred and
thirty-four patients have been under
treatment during the year, one hundred
and four of whom were received in 1864.
Thirty-six have been discharged recover
ed, and eighteen improved, during the
year ; ten have died. Of the entire num
ber, seven hundred and ninety-nine, re
ceived since April, 1856, three hundred
and twelve have been discharged re
covered, and one hundred and eighty-two
improved; seventy-seven have died.
Many objectionable oaks are sent, by
orders of. the, Court, etc., to the institu
,tion; filling it up with incurables, and
lessening its efficiency as a curative in
stitution. There are now one hundred
and thirty such cases in the Hospital,
some of whom, having been guilty of
serious crimes and acquitted on plea of
insanity, have been consigned to the. In
stitution by State authority. It would
seem as if such a course must eventually
completely nullify the chief design of the.
Institution. Yet there is a great neces
sity that an asylum for such cases be
found. Private Christian beneficence
and devotedness are largely exerted in
behalf of similar classes in Europe ;
think the celebrated establishment of
John Bost, at La Force, in France, con
tains a department for the incurably in
sane. At any rate, the subject should
not be overlooked by - the humane and
the wealthy of our country. •
CIETY.
TERMS.
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By Mail, s3.By Carrier, Si 50.
Ji',oy cents additional, after three months.
Clabs.—Ten or -more papers, sent to one address,
payable strictly in advance and in one remittance:
By Mail, $250 per annum. By Carriers, $.l per annum.
Ministers and Ministers' Widows, $2 in ad
vance.
Mome Missionaries, $l5O inadvanee.
Fifty cents additional after three months.
Remittances by mail are at our risk.
Postage.—Five cents quarterly, in advance, paid
by subscribers at the office of delivery.
Advertisements.-12 1 4 cents per line for the
first, and 10 cents for the second insertion.
One.square (one month),
two months..
three
six
one year 18' 00
The following discount on long advertisements, in
serted for three months and upwards. is allowed:—
Over 20 . lines. 10 per cent. off; over 50 lines, 20 ver
cent.; over 100 lines, 333 per cent. off.
FREEDMEN'S MISSION OF THE RE-
FORMED CHURCH.
Rev. N. K. Crow, the devoted and ef-,
ficient superintendent of the ivlission of
Reformed Presbyterian Church in Alex
andria, is now in our city endeavoring
to awaken an interest in the mission and
to secure funds for its further prosecution.
We commend him most cordially to all
our readers. Funds for this object may
be sent to the office of the American
Presbyterian.
TUE ENCYCLICAL IN FRANCE.
PROTESTING, BUT OBEYING.—The dig
nitaries of the Romish Church in France
seem to be pretty unanimous in protest
ing against the course of the Emperor;
for out of about ninety bishops, only
eleven have been silent. They endeavor
to make out that it is inconsistent in the
Emperor to allow the document to be
published in the newspapers and pro
hibit its publication by the bishops.
But. there is a great difference in having
the Pope's bull given by the press as
a document of public interest, and in
having the same' proclaimed officially
from the pulpits. The bishops are too
intelligent not to see this difference, but
they overlook it in order to strengthen
their cause. It is worthy of notice, how
ever, that if they nearly all protest; only
two yet have dared to violate the Ern
peror's command. The Universal News
of London, the organ of the Irish in Eng
land, states, therefore, what is untrue,
when it says that the French bishops
have scorned the imperial decree. The
paper is a little too hasty in exulting
over the triumph of the representatives
of Rome over imperial power in France.
Although the Romish clergy have aided
the Emperor in establishing his authority
over France, we do not think that their
power alone could dethrone him. After
a reign of sixteen years, Napoleon must
be able to measure correctly the influence
of the clergy, and be prepared for them.
One thing is certain; he has taken a
bolder stand than we could have ex
pected.
HOT WATER FOR AMERICAN PAPISTS.
The Association of Irish Catholics
known as the Fenian Brotherhood, and
having for its avowed object the inde
pendence of Ireland, is likely to become
a dangerous bone of contention among
papists in this country. Our city papers
of last week contained as an advertise
ment, a letter from the Romish Bishop
Wood, of this Diocese, calling attention
to a missive from Archbishop Purcell, of
the Cincinnati Province, also published,
both of which will be shells in the camp.
Bishop Wood writes over his Episcopal
signature, " James Frederick, Bishop
of Philadelphia," and pays the following
not the most gentle compliment to the
Romish paper of this city, which carries
at its mast head,—" The oldest Catholic
Paper in the 'United States."
" I take this opportunity to state that the
assertion, or insinuation, contained in the
" Universe" of January 14, that a letter had
been received from Rome, announcing the
decision concerning the Fenians, in the words
Feniani non sunt inquietandi,' (the Fenians
are not to be disturbed), is both a falsehood
and a forgery, no such letter having been re
ceived, and no such decision made. What
can we think of an association who are so un
scrupulous in the choice of means to further
impracticable projects."
Archbishop Purcell's letter closes as
follows :
" Finally, I love Ireland, I desire its inde
pendence, I deplore its sad fate for the last
three hundred years, especially under the
galling yoke of England's injustice, inhu
manity and tyranny; but I have no faith that
the Fenian head centres, or State centres
could govern her, if they had the c,hance.
On the contrary, I belieye they would give
her a worse Constitution, and make her con
dition worse than it is at present. And I
therefore conjure every man who has any
respect for my judgment and advice to have
nothing to do with the Fenians."
Is OIIIi NATION PREPARED FOR PEACE T.
—ln. other words, has the time come
when our righteous and supreme Ruler
can consistently remove the rod of chas ,
tisement ? Read the following from an
Illinois correspondent of our cotemporary,
The Presbyterian:— ,, Our Illinois Leg
islature recently visited Chicago on what
seemed to be a mere excursion' for plea-
Certainly its legitimate duties
scarcely called it so far from Springfield.
It came ; it saw ; it. defied God ; it
trampled openly upon his holy law; it
desecrated his Sabbath ; it returned.
Of course, it was invited to visit Camp
Douglas, the military prison, on the
Sabbath day ; and, of course, the invi
tation was accepted. No other day
could be selected, for a visit made upon
any other day would not so publicly
declare our independence of the Sove
reign of the universe, and our entire
irresponsibility of him and his laws.
Street cars were put in motion, thou-.
sands of people were abroad to witness,
the proceedings, a grand military pageant
was performed at the camp, a feu-de,-joie,
was fired, .a season of general festivity
was inaugurated, and all, as the papers
of next morning informed us, for the
amusement of our august visitors."'