which the tenant serf is made to stand to his taskmaster; that I detest the manner in which the laws are generally administered in this country, in favor of a party against the nation; that I reprobate, with all the powers of my soul, the exclusion of the Irish Catholic from the jury-box-a practice but too common for centuries, in the East, the West, the North and South, and for which the present Attorney-General does not want a precedent, as he can find it in almost every court in the kingdom. I am wholly dissatisfied with an alien church establishment, the upas tree that has poisoned every fountain stream of social life and bliss throughout the country—a fatal, hideous prodigy, that has no equal in monstrosity. I am, sir, heartily dissatisfied with that misrule which has made our beautiful island a lazar-house, and filled our graveyards to bursting with the bodies of our famished people. I am by no means satisfied with the vile abuse poured out in torrents every day upon my long suffering country and countrymen ; and short of an insurrection against the Queen-for this, in principle, I could not as a Christian approve of, nor as a lover of my country recommend I would use any and every means that heaven could sanction, to remove these nuisances and pull down the colossal iniquities that cumber the land. Should there be any person in Ireland satisfied with things as they are, be he priest or layman, or bishop or ruler, he is an infidel in his heart who does not believe in the existence of a just God, a traitor to the land he lives in, and effectually a traitor to Queen Victoria, who should be revered as the best of England's sov ereigns since the Reformation; and to supply a still further reason for the monstrous hatred and vituperation, I tell it to his face * * * [Four pages are missing in the MS. It concludes:]-that in despite of it, no matter how it may twist and turn, growl and bellow and bark, some Hercules will shortly be found to cleanse the Augean stable, and remove the aforesaid nuisances, and that the time will very soon arrive when the monster's own fangs will be extracted, its teeth pulled, its nails pared, and shorn of its strength, and allowed to die off amidst the plaudits of a redeemed nation, cast as a loathsome thing upon the earth it cursed, be strangled by the very parent that produced it, and the nurse that tended it. But yet a little while, and that God who gave our people centuries of adversity, tried them and found them faithful, will also give them their trial of prosperity. In the interim, let them hope on; for God is just, though patient, and long-enduring because he is eternal. Our strength, however, like that of the primi tive Christians as described by Tertullian, is on our knees, and our trust in the equity of heaven, always sure, no matter how long delayed. Hi in curribus, et hi in equis; nos autem in nomine Domini Dei nostri invocabimus. Psalms, xix.: 8. I remain, Sir, your faithful servant, EDWARD MAGINN. DUBLIN CASTLE, October 3, 1848. My Lord, I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter of the 26th ultimo, and which, being marked "private," I presume it was not your intention should be treated by me as an official document. I must in the first instance assure your Lordship that you do me but justice in believing "that I should feel deeply pained at anything tending to reflect on the character of a minister of the religion which I profess—a minister especially of the station of your Lordship in the Church. I feel how much the interests of the Catholic body in Ireland depend upon the clergy of our religion preserving the character which belongs to ministers of the Gospel of Peace, and that anything indicating a different course of conduct on their part could not but be viewed by me, and I believe every sincere Catholic, with the deepest regret. In reference, however, to the immediate cause of your Lordship's addressing me, I must at once state that, having no knowledge, and not believing that "any letter or letters bearing your signature and inciting Mr. O'Brien and others to rebel against her Majesty, were found in the portfolio of that gentleman," I cannot but come to the conclusion, that your correspondent has been misinformed in stating that "some person high in authority in the Castle" had made a communication that such was the fact. This I think entirely disposes of the matter, as far as the letter of your correspondent has induced your Lordship, not unnaturally, to make vindication of your character from charges of so serious and grave a nature, and which to an innocent mind must have been deeply galling. I dismiss, equally with your Lordship, all consideration of what may have been stated in the public prints, as I have at all times considered that those who are conscious of the rectitude of their own conduct can well afford to disregard the attacks of such concealed adversaries. Having stated thus much, your