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Leader (1850-1860), 6th October 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 954, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      spoken 'has earned for the Chureh of-their native land a singular share of the solicitude of-Propaganda . The 'Holy-Fa ***© 1 "'* well acquainted-with-the good qualities of the Irish character and-their fidelity to the Holy See ; but it must not be supposed that he isignorant of-their many shortcomings . Jt could not be ex-peeted that the traces of past sufferings could all at onoe be effaced ; and it is hardly to be wondered at that the prelacy and clergy , of the old school and of-the ' evil days , ' should not be quite alive to the opportunities ana exigencies of -more modern and happier times . The interference in politics of the clergy , their dissensions on merely political , or on religio-polkical questions , and the manner in lybieh someramong them have-viewed certain Papal de--cisions on -thesematters , have for some time met with much disfavour here ; but as no dogma or article of faith has been called in question , or even any touching moral or essential discipline , the Holy Sec , with its usual pradenee , and with that spirit which bears patiently , " but which never loses sight of its object , has -hitherto ^ tolerated the evil while awaiting an opportunity for a radical reformation among the turbulent clergy of Ireland . ' After deploring the tendency to turmoil and political strife of the Irish priesthood , and dwelling on the scandal to the Church which is thus produced , the writer proceeds : — " The ceremonies of the Church and the splendour of public worship are consequently neglected and comparat ively unknown in Ireland ; their religious and civil duties are not inculcated among the faithful ; and the . spirit of jjrayer ; and affection for spiritual exercises which exist mother Catholic countries are not found among a , docile and impulsive people , singularly favoured with t he gifts of nature , and the grace necessary to raise them to a high degree of Christian perfection . To whom and to what all that is attributable it is superfluous to say . To remedy these evils , it is proposed to confine as much as possible the clergy to their proper functions , and' to impose wholesome restraints on their interference in political or guasi-political questions . They are not to be debarred the exercise of their rights ¦ as citizens , nor the employment of the influence attaching to their characters in civil or political affairs ; but , as that influence is solely derived from their sacred character , and , as they'have taken the Church for their inheritance , it is but right that their conduct in that respect should be always subordinate to the interests of religion . It cannot be questioned that the respectable English and Irish Catholics have been much hurt , if not scandalised , at the part taken in political agitation by the Irish clergy . It is , therefore , proposed that that clergy shall confine themselves to the quiet , unobtrusive exercise of their individual rights as citizens , and that their influence shall be felt only in counsel and private persuasion . In ques' - tions where a difference of opinion may arise , the bishop of the diocese , or rather the Apostolic Legate himself , Will indicate the course to be followed , and thus unity of action will be always secured " The seminaries are to be modelled on those of Italy , and all the traces of a profane spirit and legislation are to be effaced whenever and as soon as it is possible to do so . More time is to bo given for contemplation and spiritual exercises , and the young Levites are to see constantly before their eyes the complete subordination which they are to practise when they are promoted to the Ministry . The seminaries are , in fact , to become miniatures , as it wore , of the dioceses , and the position and authority of their rectors are to correspond with those of the bishops , and to depend on the Legate in Ireland , or some other representative of Rome . " It will he seen that the effect of these arrangements will be to lay Catholic Ireland still more completely a , t the feet of liorae .

      Untitled Article

      ^ THE IiJSABEl . [ No . 289 , Saiu-kdas

      Untitled Article

      THE MUNICIPAL DIRECTIONS . The Nbw Lord Mayob . — -On Saturday last , Michaelmas Day («< gooso-day" it is called in popular phraseology ) , the new Lord Mayor was elected according .. to » custom . Several names were proposed ; but the show of hands among the , livery was in favour of Alderman David Salomons and Alderman Finnis , and ultimately the former was elected . The announcement was received . with great cheering . Thanks were voted to the Sheriffs for the past year , and to the present Lord 'Mayor , after a brief protest , on the part of a Mr . Jones , who thought Sir Francis Moon had not sufficiently encouraged art and science , and who objected to tho policy of tho French Imperial visit to . thia country . He was met ,. however , with groat tumult , and was , obliged , to sit down . The present Lord Mayor , in returning thanks , made some very grandiloquent remarks . He said : —" Tho present year has been one replete with events which will occupy a prominent place on the page of history , and I trust that , in the performance of my duties as chief magistrate in connexion with those ' events , my country has been benefited by . the course which I JiAY . e adopted . ( CA « en > . > I should bo sorry tonboaafc of what I have done , because I do notbollovo -that thAt would be consistent with dignity ; but , at the tBatnetime , Circumstances arose which compelled me to t « ke « a very prominent part in the reception of the

