Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 30, 26 November 1897, Page 1

Current Topics

AT HOME AND ABROAD

From all parts of Ireland come the most alarm - THE HARVEST ing reports of the almost total failure of the FAILURE potato and other crops, and notwithstanding the IN IRELAND, attempt of the Government to minimise the extent of the evil there can be no doubt whatever that the situation is most serious. Already the distress is most deep and widespread, and unless prompt steps are taken to avert the impending disaster, the unhappy people have nothing to look forward to but the dread certainty of an almost universal famine. So far the Government have made no move in the direction of giving any practical assistance, and the Dublin Castle authorities even go so far as to deny that there is any substantial distress at all. Earl Oadogan, the Viceroy of Ireland, directed that the following message be sent •to one of the leading American journals :—": — " In reply to your telegram, the Lord Lieutenant desires me to say that the reports which you characterise as most alarming and the predictions of famine in Ireland you mention are, in his Excellency's opinion, unjustifiable. — David Harrel, Under Secretary, Dublin Castle." Unfortunately for the suffering farmers the evidence on the other side is altogether too overwhelming. The Irish bishops, with one voice, declare that the situation is most grave. Archbishop Croke says :—": — " From all parts of the archdiocese of Cashel and Emly the harvest news is most disquieting. The crops had been everywhere abundant, and our hopes were high, but the terrible rains of last month have dashed those hopes. The potatoes are even now, to a very large extent, unfit for human food. They are rotting in the wet ground. The very early hay crop was caved fairly well, but in the later meadows, bearing most of the crop in this district, it was impossible to save the hay. The barley and oats are ruimd by the wet. Much of this plentiful crop is unsaleable, and with a serious rise in the price of bread I have the gravest apprehensions for the coming winter." The Bishop of Galway says :—": — " The harvest prospects in this diocese are really disheartening. . . . On the whole I regard the outlook as very gloomy, and apprehend the advent of a famine in the diocese during the winter approaching." The Bishop of Clonfert declares : — " The prospects for the coming year are very bad. I have seen nothing worse in this diocese of Clonfert for the last thirteen years. Even the sound potatoes are small and soft. We are all very anxious about the winter months. We fear the worst may happen. I am unwilling to be an alarmist, but merely state what I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears from all the neighbours. Good weather even now would greatly help the crops, but much of the damage is irreparable." The Bishop of Ross thus tersely sums up the situation :—": — " The potato is worthless, the grain ruined, and the outlook dismal." Mr. William O'Brien, who lives in one of the most congested districts of Connaught, and whose knowledge of the country enables him to speak with certainty and authority, declares : — " It is impossible to exaggerate the danger of absolute famine in districts like this, already scourged by last year's potato failure, and sunk to the lips in debt to the shopkeepers and banks. If the landlords enforce full rents this winter the people's last resource for purchasing provisions will be gone. Nothing except immediate, widespread Government relief can avert starvation. The people are dazed with despair and disorganisation. The emergency is incontestably graver than in the Land League year of 1880, when it took the Land League revolution and a million and a half sterling of charitable funds to cope with the danger. This time ■nothing can save the people but a universal uprisicg against rackjents and immtdiate measures for Government relief." So grave ia the situation that the Irish leaders have felt themselves compelled to appeal to the Government for immediate assistance, and Messrs. T. Harrington and John Dillon are now obtaining signatures to the following memorial, which tells its own cad tale :—": — " To the Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, M.P. We, the undersigned Members of the House of Commons, representing Irish constituencies, are