Lordship will see that it is unneces sary for me to refer to the details with which you have favored me, of your intercourse with Mr. Smith O'Brien since your first acquaintance with him; and if I decline to make any observations upon the more general question referred to in your letter, namely, the position of Ireland as a portion of the United Kingdom, I trust that you will not attribute it to any want of respect for your Lordship, but because I do not feel that any good would result from my doing so. I cannot, however, conclude, without offering a remark upon the Postscript to your Lordship's letter, and for which that communication itself had not indeed prepared me. The course which you may feel it due to your character to take in reference to the " Derry Sentinel," is quite a matter for your Lordship's consideration; but the challenge which you appear to give to the Lord Lieutenant to accept the occasion for making your Lordship "a victim-as expiation to the wounded feelings of imperial misrule" -is, you must allow me to say, in my opinion, uncalled for. I can confidently assure your Lordship that it is no more the desire than it is in the power of the distinguished nobleman entrusted with the Government of this country, to make any person victims to aught save the consequences which the laws entail upon their crimes; and, while on the one hand it cannot but be painful to all to see those expose themselves to the severe penalties of the law, whose position should have led them rather to maintain than de troy the allegiance due to their sovereign, yet your Lordship will, I am sure, admit that the equal justice which should be meted out to all will require that where the guilt is known to exist, the position of the individual, however exalted, should not screen him from merited punishment. Such a course you will not, I am satisfied, consider as one deserving of reproach, or which it would be discreditable that history should record of any administration; and under the assurance that the conduct of the Government will be guided by such feelings, your Lordship will readily perceive that none but those who have participated in the crime need fear its punishment. As regards the events which have occurred, I can only assure your Lordship that I have felt much gratified at the loyal resistance which was offered by the Catholic clergy, both at Ballingarry and Mullinahone, to the rebellious movements which have recently taken place in that part of the country, and that when the opportunity was thus offered, the clergy of our Church have shown their determination to support the cause of order and of peace. Begging your Lordship will excuse the length of this reply, I have the honor to be, my lord, your faithful servant, Right Rev. Dr. Maginn, &c., &c, &c. The high spirit exhibited in this correspondence at a period of universal panic and despondency, is one of the most admirable traits in the character of our subject. His deep and undisguised sympathy with the unfortu nate victims of rash counsels, is equally to his honor. Among his letters are congratulations to Mr. Dillon, of Balaghadeerin, on the escape of his brother, Mr. John B. Dillon, to America, and fervent thanks from Archdeacon McCarron for the kind interest he had taken in the case of Dr. Wm. McCarron, for some time a prisoner in Newgate for the same cause. The present writer, who sailed from Derry on the 1st of September of that year, has especial reason to remember Dr. Maginn's friendliness; for, although personally he did not appear, as he should not, in any of the arrangements for that escape, some of his kind and courageous clergy were the chief promoters of it. Forever cold must be the heart that dictates these lines, before it ceases to beat in grateful response to the names of Derry and Maginn! CHAPTER VIII. DR. MAGINN'S FINAL VISITATION OF HIS DIOCESE-THE PROVINCIAL SYNODS PROPOSED AND CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY-DR. MAGINN'S LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH-GENERAL SORROW EXPRESSED BY THE CATHOLIC BODY-HIS FUNERAL-HIS CHARACTER AND GENIUS -TRIBUTES TO HIS MEMORY AT HOME AND ABROAD. THE good news from Rome, in October, '48, of the renewed condemnation of the Queen's Colleges, compensated the patriot Prelates, to some extent, for the dismal social prospects of the country. On the 10th of October, the annual meeting of the Bishops was held at Dublin, but nothing of importance, beyond the reception of the Rescripts, and a resolution implicitly to obey them, transpired. Drs. MacHale and O'Higgins had not yet arrived home, and Dr. Maginn was engaged in the annual visitation of his diocese. The party (if we may be pardoned the term) who had defeated the government, and secured for their course the cordial approbation of Rome, were represented by Drs. Cantwell and McNally. It appeared that the favorers of the government plan comprised two Archbishops and seven Bish |