      Emperor and Empress off the French and the municipality of Paris on the occasion of their recent visit to this country . Although I never did profess to be a rich man yet I can declare to you that , individually , I did mj utmost to uphold the dignity of the City , and , in the interchange of courtesies between the municipalities o London and -Paris , I endeavoured to maintain its ancien reputation for hospitality . ( CheersJ ) It was of th < most vital importance that we , as citizens , should dc what we did . I believe that the course which w < adopted warmed the heart of the French nation , anc induced them to feel towards us that sympathy anc regard which we Englishmen ate so desirous to promote . I believe that what the City did upon the occasion of the Imperial visit will hereafter be looked al as one of the greateskevejnts of modern times . " Inauguration of the new Sheriffs of Londok and Middlesex . —The two new Sheriffs are Alderman R . H . Kennedy and Alderman W . A . Rose , both natives of Scotland . The ceremony of their inauguration took place on Monday before Mr . Baron Platt in the Court of Exchequer , the Cursitor Baron being absent from illness . The Recorder having given a biographical sketch of the two gentlemen , -they were presented to the Judge . After certain routine forms with respect to the new Sheriffs had been gone through , a ceremony was performed of'so preposterous a nature that it is surprising how it could have been acted with becoming gravity . The usual proclamations were made for suit and Service to the Crown in respect of certain lands held by the citizens of London of the Crown in Shropshire . Mr . Alderman Finnis came forward , as the senior Alderman below the chair , to do service with a bill-hook and some faggots , amidst considerable amusement , as suit and service for a piece of land called the Moor in Shropshire . The Remembrancer declared the service well performed , and the learned Judge gravely confirmed the decision . —Proclamation was then made in respect of a piece of land and building called the Forge , in Essex-street , in the parish of St . Clement ' s Dane . Alderman Finnis did suit and -service by counting six tolerably large horse shoes and sixty-one hob-nails . This concluded the ceremony of-inauguration .

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      SABBATARIAN RESTRICTIONS . A vEEsr calm , temperate , and lucidly written petition in favour of opening : the British Museum and National Gallery on Sundays is now lying for signature at various places throughout London . We append some of the most striking passages , merely premising that the object has our most hearty good wishes ;—" To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled . " Your petitioners , employers and workmen , members of the jewellery , goldsmiths , silversmiths , and other trades , beg to call the attention of your honourable House to the important subject contained in the following petition : — " They would premise that in approaching this question they are actuated by no spirit of irreligion—no contempt for the established forms of worship , or the sacred expression of private devotion ; but by the firm boliof that the proper-study and contemplation of the creations of nature , and of the works of art , tend powerfully to enlarge the mind , and to open to it a true perception of the Deity . TheyaTe the more anxious to impress this belief on your honourable House , as they know that it is the fate of those who contend for an alteration of existing Sabbath regulations to bo stigmatised as impious and infidel " From the nature of the occupations of j'our petitioners , it is essential to complete success that they should obtain a certain knowledge of the laws of art , and be enabled : to correct those errors in taste , as to the true principles of ornament , which earlier prohibitions , restrictions , and a generally defective education have entailed upon thorn ; for it is only too obvious to them that , in the manufacture of , articles commonly styled of luxury , and ; in the general employment of skill as connected with art , foreign labour is commonly preferred to their , own , is better romuneratcd , and already threatens to thrust them , infloino degree , from , tho field of their labours . Nor can they ascribe their assumed deficiency in this department to any other cause than insufficient instruction , and tho vtant of that . free access to the Governmental collections of natural objects , of paintinga , and , of sculpture , which form so prominent a feature in tho interior arrangements of continental cities . Tho capitals , no loss than tho smaller towns of France , Belgium , Holland , and others , might well servo as examples iu this particular ,. for in them public , institutions of every description are freely accessible , on Sunday . In Vienna , the school for youths and adults , heW in . thoJPolytQchnio Institution , for instruction in drawing and design , with special reference to trade , is . olso open on this day . Nor can . it be urged tliat this liberty of viewing the most beautiful works of ancient and modern art has be . c . n . productive of evil conBO ^ uojicea , for the peaceable and scrupulous behaviour of . the working population of foreign cities is constantly graded , before tho English mechanic as most worthy of . imitation . " In temperance , and In general morality , tho

