liturgy of the Orthodox Church be sung at concerts; and though those of other confessions may be sung there, it must never be with Russian words-and so on.

All news from Russia connected with military matters is so uniformly warlike that it looks very much like a dead set at intimidating Europe. Instance the following under date of the 17th:-"To judge from the reports which every day gain more substance, and from the unusual activity of the military authorities, it must be seriously meant to occupy the Danubian principalities; or, indeed, to undertake something more serious still, since the fleet in the Black Sea is fully equipped for war." The crews of these vessels are described as most martially disposed, and to be still further inspirated by the bold bearing of Prince Menschikoff, "thirsting for achievements." It is said of him, that when he left Constantinople the last time, he predicted his return thither, but, as he pointedly put it, his return “in full uniform.” This expression, alluding to his late appearance there in plain clothes, means also in Russia something equivalent to "armed cap-á-pie." There are not wanting persons who affirm positively that the Prince is already in possession of instructions how to act, as soon as the answer to the ultimatissimum should arrive at Odessa from Constantinople.

The son of Prince Woronzoff arrived in Paris on Tuesday from St. Petersburg with despatches for M. Kisselff, and which are stated, or rather conjectured to be of an alarming character-so far as the prospects of peace are concerned. If what he says can be relied on, it would appear that the Emperor of Russia maintains the pretensions of his ultimatum, "in spite of the opposition of France and England," whose united action he still does not believe to be sincere, and which he appears to have some hope of being able to dissolve at least such is what is attributed to him. The same young man is understood to have spoken in the most ardent terms of the excitement existing throughout Russia, and of the desire of the Russians to march to the "Holy War."

TURKEY.-The Turkish Question.-The Firman of Toleration.-On the 7th June, the following imperial firman was issued, guaranteeing the rights, privileges, and immunities of all subjects within the Sultan's dominions not belonging to the faith of Islam:"This is the command addressed to the Monk Germanos, the Greek Patriarch of Constantinople, and to those who depend on him:

"The most cherished of my wishes being to remove completely certain abuses which negligence and indolence have suffered by degrees to grow up, and to prevent for the future their return. I wish, and I desire earnestly to preserve, under all circumstances and from all infraction, the special privileges which our glorious predecessors have accorded to the ecclesiastics of those of my faithful subjects who profess the Greek religion-privileges which have been preserved to them and sanctioned by my imperial person; to maintain intact the Greek churches and convents in my dominion, with the property, chattels, and ecclesiastical institutions which are attached to them; to guarantee the maintenance of the rights and immunities appertaining to those sacred objects and their clergy; in a word, to maintain the privileges and concessions of the kind specified in the Berats of the Patriarchs and Metropolitans, which contain the ancient conditions of their investiture.

"Wherefore a peremptory and sovereign order is published, according to which my imperial intentions in that respect are to be repeated and proclaimed again. Let care be taken not to injure in the slightest degree, the state of things as above mentioned; and be it known, that those who shall impede the execution of my command expose themselves to suffer the effects of my imperial anger.

"Given in the last decade of the month of Schebar, 1269, (the end of May and commencement of June, 1853.)"

PRUSSIA. The Question of Mixed Marriages.-The Berlin correpondent of the Chronicle writes on June 23d:-"It will be remembered that a recent papal bull, addressed to the Roman Catholic episcopacy of Prussia, and ordered to be enforced by them in their various diocesses, directed that assent should be refused to all mixed marriages of nonCatholics with Catholics, unless oaths should be taken by the contracting parties, before a Catholic priest, that all issue of the marriage should be brought up in the Roman Catholic faith. The Minister of War, General Von Bonin, has, in the King's name, issued a general order to the army and navy, including, of course, all individuals connected therewith, civil or military, in which it is stated that in case any officer should obey this act of Roman encroachment, and take any such oath or pledge before a Catholic priest, he shall be forthwith dismissed the service as guilty of conduct unworthy a man and an officer."

