American Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 39, 17 January 1890, Page 3

American Notes.

The centenary of the establishment of the hierarchy of the United States was celebrated with great splendour at Baltimore on Sunday, November 10. A very imposing procession, formed of the students of the Catholic colleges, members of tbe religious orders, priests and prelates, including two cardinals, proceeded for Borne distance through the streets of the city, which were crowded, every window along the line of route being occupied, to the Cathedral, where Pontifical High Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Bostcn. The centenary sermon was preached by the Archbishop of Philadelphia, who took his text from the 50cb chapter of Ecclesiastics, verses 1, 2, 7, 14, and eloquently reviewed the history of the Church in the States during the century. At a banquet which afterwards took place, a cablegram was received from the Pope, in which his Holiness expressed his joy at the celebration, wished prosperity to the American Church, and granted it his Apostolic Benediction. In the evening Pontifical Vespers were celebrated by the Archbishop of Milwaukee, and the sermon was preached by the Archbishop of St. Paul. There were present at the ceremonies Bixteen archbishops, seventy-two bisnops, several lesser dignitaries, and nearly 2000 pries's. The Pope was represented on the occasion by Archbishop Satolli — an eminent theologian, and whose particular distinction is that of an exponent of the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. Cardinal Manning was represented by Mgr. Gadd. Cardinal Tascberau represented Canada, and Mexico had Eent two prelates. On the Monday and Tuesday following, a congress of Catholic laymen was held, at which the Catholic population of the States, including the Indians, was fnlly represented. Pap re were read on tb6 pi incipal questions beariDg on Catholic interests, and resolutions were unanimously carried, of which the principal were to th<3 following effect: — I'nere is no conflict between the Catholic Church and American instutions ; education is nn j xt to religion ia developing a man ; education should include religious training ; Mormomsm and divorce are a menace to civilisation, and a degradation to women ; Catholics should not only shun evil societies, but should form good ones, on a religious rather than on a race or national basis, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul being especially recommended; Nihilism, Socialism, and Communism are to be condemned, as is also the greed of capital ; alliance with non-Catholics for securing tbe observance of tbe Sunday is to be song ht ; the closing of saloons and tbe prevention of liquor-selling on Sundays, and the cause of temperance generally are to be supported ; Catholic reading and tbe establishment and support of Catholic newspapers are to be advocated. The absolute freedom of the Holy See is necessary to the peace of the Church.

On the Wednesday succeeding the celebration of the centenary at Baltimore, the opening of the Catholic University took place at Washington, the prelates proceeding there to attend the ceremony. There were also present the President of the United States, Secretary James G. Blame, and a number of distinguished guests, the total number of visitors amounting to about 5000. The dedication of tbe buildings was performed by Cardinal Gibbons, assisted by Bishop Keane, Rector of the University. Pontifical High Mass was celebrated by the Papal Delegate, Mgr. Satolli, and the sermon was preached by the Bishop of Cleveland. The Bishop spoke very ably on the subject of education, ieferring particularly to that given at a University. Among other things he denied that Catholics had any contention with the public schools, either because they were public, or because they were State Bchools. They were, on the contrary, willing to accept the system, he said, provided an arrangement should be made under it for teaching children leligion aud the laws of morality. Referring to what the Catholics of the country bad themselves done for education, " Our 660 colleges and academjej, 3,100

parish schools, twenty-seven seminaries for the training of the clergy, and two universities." he said, •« are a glorious galaxy amid which to plant this 0* holic University." A dinner was afterwaids given, and finally the ceremonies of the day were brought to a close in tbe University hall by a prayer repeated by Cardinal Gibbons, and an oration delivered by B eh up O'Farrell on the dependence of scientific development on religion. The work of the University began on Monday, November 18.

Tery little, after ail, has been made of the Cronin case. Absolwely nothing has transpired during the trial to connect tbe Olan-na-O*el, as a body, with tbe murder — much less, if possible, to discredit by it the Irish cause. Strong circumstantial evidence has been produced against Coughlin, Burke, and O'Sullivan, the ice-man. Tbe evidence against Kunne is less incriminating, and hardly seems to identify him with the acoal commission of the crime. Against B ggs there is even a slighter case, and it appears unlikely that he will be found guilty. But, whatever the verdict may be, it must be confined altogether to tbe men convictei, and their deed must be set down as committed from private and personal motives only. Signs of political bearings of the case are completely wanting,

The disaster of the period has been the destruction by fire of a portion of tbe city of Lynn, Mass., covering an expanse of some fifty acres. Lynn is, or rather was, a great centre of the shoe trade, and the bnildings destroyed were almost exclusively those to occupied. The loss is estimated at from four to six million dollars; but, in addition to this, some ten thousand operatives have been thrown out of work— many of them being, moreover, sufferers in other ways from the fire. The condition of things resulting, therefore, can easily be imagined. Tbe charity of tbe country, however, is coming to tbe rescue so far as possible.

