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Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 242, 11 May 1868, Page 3

State op Ireland.—Cardinal Cullen has just issued a pastoral, in which he says : —"Whilst glorifying God for the preservation of our faith in days of darkness and desolation ; and for the many spiritual graces conferred on us, we cannot forget that in a temporal point of view our poor country has been reduced to a state of the greatest misery and destitution. To fill the cup of our evils to overflowing, some misguided men, deceived by wicked and designing knaves, are endeavouring to excite our people to resistance of the law, and to contempt for authority; to alienate them from the practices of religion, and to initiate them in Fenian secret societies where they are at the mercy of spies and informers, subjected to the same spiritual penalties as Freemasons, and cut off as rotten branches from the church. Considering this sad state of things, afflicting as it is to the heart of every one who loves his country, I exhort you, as I have frequently done before, to be on your guard against all those who would drive you into deeds of violence or resistance of authority. They are most dangerous enemies, and were you to listen to their advice you would bring ruin on yourselves and your families, and expose your immortal souls to eternal perdition. Whilst deploring the criminal folly of engaging in secret societies or open rebellion against the Government of the country, in union with the other prelates of Ireland, at their late meeting. I exhort you again to avail yourselves of all lawful and constitutional means to obtain redress of the many grievances which you suffer, and to secure for the Catholics of Ireland so long persecuted, perfect equality with every other class of her Majesty's subjects. Elect therefore members of Parliament able and willing to defend your rights ; apply to the Legislature for the disendowment of the Protestant Establishment and for freedom of education ; and petition for a law to regulate the relation between landland and tenant, so that the fruits of their capital and labour may be secured to the agricultural classes. Call also upon the corporate bodies of the country, upon all men of influence and station, upon the writers of the public press, and especially on your members of Parliament, and the many humane liberal, and eloquent friends in England who are ready to assist you if you did not alienate them by dark conspiracies and secret societies ; call on those to bestir themselves in your behalf, to point out your claims and your grievances to those in power and to give a proper direction to public opinion, so that your cause may be brought to a happy issue. The use of lawful and moral means, helped by Heaven, will in the end, produce good results ; but violence and bloodshed, and other deeds of darkness promoted by secret societies, condemned by the Church of God, will bring eertain ruin upon those who have recourse to them.

A quack doctor, named John Morgan, who lived in Queen-street, Sunderland, met with a horrible death a few days ago. He had left home to sell his medicines in the district, and in his return journey he lay down, at mid-day, beneath one of the engines at the Monkwearmouth Colliery. Ignorant of his presence, a workman discharged the steam immediately over Morgan, who was scalded so dreadfully that he died within a few hours in the greatest agony.

The Independant de la Charente lnferieure describes, with a boldness very unusual in the French provincial Press, the present state of affairs in France : " Seven journals simultaneously prosecuted for reporting debates in the Chamber; a new Press trial against the Courier Francais, which has already suffered under a dozen such trials and been condemned to pay thousands of francs in fines, and to lose two of its chief contributors through imprisonment ; a man half strangled by the police in a theatre, because, using the right of every spectator, be hissed trash and indecency ; another spectator struck in the face by a policeman and threatened with his sword ; ' Ruy Bias' forbidden in Paris though played in Brussels, while obscene jests and half naked women are authorised in the Parisian theatres ; La France, the organ of the senators, usually so submissive to the Government, protesting energetically against these scandals and deeply lamenting the consequences to Prance of the policy of the Minister of the Interior; the Government beaten at elections in two agricultural districts where there is no opposition paper; public opinion waking up everywhere, more penetrating than ever after its long slumber; the Pope and the clericals triumphant; and, finally, a new army bill, an increase of armaments, and unceasing warlike rumors —such is a resume of the situation." " There's no knowing one's friends till they are tried," as the warder of the penitentiary said when one of his cousins was placed ill his keeping.