DISASTERS IN PERSIA.-Extract of a letter from Erzeroun, dated June 3d:-"Yesterday's gholaum brought us a batch of news from Persia of a singular kind. It is no less than the appearance of a number of visitations there at the same time, for there have been inundations and cholera at Teheran, locusts at Ispahan, and a terrible earthquake at Shiraz and Cashan. At the former place 12,000 to 15,000 persons are said to have been killed, as the disaster occurred during the night, and the stench arising from the dead bodies was such as to produce an epidemic very much resembling the plague. From Teheran we hear that the cholera has diminished. The British mission had, however, moved higher up the hills, as a matter of precaution."

CATHOLIC AFFAIRS IN INDIA.-The number of Catholics at present in India may be estimated at about 690,000, exclusive of about 16,000 Catholic soldiers. Independently of the British, there are but few European Catholics, the great bulk of the congregations being every where a native population, some of whom are recent converts, but the chief part are descended from the converts of the European missioners of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. During these two centuries, whilst the Portuguese had influence in India, the crown of Portugal was considered as the protector of the Catholic religion in the country, and exercised the right of patronage and presentation; but in 1838, as decided steps were then definitively taken to establish a new order of things, it was considered necessary, on account of the great political changes in the country, to remodel the ecclesiastical government in a manner more consonant with its present political position. The Portuguese jurisdiction was confined to the small territory occupied politically by that country, and British Vicars-Apostolic were appointed to the three presidencies of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. The rest of India, wherever it was needful, was divided into ecclesiastical districts,, and European Vicars-Apostolic appointed for all. Every effort was made by the Catholic authorities to meet the wants of the Catholics of British India, in a way most in accordance with the government of the country, and the VicarsApostolic and Catholics often sought to have their position officially recognised by the British government. This they have never been able hitherto fully to effect, and their unrecognised position has been to them a source of much trouble.

Present number of Catholics in India. The following table will give an average estimate of the present numbers of the Catholic Church in India, both as regards the ecclesiastical divisions-the number of Clergy and of their flocks:

Add to the 303 Clergymen the 16 Vicars-Apostolic, and there are 319 Clergymen in India, of whom above 200 are Europeans, and many of them are employed as chaplains in the military stations. Every one of these clergymen has gone out to India at their own expense, or at the expense of the Catholic Church,

Besides the above, there are several nuns employed in the Catholic female orphanages. The number of European Catholic soldiers is estimated at about 16,000, besides which are the women and children, European and Indo-British.

Mr. J. D. Fitzgerald presented a petition to the British Parliament from 100,000 Roman Catholic inhabitants of India, stating amongst other things that there were 16,000 Roman Catholic soldiers in the Company's service; and that the expenditure for the Established Church in that country amounted to £107,855 14s. whilst the expenditure for the Roman Catholic Church, though its members were equal in number to the members of the Established Church, amounted only to £5,436, and that the expenditure for the Scotch Church amounted to 6,430, though the Presbyterians amounted only to 33,000. The petitioners called attention to the fact, that at the battle of Modkee the Catholic chap lain of a regiment met with his death on the field of battle while performing his office, and that the Catholic soldiers had to contribute out of their small pay towards the support of their clergymen; that the pay of a Roman Catholic bishop was £240, and the pay of a Protestant bishop £5,500; and that the Roman Catholics were obliged to find church

* There are also near four hundred Clergy of the Syriac rite in this district.

accommodation for themselves. The petitioners complained of the insufficient number of Roman Catholic Chaplains, and that their pay was sometimes as low as a sergeant's pay, out of which the chaplain had to provide himself with a horse, and could not perform his duties were it not for the assistance which the soldiers voluntary gave to him. The petitioners then called attention to the fact that the regimental schools were conducted on principles exclusively Protestant-that after the campaigns in India a large subscription was raised for the relief of the widows and orphans of the soldiers who were killed, from the benefit of which the orphans of Roman Catholic soldiers were excluded, except they entered institutions where their religion would be imperilled. The petitioners called attention to the influence exercised by the Portuguese government, and the mischief of permitting it to be exercised in a manner that might prove injurious to British interests; and suggested, as a matter of policy, that the Vicars-Apostolic should be induced to act in conjunction with the British government, and should be recognised in India as they were in the British colonies.

