Editors' Table. SWEET month of May! The daughter of joy, of mirth and pleasure! Her balmy zephyrs greet us and remind us that the season of buds and flowers is at hand. Nature, so long ice-bound, comes forth from the tomb of winter, with all the freshness of youth, mantled in green and violets, strewing the valleys and hill-tops with garlands of flowers. Man, too, receives new energy. This beautiful season, the type of serenity and joy, bids him forget the sorrows of the past, and look forward to those uninterrupted joys which are to bloom forever in the spring-time of eternity. It is, moreover, the month of Mary! During this month the Church invites her children, in a special manner, to honor the Mother of God; to sing her praises; to invoke her intercession; to place themselves, their homes, and their families, under the patronage of the Immaculate Queen of heaven. "Magni nominis umbra, Father Carroll," said O'Moore, yielding the point to his Rev. colleague, and at the same time drawing his chair over to the table. "Here we have been for one full hour discussing, with the seriousness of two doctors of divinity, the merits of a work as barren of usefulness as the sands of Arabia. Who, think you, will be affected by the chimeras of the author? The world will move on as smoothly as if he had never written a line, and time will But pardon me, Father C., I submit to your judgment. I am but wasting the time; let us see what we have in the green bag for this month;" at the same time emptying its contents upon the table. 66 Poetry of all measures and gradations! And here, first, 'The Crooked Way,' by Fairfax." "Bless me, O'Moore," exclaimed Father C., "don't shock our readers by any thing under that caption. The world is already too full of crookedness to need any thing on that subject. For charity sake put it at the bottom of the green bag, and let it rest there in happy oblivion." "Here, then, Father C.," said O'Moore, smiling, "here is something which, I am sure, will please. A chapter on fraternal charity, under the title of Forgive and Forget."" "Beautiful subject, Mr. O'Moore. Let it be read. There is at least sublimity in the title.' Here O'Moore read the piece as follows: FORGIVE AND FORGET. WHEN dark mists of passion calm reason have shrouded, And soothed by the precept "Forgive and Forget.' Oh! pray let the heart be serene and unclouded, Though deadly the whisper that blights reputation, 32 Ah! think on the insults that brought us salvation, Though bitter the feeling when friendship so cherished Though life's dearest treasures have suddenly perished— How sweet is the pleasure! how pure the devotion, "Twill often produce a responsive emotion, When injured we utter " Forgive and Forget." VOL. IV.--No. 4. On youth's sunny days, if adversity lowers, The heart will be peaceful though troubles may fret; If ruled by the maxim "Forgive and Forget." MOUNT ST. MARY'S COLLEGE, March 14th, 1856. T. F. R. "How sublime the lessons contained in these stanzas," observed Father Carroll, at the conclusion of the piece. "But alas! how little are these lessons practiced by the majority of mankind. How easily forgotten even by Catholics. How often is the most unintentional inadvertency carped at, magnified into a crime, the facts relating to it distorted, charity wounded and neighbors scandalized, even by those who profess to believe in the sublime doctrines of the God of charity." "I regret, Rev. Father," said O'Moore, "that this piece did not reach us a month sooner. Its teaching, doubtless, would have proven beneficial to some of our readers." "Forbear, Mr. O'Moore; let the past be forgotten. Let us shut our eyes to the frailties of others, and practice the lesson we inculcate- Forgive and Forget."" "Here is an offering from our friend W.,' not unworthy of our readers," said O'Moore, handing the paper to Father C., who read the piece as follows: THE FOREST TOWER. Respectfully inscribed to REV. H. T. B., of New York. O SILENT, Solitary Tower, With all thy watch and ward! Where Peace herself has fixed her bower, The swarthy Indian, who of old Far up among the green old woods Thou hold'st thy sullen state; Why putt'st thou on that front severe, The gentle birds that shelter nigh, Are things, old Tower! that will not try The flowers that bloom around thy base, Will never rise, a rebel race, To question kingly sway. Yet gentle birds and flowers are all How quickly, too, the May-flowers fall! How soon the warblers fly! What then, avail thy granite wall, Thy majesty, thy might, The musket shot, the cannon ball, And all the boast of fight? For many months in every year No vernal sweets are gathered here, Then Winter rules thy wide domain, "Permit me, Mr. O'Moore, to add the following lines to our poetical tableau. They are appropriate at all times, but more especially during the paschal season :" CONFESSION. MAN has no gift for which I'd bend my knee, I weigh the value of his hoarded gold, I grasp the limit of his fleeting power A print in sand, o'er which times waves are roll'd. No! not one servile inch for all his store; In answer to the praises of my name, I'd scorn to bow for all that these are worth. But to kneel down at God's supreme command, FIDELIA. At this point our labors were interrupted by a loud rap at the door. On going to learn the demand, we found that it was a messenger with a letter of apology from our friend Mr. Oliver, whose arrival we had been anxiously awaiting. The letter was hastily opened, and read