A philanthropic project has been mooted in Philadelphia which it is to be desired may be carried out with good effect. It is that of meeting tbe Emperor of Russia on his own ground, and at his own invitation with a remonstrance against the manner in which his Siberian convicts are dealt with. The Czar, it appears, has invited the meeting at St. Petersburg, next Sep ember, of an internatio al convection of prisoners' ass)ciatious. Philanthropists at Philadelphia, therefore, desire that C ingress will grant the sum of 60,000d015., for the parpooe of having his Majesty's eyes opened, if, indeed, they are shut, to what is going on. « me of the principal advocates of the undertaking is Mr. George Kennan who has -ately described in the Century Magazine the evils complained of. Take, for example, the following pat-sa.-e :: — ■' Nearly every year the Russian Government sends about 20,000 political prisoners to Siberia' This number includes mea, women and chi dren, some of whom belong to the best families. They are compelled to march over 3,000 miles with chains on their feet. If the women chance to fall sick on the road they are thrown into rough waggons, without clothiog, in a country where the temperature is sometimes twenty degrees below zero. I have visited some of the prisons, and in one instance I found 3.0C0 rsrsons where there was only accommodation for 1,400. It was the most pitiful scene that the human eye could witness. There in a large room were hundreds of persons afflicted with different diseases, lying on the bare fl jor so closely that I could not pass nmong them." This certainly is a phase of prison life tnat would seem to call for amen Iment, and it would be much to the credit of the philanthropists of Philadelphia or anywhere else if they could bring about such a desideratum. When Mr. Kennan wrote he does not appear to have had much hope of an appeal lo the Czar.— He epeaks of anythiog of the kind as practically impossible, and proposes an appeal instead to the public of the world, by means of a paper published in London in Russian and English. Tbe opportunity of which Mr. Kennan despaired now, nowever, seems to offer itself. Philadelphia decidedly deserves credit for the proposal to take advantage of it. Let us hope the Czar may hear a home-truth or two, and deiive that benefit fiom the hearing of which he evidently stands much in need.

A sensation has been caused in worldly circles by the announcement that Mies Kate Drexel, one of the richest heiresses in tbe United States, and sometime a leader of fashion in Philadelphia, has taken the veil in a convent of tbe Sisters of Mercy at Pittsburg.— The ceremony of reception was carried out with great splendour, the poetnlant being magnificently attired and glittering with diamonds, and an archbishop and four bishops being present. The novice is known in religion as Sister Mary Catherine.

An attempt was lately made to get up a cry that Mrs. Parnell, the muther of the Irish National leader, was destitute owing to the neglectful treatment of her by her son. The fads however, were that the lady, who is singularly independent and has always managed her own business in her own way, bad failed to provide for a mortgage, and the mortgagee was about to foreclose. On this becoming known much more than the amount needed was at once subscribed. Mrs. Parnell had kept her trouble to herself, and none of her family, who were both willing and able to assist her, had been acquainted with it. The only thing to be remarked in the matter was, perhaps, a slight eccentricity on the part of the lady herself.

Farmers out West are beginning to complain tf low prices. It is complained, for example, that in Kanzas it does not pay them to grow their grain— sold at from fifteen to twenty-three cents per bushel— or to raise their stock— sold at from three to three and a quarter cents per p< und. They are very much afraid that, under the circnmstances, European syndicate will Btep in and take over tb- ir farms. Even European syndicates, nevertheless, might desiie to purchase within reacu of a payable market. But how comes a State enjoying all the advantages of Protection to be in such a condition ?

A statue has been unveiled in the Public Garden at Boston to Colonel Thomas Cahp, cotnnnnder of the 9th Masaachu* Us Volunteers-, who was mortally wounded on July 1, 18fi2, at the battle of Mal7ern Hill, Virginia, where his regiment greatly distinguished itself. Colonel Cass was another of those Irish Americans who ao nobly repaid their adopted country, in the hour of her neert, f -r toe hospitality she had extended to them. The statue had been veiled in the Stars and Stripes surmounted by the Irish flag.