advised that, owing to the almost complete failure of the potato crop throughout the western half of Ireland," and the increasing price of other provisions, the email farmers and labourers of immense districts in the country will, in the coming winter, be visited with distress which will inevitably culminate in famine, if not met by prompt and adequate measures of relief by the Government. We are also aware that the injury to the grain crop caused by a season of almost incessant wet and cold, together with the depression of the cattle trade, and the unremunerative prices pre» vailing in almost all the other markets for Irish agricultural produce, have brought about a crisis in which the payment this winter of full rents in cases unaffected by the Land Act of 1896— comprising the enormous majority of Irish agricultural tenancies-* would be followed by the ruin of large classes of the Irish tenantry and a renewed state of agitation and disturbance in the country As a national emergency of bo serious a character cannot be effectually dealt with without a timely resource to the authority of Parliament, we join in the urgent request that you, as leader of the House of Commons, will advise the immediate summoning of Parliament with a view of obtaining funds to institute relief works in the more impoverished districts, and passing suoh legislation as may be found necessary to alleviate the burdens of the general body of the Irish tenantry." According to the Westminster Gazette the Duchefcs of York intends to issue an appeal on behalf of the Iribh peasantry on the lavs of that issued by the Princess of Wales for the poor of London This, however, is nat what the Irish people want. What they want is justice from the British Government, not a private ''charity fund," which will enable the Government to shirk its lesponsibility in the matter. If the English Government would do justice to Ireland and make restitution of a few of the millions of which they have been systematically robbing the country for the past twenty-five years, the people would not be subject to this dread of periodic famine, and there would be no need whatever for any " charity fund," Royal or otherwise. American papers just to hand bring us newi of A veteran the death of the Rev. Father Hennebery, the missioner great missioner and apostle of temperance, whose gone. name is a household word not only in the colonies but throughout the whole of the civilised world. The illnpps which led to Father Hennebery's death was brought on by overwork. Though nearly seventy years of age he was an untiring worker, and the heivy labours of a series of mission! which he had been giving in Nevada State brought on hemorrhage of the brain which ultimately ended in his death, During the flrßt week of his illness he was cared for at the home of the Rev. Father Tubman, of Virginia City, bat was afterwards removed to the hospital where everything that affection could suggest and drill could achieve was done to minister to his relief, but in vain. Thg hemorrhage was followed by paralysis and after a month's illness the veteran missioner passed quietly away on Sunday, September 19 The story of his life reads almost like a religious romance. He was a native of Kilkenny Couuty, Ireland, and went over to Amerioa when 17 y.jars of age. He was ordained about the year 1850, and on his ordination became a member of the Order of the Most Precious Blood. During the whole fifty years of his priesthood he carried on the work of preaching missions, and nearly every country under the sun was at one time or another the scene of hit devoted labours. In Australia alona he held 126 missions and niinistcred to tha spiritual needs of 40,000 people. la India he held a great many missions, and in Africa he visited every settlement that was at all accessible to a priest. As might be expected he had many thrilling adventures in the wilds of the Dark Continent and many a hair-breadt!i escape from wild animals and from the scarcely less savage natives. Fortunately the Reverend Father kept a diary of his life-work, which is now in the possession of the Rev. Father Tubman, and which will certainly furnish the material for a most thrilling and fascinating biography. As we have said Father Hennebery was one of the great pioneere in the work of temperance reform, and his earnest and eloquent appeals will be

still remembered by many of our readers throughout New Zealand. It is estimated that in Australia alone lie obtained pledges of abstinence from 50,000 people. The funeral eermon of the great missioner was preached by the Rev. Father Tubman, who, we may mention, is a brother of the Rev. Father Tnbman of Timaru. The Eccninij Chronicle, of Virginia City, gives the following account of the discourse : — At the conclusion of the Mass, whioh was an unusually interesting and impressive ceremony, Father Tubuian, as orator, delivered one of the finest funeral sermons ever listened to on the Conistock. In his exordium he dwelt upon the vanity and futility of worldly efforts, achievements and advant \ge ; instanced the cases of Alexander and Hannibal, and &aid that the deeds of men like Father Hennebery should shine immortal like the stars in the glowing