as follows: THE BUFFALO CONVENTION. "GENTLEMEN:-Prevented from being present to take part in your deliberations, and feeling a profound interest in the subject set apart for consideration this evening, namely, the "Buffalo Convention," I beg leave thus formally to express my views on the movements contemplated by that convention. I do this from a full conviction that it is our duty, as well as that of the editorial fraternity generally, to examine and weigh well every movement in which the happiness or misery of our fellow beings may be involved; and if good, to extend to it, freely and cordially, the friendly hand of encouragement, irrespective of the parties who may have projected it; if evil, to point out its evil tendencies, in that spirit of forbearance and charity, which should ever be found prominent in the breast of Catholic editors. And in making this examination, we should ever bear in mind, that a fearful responsibility rests upon those who inadvertently or otherwise lend the aid of their pens to the advocacy of measures, that may compromise the moral and physical well-being of our fellow-citizens, and that an equally weighty responsibility hangs over the heads of those who, from want of due consideration, personal pique, petty jealousy, or other unworthy motives, use whatever influence they may possess to prevent the accomplishment of a good cause. This convention was an assemblage of Catholics, many of them eminent clergymen, distinguished alike for their talents, their piety, and their zeal in the holy cause of religion; they met to consult together for the purpose of devising the best means of improving the moral and social condition of the Irish emigrants in this country and the provinces of Canada. And here I cannot but admire the noble designs contemplated by this body. The amelioration of the hard lot of thousands of those who have sought, and who still seek on our shores an asylum and a home, is surely an object worthy of the philanthropist, and one on which the favoring smiles of Heaven will descend. And after mature deliberation they propose, as a plan for the accomplishment of so desirable and so laudable a purpose, the purchase of lands at points favorable for the formation of colonies, and having accomplished this, to invite there the Irish emigrants to till the soil and become the owners thereof. Now if this plan be carried into execution, and I can see nothing to prevent it, if there is only a determination on the part of Catholics generally, who can foretell the countless blessings that must follow from its operations. It is the starting point of a grand and important movement, which in time is destined to extend the domain of the Church, and carry benedictions to the emigrant and his children for generations yet to come. To thousands already here, and to others who may arrive, it will open a new field for legitimate enterprise, a field, in which their toil and sweat will meet with an adequate reward; where their labor will be lightened by the consoling reflection, that it is not absorbed by rack-rents, or devoured by landlords; where they will, moreover, be stimulated by the consciousness that every tree that falls beneath the strength of their arm, every rock that is removed, every sod that is turned, adds new wealth to a homestead they can call their own. That the condition of many of the Irish emigrants in this country, especially in our large cities, is deplorable, is obvious to the most inexperienced; and that their sad condition is often brought about by causes over which the poor and generous hearted strangers have no control, is equally obvious. Heart-broken with poverty and persecution in various forms in their native land, they tear themselves from the ties of kindred and home, and with a view of bettering their condition, they seek the shores of America. But alas! how often does that better conditon, to obtain which they have submitted to so many trials and privations, vanish from their sight when they arrive in our midst. How often do we find them the unhappy victims of that want, poverty and affliction which they sought to avoid by escaping to this land of plenty. They labor with a willing heart when work is to be had-for the charge of idleness never attaches to them,still thousands and tens of thousands drag out a wretched existence, and sink to a premature grave, leaving perhaps, a helpless family to the mercies of a cold and heartless world. The vast majority of the Irish emigrants who come to this country have been trained to agricultural pursuits in their native land, hence the tilling of the soil is an occupation with which they are best acquainted when they arrive among us. It is therefore easy to perceive the immense benefit it would be to this class of our citizens, if, on landing on our shores, they could avail themselves of the opportunity of pursuing that employment with which they are most familiar, instead of exhausting their strength on our public works or other similar employment, injurious alike to health and morals. Open to them the facilities of acquiring land, and thousands will find homes in the healthful and fertile regions of the West, who would, in all probability, drag out a wretched existence amidst the pestilential atmosphere of the lanes and alleys of our sea-board cities, or die on our river banks or lake shores, the unhappy victims of some raging epidemic. But independently of the advantages that colonization would secure to