      mochar nics of Continental nations , especially of German 3 ; not be placed l >« low the like class in England ; wl , the cities of-Scotland , where the'Sabbath is most-i t observed , intemperance and its-consequent degrad - physical . and . moral , prevail -to a larger extent f without -the -evidence of Parliamentary returns , t be believed to eo-exist with the strict theologieal i ing for which that country is renowned . ) '' It must be evident to every one who walks ' th i those parts of the metropolis inhabited by 'the ] L portion of the people , that the present 'prohibitory I tern of Sabbath observance has utterly failed to - the moral regeneration of the people—nay , even - further to demoralise them . If a freer and a ; system prove i unsuccessful in reforming the old , i \ yet do something for the young . It is our delil r conviction that a large proportion of those who , Si i after Sunday , habitually pursue a course of degrad i and vice , would have been saved from a condition s : pldrable had opportunities been offered them in yoi ; studying the -wonders of nature and the beauties o It is the constant familiarity with 1 beautiful-forms i . is the simplest and most effective teacher of all tl : graceful and applicable in art ; for it is through tt that the perceptive and moral faculties are most « i reached ; and such visual education would be the ¦ practical means of rendering our working popul not only more elevated in artistic taste , but more i : ligent as citizens , and in every way better as men . '

      Untitled Article

      CONTINENTAL NOTES . The Belgians have been celebrating the twenty anniversary of their revolution . The people seem as enthusiastic as ever ; but the royal family , accoi to the account of an eye-witness who records the bration in the Times , appear to be getting lukewar their celebration of the national victory . He writ * " Although the King , the royal family , and the Ministers of the Crown have been prodigal of their sence at the musical concoura , distributions of prizes shows , they have studiously withheld their counter from such incidents of the celebration as contained allusion , direct or indirect , to the revolution of 183 exhibited a patriotic sympathy for those who fought fell in September . Not only did royalty abstain appearing at St . Gudule during the funeral ceremoi honour of those victims of the nation ' s struggle fo dependence ( the solitary feature in the programme formalities at the Place des Martyrs excepted , ^ immediately recals the important events that liberty to Belgium ); but , what was worse , the &i the revolution was denied the usual honours , and ne in the cathedral nor on the Place Roy ale did the to present arms as it passed . In the church , the sol were under arms ; but on the Place Royale not that mark of respect was paid to the national stam The chief of the Civic Guard ( General Petithan ) been violently rated for this discourtesy by the orga the Liberal party . " Prussia has been visited by a bad harvest , wl coming after three years of inundations , with har below tho average , threatens tho people with high p during the winter , and introduces a new elemer danger into the political condition of the country , vernment has therefore suspended for the third year import duties on corn , and , for the support of the ai has made purchases of grain in the United State the amount , it is stated , of 5 , 000 , 000 thalers . The King and Queen of Prussia have been trave ] incognito as tlie Count and Countess of Zollern . complimentary visit of the King cf Wurtoraberg been made tho subject of remark , on account of vehement opposition of that monarch , in 1848 , to Imperial aspirations of Frederick William .- —The < tomplated marriage of the Princess Louisa , daughti the Prince and . Princess of Prussia , with tho Pi Regent of Baden , appears to have been broken of at any rate to have been indefinitely postponed . General Monge and Count Malher , Prefect of Moselle , havo been to Sarrebruck , to congratulate King of Prussia , in the name of , tho French Emyeroi hils passage through that city . Tho King , it is said , particularly gracious , and , when taking leave , sau General Monge , " I feel particularly pleased with attention , intention , and choico of tho deputation . " The ratiAcations of tho Concordat between tho P chair and Austria havo been exchanged ; but the co tiojia arc not yet published . Tho assertion that propositions for peace havo 1 made by Brnsela , and peremptorily rejected by Fri and . England , has been denied . Tho JBttynrioja . Chamber has presented an addrc * tho throne , in which tho following significant pw * occurs ;— "Wo uuito with your Majesty iu tuanli Divine . Providonco that tho war which now convu Europe has b » en kept at a distance from our jju country ; but tho concord and strength of Gonna and , the future salutary development of tho ConftW tion , can only . )> o assured if the so long desired , ft » u solemnly promised improvement of the Federal -v stitution shall give to tho nations of ( Germany . t" * valuable benefit of a woll-socured state of right ( roc

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 6, 1855, page 954, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2109/page/6/