firmament. In the course of his remarks he paid an elegant tribute to the Pross of Virginia City. lie rapidly but graphically reviewed the laborious life of the dead missionary, hi? travels and toils amid the jungles of Africa, the burning sands of Australia and the plague-stricken regions of India. He concluded with a peroration of extraordinary beauty, powerful eloquence and much pathos, during which many a moist eye might be observed in the church. The apostrophe of the spirit of the dead man was particularly fine." The funeral of the veteran missionary was a very large one, the cortege including the members of about a dozen different societies, in addition to large numbers of people who were not attached to any particular organisation. The great missioner is gone, but he will never be forgotten. He rasts from his labours, but his works do follow him, and in many a home in both hemispheres the name of Father Hennebery will be rr.eutioned with love and gratitude for many a year to come. May his soul rest in peace. The London Standard has sent a special corrosponA TRIBUTE To dent over to Ireland to inquire into the extent of THK IRISH the distress caused by the almost total failure of CONVENTS. the harvest, to which we have already referred, and his report is interesting both because of the sensible suggCf-tions which lie makes, and a 1 so because of the splendid tribute which he p iys to the work carried on by the Irish convents. Government help is certainly needed, he tays, to enable people to earn a living, and he is <>f opinion that it is in the ''development of textile and oiJiu 1 industries from convent centimes and under convent supervibion, and the labours of the Congested Districts Board in tho direction of the enlargement of holdings, the improvement of sti ck, and the cultivation of proper methods of fishing " that the best ra.th.od of met ting the distress will be found. The correspondent was present at the Textile Exhibition in Dublin, and had ample opportunity for examining the exhibits fro a the various convents, of which he speaks in terms of the hig'ie.^, praise. Speaking of such places as Foxford, Ballaghadereen, and Skibbtreen, he says that the girls there, tiik-jn from among the " \ery ruuphe^t and most helpless in all Tivl md. have been turr.ed into skilful workers, who produo; articles that can hold their own with tliebest in the trades-." And of the \\ ork done at tfic Providence Convent at Foxford, he gives the following full and intending description: " Like the other similar institution-, this is an El o.nentary school, to begin with, and a thoroughly efficient school, as the Board's inspectors testify. But everything, from the kindergarten clats upward, is directed to practical and technical ends. The smallest children are t vUght to use their <'yes, their fingers, and tlieir heads in a way that is unknown in the ordinary National bchool*, and when they grow a little they are, in consequence, very quick at learning the things that will be of real use to them in atfc^r life. There are classes for cooking, dairying, laundry work, carpenLry ; aid these poor children, who, although living in the country, never saw a flower-garden in their lives till they came to the convent school, are taught that the front of a house can be ut-ed for other purposes than that of a manure heap. One of the results of this last matter alone is that in a circuit that includes tome 800 cottage homes oi! the very poorest sort, the manure pits have been removed, and replaced by little plots of flowers. The nuns a'^o, acting as agents for the Congested Districts Board, give the people shrubs for planting round their cabins, teach them that if r rass-sevd is sown with corn they will have a succeeding crop of hay instead of one of weeds, and lure them into consenting to havu one corner of their potato patch sprayed free of exp^n-e, in the hope that the object lesson thus afforded will indu-je th^rn to do it for themselves in after years. In the factory, where over 100 hands, who otherwise would be left in hopeless idleness, are employed, blanket*, rugs, druggets. hosiery, btockings, and many other things are proiuivd, the annual turnover amounting to some £8000. Napole nis credited with the saying that what is wanted in war is not mcii, but a man. In this case it was a woman, and the six years' work of the Reverend Mother and her little band of Sisters in this poverty-stricken M,-,yo village i-i an achievement as notable in its way as. the winning of a batlle.'' This is a splendid tribute to the good nuns, but it is not one whit more than they deserve, and everyone who knows what they have done and are doing for the people, will agree with the correspondent's conclusion that " there is no nobler or more useful work being done in Ireland."

