THE O'CONNELL CENTENNIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1243, 25 September 1875, Page 7

THE O'CONNELL CENTENNIAL.

Time mellows all differences of sentiment and opinion as a rule, and in doing public justice to O'Connell's memory, our Irish brethren might unhesitatingly calculate on having with them the sympathies of all, of whatever race, who are capable of appreciating unselfish devotion in the causa of patriotism and freedom. Those who know O'Connoli's history, will romember that in his famous letter to the Irish nation in 1821, lie implored hia coun Jrym en to sink all religious differences, inviting all religious denominations to join heart and hand for the redress of Irish grievances. Sir John O'Shanassy fully realised this phase of O'Connell'a career, and, greatly to his credit as leader ol the Centenarypaovement, he divested it of religious significance, and of all fche elements likely to engender mutual animosity between Catholics and Protestants. His speech at the Town Hall was in every respect worthy of the occasion. Bishop Doyle, in his pastoral of 1831* told his fellow-countrymen. "That no power on earth could at once remedy their evils, that the Legislature and the Government were endeavouring to heal them, but that time was necessary for the accomplishment of so great a work, and that more depended on themselves than on acts of Parliament." There can be no doubt tbat Ireland would have been in a mure prosperous condition than she is, had her people been more under the in'fiuence of good Bishop Doyle's sentiments. In this colony our Catliolio fellow-eitizena have an opportunity, if they choose to avail themselves of it, of showing that they have a nobler work to do than that of perpetuating national and religions animosities. At the Ballarafc O'Oonnell demonstration, a Roman Catholic prelate sat ou the same form and acted cordially with Protestants of-dif. ferent churchaa, and iv other places the same excellent feeling prevailed. 'At Albury, however, priestly influence was so powerful that the Mayor, who is a Roman Catholic, preferred rather that there should be no celebration than that he should surrender his civil privilege of presiding over it to the Rev. Father M'Elroy. In Ireland, and in some parts of England, there appears to have been an attempt to divert the celebration from its purpose, and to the disgrace of the Irish Protestants, in s-mie ocher places, a feeling was introduced that should have been altogether foreign to the movement — Melbourne. Leader,