THE GOA SCHISM IN BOMBAY.—Brief of our Holy Father Pope Pius IX.-To our Venerable Brothers the Bishops, Vicars-Apostolic, and our Beloved Children, the faithful of the East India Missions.

POPE PIUS IX.-Venerable Brothers and beloved Children, health and Apostolic Benediction. You well know, Venerable Brothers, nor is it at all concealed from you, beloved children, what the Pontiffs our predecessors, by the right divinely conferred on them through the blessed Peter of feeding and protecting the universal flock of the Lord, and by the office of supreme apostleship, have done to restore and promote the Catholic faith, obscured through the circumstances of the times in those countries. Clear monuments of this indefatigable vigilance of the Holy See are exhibited in the apostolic letters and sanctions of those our predecessors, and specially of Gregory XVI, of happy memory, by which, though for special reasons, as circumstances required, yet sufficiently and fully, the Holy See took care to provide for the pastoral care and government of those countries, as well as for the wants of the faithful through the VicarsApostolic and evangelical laborers. You know likewise what ourselves, placed by an inscrutable design of Divine Providence on this Chair of the Prince of the Apostles, according to that solicitude and duty by which we are bound, have done to pursue the work, so far as there was opportunity to advance or to restore the ordinary form and government of the churches. But it unfortunately happened, as could scarcely have been expected, that certain Catholics even led away by very specious and human pleas, have dared to oppose such salutary provisions, and to resist and reject the supreme authority of Christ's Vicar on earth, and that they seem still to remain most miserably, obstinate in their crime. You see venerable brothers and beloved children, that we are speaking of that shameful division which some time ago began in those countries through the agency of some unworthy Goanese priests, which continually increased to the very great prejudice of the eternal salvation of the faithful, and which day by day advances to the disastrous termination of schism. But the apostolic see, as you know, did not fail from the commencement, and without intermission, to meet such a raging evil, and with all doctrine, patience, and charity to call back to wiser counsels both the erring priests, and that portion of the Catholic laity which they had led astray. In which matter, wishing to emulate the longanimity and anxious efforts of our predecessor Gregory, we endeavored by admonitions, exhortations, and instructions, to withdraw from the way of perdition the said dissident priests and their followers. But you know, venerable brothers, that all this has been done in vain, having experienced the daily increasing evils which from these causes befall religion, and weeping with us over the so long torn and divided flock of Christ, you see the necessity of using stronger remedies. And however unwillingly we are compelled to apply our hand, specially by acts perpetrated, as you know, in parts of the Island of Ceylon, in Bombay, and elsewhere, by those same disturbers, with the help of the Bishop of Macao, acts which have greatly increased our grief and sorrow; for we are informed that the aforesaid bishop, without any apostolic mandate or permission on our part, is going about in those countries subjected to the jurisdiction of our own vicars and those of this apostolic see, with the assistance of the chief dissenting priests, and has not feared to administer confirmation and even holy ordination to persons appearing there, in despite and disregard of the canonical sanctions, and the general and particular apostolic constitutions; and has ventured not merely by example, but also by word of mouth, and most unseemly preaching, to confirm in their delusion the faithful people, and to lure them more and more away from the obedience and subjection due to their legitimate pastors. So soon as these most sad tidings were brought to us, we sent letters to the Bishop of Macao admonishing him of how grievously he had offended, and exhorted him to abstain in future from similar things, to purify his conscience, and with all his might to repair those reprehensible actions, and the scandal caused to the faithful. Again, likewise, after awhile, having