Sister Mary Helen Ellis, one of the band of the angels of Sisters of Mercy who, under Miss Florence the Nightingale, went to attend the British soldiers in battlefield the Crimean War, died at Walthamstown in Enpr> i land, on Saturday, September 18, in her 82nd year. The deceased Sister waa one of the very few survivors of that devoted band whose noble work amid the horrors of the Crimea has never received the recognition and appreciation at the hands of the English people which it undoubtedly deserved. Miss Nightingale has earned — and justly earned—undying fame for her devotion to the sick and wounded soldiers, but the good nuns who were associated with her were not oue whit behindhand in heroic devotion and were equally entitle 1 to the public recognition and public honours which were so freely bestowed on Miss Nightingale. It is pleasant to know that no one more cheerfully or more warmly acknowledged the good work done by the Sisters than Miss Nightingale herself who, on the conclusion of peace, wrote as follows to the Roy. Mother : " Tou know that I shall do everything I can for the Sisters you have left me. I will care for them as if they were my own children. But ifc will not be like you. Ido not presume to express praise or graiitude to you, Rev. Mother, because it would look as though I thought you had done this work, not unto God, but unto me. You were far above me in fitness for the general superintendency in worldly talent of administration, and far more in the spiritual qualifications which God values in a Superior ; my being placed over you was my misfortune, not my fault. What you have done for the work no one can ever say, Ido not presume to give you any other tribute but my tears. But I should be glad that the Bishop of Southwark should know, and Dr. Manning, that you were valued here a3 you deserve, and that the gratitude of the army is yours." It is gratifying to note also, that in spite of the efforts of unscrupulous bigots to have the nuns withdrawn from the hospitals, the authorities at the actual scene of action gave unqualified praise to the work done by the devoted Sisters. Before leaving for England, the Rev. Mother Bridgeman received from Sir John Hall, the Inspector-General of Hospitals, the following letter : " My dear Madame, — I cannot permit you and the Sisters under your direction, to leave the Crimea without an expression of the high opinion I entertain of your administration, and of the very important aid you have rendered to the sick under your care. I can most conscientiously assert, as I have on other occasions stated, that you have given me the most perfect satisfaction ever since you assumed the charge of the nursing department of the General Hospital of Balaklava, and I do most unfeignedly regret your departure. But, after what has occurred I would not, even with, that feeling uppermost in my mind, urge you to stay. I enclose a letter from Sir William Codrington, Commander-in-Chief, expressive oi the sense he entertains of your services and those of the Sisters, which, I trust, will be acceptable to your feelings ; and I feel assured you must leave us with an approving conscience, as I know you do with the blessings of those you have aided in their hour of need. To Him who sees all our outward actions, and knows all our inward thoughts and wishes', I commend you. And may He have you and those with you in His holy keeping is the prayer of yours faithfully. John Hall, Insp ctor-General of Hospitals." The letter referred to, from Sir William Codrington, Commander-in-Chief, was in the following terms : " Sir, — I regret much to hear that circumstances have reduced Mrs. Bridgeman, Superior of the Roman Catholic Sisters, to quit the General Hospital, and proceed to England with the Sisters who have been associated with her. I request you to assure that lady of the high estimation in which her services and those of the Sisters are held by us all, founded as that opinion is on the experience of yourself, the medical officer of the hospitals, and of the many patients, both wounded and sick, who, during the fourteen or fifteen months past, have benefited by their care. lam quite sure that their unfailing kindness will have the reward which Mrs. Bridgeman values, viz., the remembrance and gratitude of those who have been the objects of such disinterested attention. Your obedient servant, W. Codrington, General Commander." Two of the Sisters, Sister Elizabeth and Sister Winifred, died at their posts, the one from cholera and the other from typhus fever. Of the Irish Sisters who took part in the expedition there is now only one surviyor, Sister Mary Aloysius of Gort, who a few months ago received from the Queen the distinction of the Royal Red Cross. It is safe to say that of all the multitude of Jubilee titles and honours, none was more fittingly or more deservedly bestowed than this.