thousands of poor emigrants, the blessings it will bring upon their children are alone sufficient to commend the subject to the support and generous encouragement of every friend of humanity, and especially every Catholic who loves and cherishes his holy faith. It requires no argument to prove that Catholic children in this country, and particularly in our large cities, are beset by innumerable dangers; and what is more to be regretted, they too frequently become the victims of the bad example which they see around them. In daily intercourse with companions who have no fixed idea of religion, they fall way from the practices of their holy faith, and without the utmost vigilance and attention, such as the poverty of parents often prevent, they will grow up to manhood Catholics in name, but infidels in practice. That this is lamentably true is confirmed by daily observation. Without going beyond the limits of Baltimore, how many young men and young women could I name, the sons and daughters of Catholic parents, who are now the veriest outcasts in society, a discredit to themselves and their religion, and a reproach to the country of those who gave them birth. These evils might have been prevented had these children been brought up away from the contaminating influences of our cities in a Catholic settlement, where they would have the advantages of Catholic associates, Catholic schools, and Catholic instruction, and where they might be trained from their earliest days to habits of industry. Apart, however, from the advantages that must follow from the proposed plan of colonization to the Irish emigrant and to his children, the movement will be attended with immense benefits to Catholicity. Whoever has studied the history of Catholicity in this country, knows how much the Church is indebted for her unparalleled prosperity and her present proud position, to the zeal, to the ardent, undying faith of the Irish emigrant. Wherever he has gone throughout this land, the cross has followed. Wherever he has erected his habitation, there churches have arisen. And so it will ever be. Let Catholic settlements be established, and all the appliances of religion will follow. Let the movement receive that encouragement which its importance deserves, and I feel no hesitation in believing, that ere the present generation passes away, we shall behold new cities spring up where deserts now stand; we shall witness the rise of gorgeous temples, abodes of charity, literary and religious institutions, bright emblems of Catholicity, in localities where now the foot of civilization are unknown. Like all great movements, the Buffalo Convention will have its opponents. There will be those who can only see in it the scheme of selfish individuals, who seek to dupe the community by their pretended philanthropy. I confess I view the movement in a different light. When I contemplate the happy auspices under which this convention assembled, when I behold its members gathered round the altar in the noble cathedral of Buffalo, invoking the benediction of heaven upon their labors; and when I see the illustrious Bishop of Buffalo bestowing his approval and his blessing upon the objects for which it was convened, I am forced to the conviction that the gentlemen assembled there were sincere in their motives, and honest in their intention; that no sordid and selfish end entered the breast of a single member. Indeed, when we reflect on the well known characters of the gentlemen composing that convention, their high claims to our confidence and respect, it borders on presumption to impugn their motives or question their integrity, much less to charge, that under the pretext of benefitting the poor Irish emigrant, they assembled to concoct some grand political scheme; to cajole the subjects of her Britanic Majesty to cross the St. Lawrence, and to take up their abode among freemen, or, on the other hand, to bid the citizens of this great republic to forsake the stars and the stripes, and go dwell beneath the shadow of the British crown. For myself I can see in the whole movement, no ground for these momentous fears. On the contrary, I behold in this commingling of the people of the two governments, a beautiful and striking illustration of Catholic charity, rising in this as in every other occasion, superior to the ties of country, or local prejudices, and seeking above all the moral and social benefit of man, irrespective of the peculiar spot of earth he may inhabit. But here, gentlemen, I must conclude. I have protracted my remarks far beyond what I intended. Our readers will pardon me for thus long imposing on their patience; I feel assured, however, that they will sanction the tenor of what is said. Could my voice reach them I would say to them in the language of the Address of the Buffalo Convention:' 'We exhort you by the strong claims of kindred, blood and common creed, for your own sakes, for pity to your unprovided offspring, for the credit of the Catholic character, for the vindication of the Irish name, for the removal of our reproach in high places, to act with us as we will act with you, in good faith with one another, and with all the world, until at least every second man amongst you who crossed the Átlantic, in search of independence, can say with truth, he has found it.' Oliver." "God speed the gook work," exclaimed Father Carroll, at the conclusion of the letter. "And grant the fulfilment of this gracious prayer," rejoined O'Moore. |