received information from the Bombay mission, we thought fit to admonish the said bishop, again exhorting him to provide for the safety of his soul, and make the proper reparation; and we besought him in the Lord not to compel us to act against him with greater severity and according to the sacred canons, trusting he would listen to these our paternal admonitions. Now, although so many and too sad be the proofs of the confirmed obstinacy of the above mentioned priests, nevertheless that we may not relinquish the hope of their salvation, and that by all means, so far as in us lies, we may rescue the faithful population from their deceptions and devices, and recall them from the danger of eternal perdition in which they are involved by following those men, we think good still more earnestly to address ourselves to them. Among others, then, of the aforesaid priests who have so long labored to excite and propagate division and effect a schism, and who, it is obvious, have incurred already ecclesiastical punishments and censures, we think it fitting specially to name those who were the principal authors of the acts perpetrated by the Bishop of Macao in the Bombay Vicariate, viz: Marianus Antonius Suarez, who calls himself the Vicar-General of the Goanese Prelate in Bombay, as well as the priests Gabriel de Sylva, Braz Fernandez, and Joseph de Mello. These especially we lovingly admonish, and exhort in the Lord to refrain at length from their shameful way of acting, and not any longer delay to providing for their souls, and the eternal salvation of others. And although they are aware that they have already long been exposed to canonical pains and censures of the Church, nevertheless we declare them to have incurred those pains and censures, and to be held as suspended a divinis, and as schismatics, and cut off from the Catholic unity, unless within two months from the publication of these our letters they retract, and we will that they be designated and denounced as such to the faithful. We know well other priests also who, likewise, have been long endeavoring to foster and complete the same abominable schism in other countries, such as Madras, Ceylon, Madura, and other missions. Yet in the mean time we abstain from convicting them by name, and censuring them; for we entertain the hope that they also, as well as the aforesaid priests, will readily listen to onr paternal exhortations, and will subject themselves, with the people deceived by them, to the legitimate pastors—that is, our vicars and those of the apostolic see, that we may not be compelled to act against them with greater severity. And though from the decrees, constitutions, and commands of this Holy See already long ago given and repeated, there be absolutely no room for doubt or hesitation as to the legitimate pastors of the East Indies, yet, in order to remove subterfuges of any kind whatever, we declare again, and so far as is needful, that all authority and jurisdiction in the said apostolical vicariates do belong and are given to the Vicars and Administrators of ourselves and the Holy See, so that it is not lawful for anybody to exercise the ministry in those countries, and to administer sacraments, except by their permission and faculty. There is nothing, then, more futile than what those priests are said to assert, in order to lead captive the simplicity of the faithful, that there are many things which are not established by the Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff, but sanctioned by the Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda Fide without his knowledge and consent, and many others not to be attended to, because there was no placitum of the civil authority. Let them know, then, that all and each of the things in that matter determined have been published by the Roman Pontiffs from their own free will, certain knowledge, and deliberation, and from their plenitude of power; and if our predecessors, of happy memory, and we decreed any things through our Sacred Congregation, let them know that such things also have been decreed and determined on, not without the knowledge of the Roman Pontiffs and ourselves, but by their and our will and order; for all know that our Sacred Congregation is but a help to advise the Apostolic See, and the minister of the commands and orders of the said Holy See. That, moreover, is a vile and impious falsehood that the rights divinely conferred on the Apostolic See, and the key and power of supreme rule in the Church delivered by Christ our Lord, can be restrained, prescribed, or diminished by human assent and will. He who is not joined to the See of Peter and the Roman Pontiff boasts in vain of Catholic communion, and he who is not with Peter must confess that he is against him, and outside of unity. He who gathers not with us, scatters. But never can we recognise those as joined to the See of Peter and the Roman Pontiff who oppose the Vicars of ourselves and the Holy See appointed by it for the government of the faithful, and who refuse obedience to them. Nor is it to be overlooked that the said priests not only resist the legitimate power of the Church, and consequently the divine ordination, but also are laboring by these divisions that the negociations commenced between us and our most dear daughter in Christ, Maria, the most faithful Queen of Portugal and the Algarves, and her government, may not reach the wished-for issue; and thus they are opposing the wishes of that very queen whom they profess to obey. Finally, we address and most lovingly admonish and exhort you, our dear children, the faithful, carefully to avoid those who are endeavoring to estrange you from the pastors whom we have set over you, and therefore from our communion, nor ever to suffer yourselves to be withdrawn from that unity out of which there can be