A short time ago we showed in these columns thk chtjkch that the progress of events is furnishing' a slow and progress, but most complete refutation of two of the most venerable among the many calumnies that are circulated about the Catholic Church. The calumnies referred to were that the Church loves to " keep the people in ignoranoe," and that she is the sworn foe of scientific progress and research. The splendid successes achieved by our Catholic schools, not only in Ireland but throughout the world, were instanced as supplying an

answer to the one, and the recent International Scientific Congress at Fribourjr. was referred to as furnishing a complete refutation of the other. We are glad to notice that the significance of the Fribourg- Congress in this direction has been fully realised by some, at least, of the leading secular journals both at Home and in the colonies. The Wellington Ercniwj Pout, for example— to speak only of journals nearer horne — in it« issue of the l'.)th inst., has a very interesting article on " The Church and Progress," in which this aspect of the Fribourg Congress is frankly and fully recognibed. The writer has evidently very much more sympathy with science than v\ ith theology, but this does not prevent him from being not only jusb, but even generous to the position of the Catholic Church The article thus summarises the hUtory of £his periodic Congress :—: — ' Briefly, the tacts lail bare to the eyes of the world are as follows : Nine years ago the late Monsignor D Hulst, of Paris, summoned a congress of the representative thinkers of the Roman Catholic communion for an open declaration of their opinions and convictions on the great problems of science, and politics, and Biblical criticism. That the effect was neither transitory nor shallovf is clearly evidenced in the fact that the congress thus unostentatiously initiated has since been held trienially, and the last, held some weeks ago at Fribourg in Switzerland, emphatically shows, if unreserved audacity and boldness of utterance count for anything, that high-water mark has been touched, and that a movement is now in flood which will inevitably achieve results that it is impossible at present to measure in the polity of the Roman Catholic Church. 1 ' After referring to the well-known views of Dr. Zahm and other advanced thinkers the article continues : " Some of the members from France stood up and fought the dictum of universal suffrage, but they were hopelessly and ignominiously beaten by a large aud demonstrative majority. 'In fact,' says the correspondent of the London Daily Chronicle, ' the younger clergy of all nations, and the lay contingents from Belgium, Germany, and the English-speaking countries, were all of one mind that the antipopular thunders of the French ecclesiastics, and their helpless fear of the people,' were not only absurd, but were a grave danger to the whole future of Catholicism.' It was accepted ' that the people themselves make the Government, and that all persons ohosen for the time being to administer that Government derive all their power from the people, and are answerable to them.' And finally, it was declared that the two bases of the Catholic Church were freedom and authority, and that in the struggles of the present it would be the mission of the northern peoples to reconcile them, alike in science and in society." The writer concludes with the following tribute — written in a spirit of fairness which is only too rarely manifested in the columns of our colonial dailies — to the amazing vitality of the Catholic Church . "It will thus be fooen whit an amazing gulf there is between the halting opinions of the greit sections of the Protestant Churches and the particular co'nmunion which now advance with banners unfurled to the front ranks of scientific and social and religious progress. We think it would be difficult to name a prelate or dignitary of the English Establishment who would dare to declare or accept the doctrine of scientific c\olut.ion without imperilling his ecclesiastical position, and we need only mention the peivi^tent antagonism of the English bishops to every movement in the direction of extending popular rights as a sufficient contrast to the startling advance which now animates the minds of the great Roman Establishment. The history of this Church for more than a thousand years has been marked by a policy that has been as successful as it has been remarkable. Time after time she has seemed to sink almost to death under the fierce pressure of external circumstances, but time after time she has buoyantly risen into complete newness of life ; and it may be that the development we have referred to is simply a later and stronger proof of her vitality and her ability to egain her ascendency as the dominant spiritual influence and power in history. It would seem, however, that the famous aictum of Lord Macaulay that the Roman Church will still exist in mvliminished vigour when the New Zo.dander shall sketch the ruins of St. Paul's from a broken arch of London Bridge was no mere literary flourish. and the phase she is now entering upon may help to confirm the historical vision of the great reviewer." Ix a very interesting performance at Dommny, ODDS AND the career of Joan oi' Arc is made the subject of a ends. theatrical representation in the spirit of the old Mystery Plays, or of the Passion Play at OberAmmergau. Acted by the neighbouring peasants in tho open air. near the cottage where the Maid w;<s born, and close to the fields and woods which were the scene of her vi-ions, thi- simple rustic drama attracts visitors from all parts of France, and is called by the Paris press the popular national drama. The '-Mystery of Joan of Arc," as it is entitled, written in very simple dialogue, and divided into eight scenes in which the principal events in the life of the heroine are portrayed, is performed by 'MM peasant-actors with such earnestness and pathos as to hold the audience enthralled, and to charm even the critics who had come to scoff. The initiative in