no salvation. Beware of those who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Again we announce to you that there is no jurisdiction, nor authority, nor any power of exercising the ministry in those Goanese and other priests who disturb you in those countries where our vicars and those of his holy See have been instituted, so that you would adhere to them only to the destruction of your souls, so long as they remain divided from those their lawful prelates. In fine, trusting in Him who is Author of Peace and God of all Consolation, we cherish the hope that when these our letters have been made known to you, we may find that the erring have returned to the way of justice and salvation, and that there is one flock every where. Meanwhile we lovingly impart to you, Venerable Brothers, and to the beloved flock committed to your care, the apostolic benediction.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, on the ninth day of May, 1853, in the seventh year of our pontificate. PIUS PP. IX.

DEATHS. On the 19th of June, at Newbury, N. Y., Rev. P. Duffy, pastor of the church at that place, aged 58 years.

At the Visitation Convent, Baltimore, on the 28th June, Sister Mary Angela Malone. On the 25th June, at New Orleans, Brother Theodule, aged 35 years. He was a native of France, and having become a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, he distinguished himself by his zeal and piety.

The death of Captain Walbach, of the United States Army, son of Gen. Walbach, will be a matter of sincere regret to many of our citizens who were acquainted with his estimable character and high scientific and military attainments. He has had charge of the U. S. Arsenal at Pikesville, Baltimore County, and in this as in other positions, devoted himself to the discharge of his duties, aud to the pursuit of investigations connected therewith with an ardor and ability that won for him the highest consideration. His funeral took place on June 28th, and was attended with military honors, in which the volunteer soldiery of our city and the U. S. forces stationed at Fort McHenry united. Shortly after 10 o'clock, the armed escort received the corpse from the residence of Brigadier-General Walbach, North Calvert street, and passed by an easy route to the cathedral. The coffin was covered by the national flag, and secured on part of a battery drawn by seven black horses. Following the escort was a long train of carriages, containing the venerable father of the deceased, and a large number of United States officers. At the cathedral, High Mass was said by Rev. Charles I. White, D. D. assisted by the Very Rev. H. B. Coskery and Rev. Thomas Foley, followed by an eloquent discourse by Dr. White, from the words of St Paul: "This is the victory which overcometh the world: our faith."

We lament in common with numerous friends, his sudden death; he departed this life on Sunday, 26th June. Capt. W. was a graduate of West Point, and had served with distinction in the Florida war. He was, at the time of his death, commandant of the U. S. Arsenal at Pikesville, where he had been for several years engaged in conducting a series of scientific investigations relating to gun metal. As an officer of ordinance, he was highly appreciated for his skill, zeal, and application to service. He inherited as it were a spirit of military talent from his gallant and respected father, Gen. Walbach, commander of the 4th military department of the U. S., and was in a fair way of high advancement when cut off at a comparatively early age. To his corps he will be a serious loss, but nothing can repair that of his own family, to whom he was in all things a bright hope, a consolation and pride.-Cath. Mir.

Death of M. O'Connell, M. P.-Since the ever-to-be-lamented death of his illustrious father, no public event has given us a sharper pang than the sudden death of Mr. Maurice O'Connell, which it becomes our painful task this day to record. The melancholy event occurred at midnight on Friday, June 17. The honorable member for Tralee was in the House of Commons that evening,-and finding himself unwell on his return to his apartments in Half-moon street, he retired to his bed room. An acute pain in his left arm-which had met with a severe accident some months ago-induced him to call to his servant for ten drops of laudanum in a glass of water. Having drank this, and feeling himself growing worse he ordered a medical gentleman to be called in. This