organising the performance is due to the author of the drama, the A.bbe Meieruien, cure of the adjacent parish of Mesnil-en-Xantois> who has for 1 0 years been labouring to put his idea into execution, md to overcome the many obstacles thrown in its way. Failing to receive support from the cure of Domremy he assembled the peasmts of his own parish, narrated to them the story of the Maid, and Irilled them in the parts they were to play in enacting it. Backed by the support of the Bishop of the diocese, he was able to raise the necessary funds, and finding on his arrival in Paris in the prosecution of his purpose that thu play oi' " Joan of Arc " was being performed at the Ambigu, ho persuaded the manager of that theatre to pay a visit to Mesnil to review his rustic actors. Their docility and intelligence made so great an impression on the Paris manager that he readily consented to provide the scenery and dresses, to supervise the preparation of the theatre, and to direct the performance. The official lists of distinctions recently published in connection with the Intermediate Examinations (-ays the Catholic Times') show the excellent work done in the Christian Brothers' Schools, North Richmond street, Dublin. The brilliant success of these schools year atter year has been truly remarkable, but the results this year have been such as not only to secure the first place among the educational establishments of the country but even to outstrip their hitherto unequalled record of last year with the splendid total of 94 distinctions. These include the gold medal for modern languages in the Junior Grade, 43 new Exhibitions, 9 Retained Exhibitions, 30 book prizes, 3 composition prizes, and 3 commercial prizes. In the Senior Grade. Richmond street has gained one £50 prize, one Retained Exhibition, and one book prize. Of the 34 Exhibitions awarded in Middle Grade eight go to pupils of these schools, five of these being amongst the first 19 students on the Exhibition list. They have also secured in Middle Grade eight Retained Exhibitions, seven book prizes, and two composition prizes in Greek and German. In Junior Grade these schools have carried off 22 Exhibitions, four of these being among the first 13 on the Exhibition list. The gold medal for modern languages was also carried off by a Richmond street pupil. In this grade they have also won three composition prizes in Celtic, German, and French, together with nine book prizes and three commercial prizes. In Preparatory Grade the pupils have gained 1 2 exhibitions, including first, second, and eighth places in all Ireland, the composition prizes in Celtic and French, and 13 book prizes. Besides the above, Richmond street obtained a very large number of high places in various subjects. In Middle Grade second place in book-keeping, second and fifth places in shorthand, third in German third and fouith in precis writing, and second place in drawing. In Junior Grade, first, second, and thiid place- in Germ.ai ; second, fourth, and fifth in Euclid : third and fourth places in the matlie r.atical group of subjects ; fourth and fifth places in Celtic, and fir-t in book-keeping. In Preparatory Grade first in Celtic, second in JLnglibh, and third in French. The marked success of these schools in mathematics deserves special mention. No fewer than 1G of the students secured the maximum number of marks in these subjects — one in middle giade arithmetic, 10 in junior arithmetic, and five in preparatory algebra. It is also a very ploasinjr feature to notice bow successful these schools have been in the commercial course of the intermediate. Hi»ht of the pupils obtained commercial certificates and three commercial prizes Drawing also receives its due share of attention ; we find that as many as 114 of the pupils oi these schools passed the examination in the various grades in this mo-t u-eful subject. A few wojks. a;;o (siysthe ''.Madras Callohf ~\\~<ttrlni,<ni) an Anglican Chaplain on the Madras E-t.ibli .huiont was di-cuv-ing with a Catholic layman the vveL-worn topic of Tttzd'h ."lie of indulgences. The laj man endeavoured to make the Ciriplain understand that, although so.nctimes an alms is one of the conditions of ,m indulgence, just as fees are one condition of a university degree, yet there are other conditions, such as sincere confession and a good, communion: and an indulgence i- not granted to e\eiy one who gi\es the alms, any more than a decree is given to every one who pays the fees. The Chaplain said, " But to this day indulgence.- ar 0 sold in the Church of Home. Now, in .Spain, you can buy an indulgence for sixpence m any tobacconist's shop. ' Tho layman asked what authority he had for this statement and the Chaplain replied that travellers said so. The layman at once wrote to the rector of the Scottish College at Vallad'jlid and asked if the statement were true. lie has received the following reply : Collrgio de Escoocpca Vall.'idolid, August 27th 1N97. Dear sir, — In answer to your letter of the 20th July, I am instructed by tli3 nctor of this College, Very Rev. David Mac Donald, to state that the assertion that indulgence.- are sold in Spain, openly or privately, in tobacconist's shops or in any other place, is entirely fal-e and has no foundation, except ignorance or malice. He has resided in Spain constantly lor over thirty years and his word should have more authority than mere hearsay of travellers who neither do nor can speciiy any name or place where such things are done. 1 have lived in the heart of Spain for over ten years and I can assure you with the utmost

certainty that the statement of the Anglican Chaplain, whatever spirit he may have made it in, is utterly groundless. I should have answered sooner but that the rector is at present in Scotland on holidays and your letter was forwarded to him there and afterwards came back again to me with orders to write this note and affix the College stamp. Yours very sincerely, Wm. Mac Master.

Says the Dublin Freeman of September 25th— There was an Orange mummery at the Rotunda on Tuesday. It was the Black Chapter that met, and the object of the gathering was to celebrate the centenary of the Black Institution and the lO2ud anniversary of the bloody massacre known as the Battle of the Diamond. Mr. Johnston, M.P., of Ballykilbeg, who was designated for the occasion by the title of Sir Knight William Johnston, presided, and opened the proceedings by declaring that the meeting: was really in mourning in sympathy with Lord Farnham. This, however, did not prevent the proceedings winding up with a dance, nor, we should say, the subsequent liberal dispensation of refreshments. Sir Knight made an interesi ing statement about the Duke of York on the proposed Orange address. The idea was, it appears, that Dr. Kane should have presented the address at the head of 20.000 Orangemen, who possibly would have brought pictures of the slaughter of the Papists by the loyal brethren on the occasion of the battle of the Diamond, and various minor' paving-stone and revolver engagements in the streets of Belfast. The Duke of York, however, would not have the address, and he refused to receive even the small address of the Rutland square branch until all the allusions of the sacred Union and such like matters had been struck out. However there is a good time coming. Though the Duke was apparently captured for the Pope on the occasion of his visit, there are still hopes that he may set up a royal residence at Ballykilbeg, which, since Sir Knight William Johnston has removed his residence to Dublin, requires some great personage to keep its loyalty up to the sticking point. Then doubtless his Royal Highness, who is already a Knight of St. Patrick — a saint who has rather a suspicious suggestion of Popery about him — will probably become a Knight of the Black Institution and an upholder of civil and religious liberty. Civil and religious liberty are surely grand things. With the Black Knights of the Black Chapter of the Black Institution they, however, mean that all Protestants shall rule, and have employments, and State-subsidised Churches, and all Papists shall starve and die and be lefused the right to worship as they think fit. The Irish Papists are, however, a fairly hardy species. At the time of the events which were being calebrated last night a Catholic had no civil rights at all. lie could not be a member of a profession, he had no vote, and he was persecuted in a religious sense in a most shameful way. But he has .survived, however, and is not afraid of Dr. Kane's twenty thousand me.i, or Sir Kn'ght William Johnston's fiery speeches and the subsequent qi.aurillo party. Last year the Catholics successfully raided the Derry Corporation. They are raiding the Corporation of Mr. William Johnston's beloved Belfast at present. They haye — Mr. Hume to the contrary notwithstanding — control of nine-tenths of the elective bodies of the country, and Home Rule is yet so dangerous that Mr. Balfour decla:ci he will drive the landlords out of the control of county go /eminent nevt year, and that a Catholic University must come, notwithstanding Knight William's energetic request that it should be refused. The cant and hypocrisy of the miserable crew who assembled last night in the Rotunda cannot prevent real civil and religious liberty from marching on or the right of the people, irrespective of narrow creeds and bigotry, from asserting itself for the national advantage.