wise, and the conduct of all those placed in authority, proclaimed you as impious or disaffected, how could you be estimated as ordinary men? How could you be considered as religious christians and faithful subjects? And if to these be added any infringement of the privileges of those who, from time immemorial have been your masters-if men enslaved by the law were at once to be elevated to the rank of citizens by a new and a too perfect kind of compact, could the laws themselves endure it? Could the master be seated with the servant, or the bond's-man with the heir? And if these things have been, and still are, dearest brethren, marvel not if the frame of society be disturbed, and if agitators be produced by every new occurrence to excite old prejudices, and inflame every angry passion.

But, you will ask me, are we then to suffer in silence and not vindicate our good name? Far from it, brethren-you should uphold, by every lawful means, your own character, and promote your own interests. These interests are the interests of truth and justice, and they must advance. The ways of their progress are obvious, and nothing can retard them but your own imprudence. EINS

You have increased in property, in numbers, and in strength; these give you a moral weight which carries you forward with an accelerated motion. Education has arrived to a state of excellence amongst those of you who are blessed with the means of obtaining it, and is united with a pure and sound morality. These will illuminate, and enliven, and direct the movements, of our body, that we may act in concert, dissipate prejudice, make our merits manifest, and attach to our cause the virtuous and intelligent of every creed and class. The progress of our religion, which is such as to excite even our own surprise, will, of itself, make known our principles and refute every calumny the piety and zeal of your priesthood, the appearance of your places of worship, the multitudes who frequent them, their pious demeanour, their strict integrity, their faithful attachment to the ever uniform creed of the saints these, of themselves, will have, as they daily have, an insensible, but yet a powerful effect; but when aided by the exertions of your friends, and the violence of your enemies, joined to your own willing obedience to the law, were a balance to be found, they

would compel them to exclaim, "how lovely are the tabernacles of Jacob, and the tents of Israel!" these are the lawful and efficient means of mitigating the evils you now endure, and a few of the grounds of your future hope. These will plead for you in a language which will speak to the understanding of the wise, to the interests of legislators, and to the hearts of men. Supported on these pillars let your cause rest, and the errors and the tricks of state prejudice, selfishness, and odious privilege, will yield to its power, or seek its alliance. But do not, dearest brethren, justify intolerance by your imprudence; do not verify the imputations of calumny by deviating from your usual course ; do not paralyse your own energies by dissensions, and enable your opponents to rivet your chains anew. A momentary cloud has overset the legislature; a bad spirit has breathed on their counsels. Some of those who lead in the senate have adopted a false maxim, others have unwisely exalted an unholy league over the king's subjects, and placed it perhaps too near the throne. These men will regret having cast away principle, or acted on a bad one, and the collective wisdom of the nation will yet penetrate this cloud which overhangs it, and, by a new effort of its power and its justice, secure the throne, and fill with gladness the hearts of the people.

Our great interest for your welfare, dearest brethren, in these appalling times, has dictated these sentiments, and we deserve to be heard by you with attention. We are no Lireling "who feed ourselves, and leave the flock to starve;" we can "call you to witness, that we have not desired the silver, nor the gold, nor the clothes of any one of you."-We have at an early period of our life rejected the favours of the great, and fled even from the smiles of a court, that we might, in our native land, from which we had become an exile to procure an education, labour in the most humble department of the sacred ministry; and since we have been among you, 66 we have not made our life more precious than our soul, provided we could finish our course, and the ministry of the Word which has been transmitted to us from the Lord Jesus." We do not glory in these things, but we offer them as arguments of the purity of our intentions, and the sincerity of our love for you, inviting you by our example, as well as by our words, to Suffer patiently for the sake of Christ, and to remain in alle

giance to your king, as we ourselves have done, when imprisonment in a foreign country, and all manner of distress, as well as the most alluring prospects, tempted our fidelity.— We conclude, dearest brethren, charging you in the words of St. Peter, that "ye be all of one mind, having compassion one for another, being lovers of the brotherhood; merciful, modest, humble; not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing; for unto this are you called, that you may inherit a blessing; for he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips: that they speak no guile ; let him decline from evil and do good, let him seek after peace and follow it; because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers; but the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things; and who is he that can hurt you if you be zealous of good; but if also you suffer any thing for justice sake, blessed are ye!! We wish you the peace of God, dearest brethren, which surpasseth all understanding. JAMES DOYLE, &c. &c.

Old Derrig, Carlow, June 22, 1823.

(NO. 1.-TRANSLATION.)

"Carlow, March 6, 1823.

"MOST SERENE AND VERY REVEREND PRINCE, "The report of the wonderful works which, through the prayers of your highness, GoD hath wrought in the midst of his people, has reached even to us in Ireland, and especially of that, by which the arm of acertain nun in England, afflicted with some miserable disease, had been instantly and miraculously cured, at the time when the most holy, sacrifice of the Mass was offered to GOD for her by your highness.

"Whilst they, therefore, offer thanks to the Father of all Mercies, who, in these lamentable times, has raised up your highness, by whom to give signs of salvation and new proofs of the faith, both to the true believers, and to those who are without; we also presume to implore your prayers and charity on behalf of a young female of our diocess, whose father earnestly requested of us, that we would commend her to your prayers, that she might be cured by Gon.

"But that your most serene highness may be fully acquainted with what regards this young female, we have thought it fit to make known to your highness the following statement communicated to us by her father, a respectable and pious Catholic.

"The daughter of this man, named Maria Lalor, was brought up piously to about her eleventh year, and educated as became a person of that age, was, after a long illness, which she bore patiently, deprived of the use of speech, so as from that period that she could not utter even a single word. Nothing, in

deed, which could be hoped for from medical aid, had been left untried, during the six years which have since elapsed, that her tougue might again resume its functions; but every effort has proved vain, for neither has she yet articulated any sound, nor is she expected ever to do so, unless that GOD" who maketh the tongues of the little ones eloquent," will be induced, through the prayers of your Highness, to vouchsafe that her tongue be restored to its former powers. It may not be irrelevant to state to your highness, that her organs of sense continue perfect, and that she strictly adheres to that piety of life which she had observed from her most tender age. She makes, at the usual times, her sacramental confessions, by signs, or writing to a priest, who has testified the same to us; she hears and receives with reverence his admonitions and advice; in a word, she so conducts herself in all things, as to appear to us, short-sighted and unworthy as we, indeed, are, to deserve, that your most serene highness would intercede with God for her.

"Whilst stating these things, I press with reverence the hands of your highness, and earnestly recommend to your prayers myself, an humble sinner with the flock committed to my care. And remain, of your most serene and very reverend highness, the most obedient, and most humble servant in CHRIST. Br. JAMES DOYLE, O. S. A. Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. To his Most Serene and Very Rev. Highness

the Prince De Hohenlohe at Bamberg."

(NO. 2.-TRANSLATION.)

"MY LORD-I hasten to forward to your lordship's address the enclosed letter from the prince de Hohenlohe.

"I hope, my lord, that the good God will vouchsafe to grant to the prayers of the prince, and of the good M. Michael, the petition of those infirm who will unite in prayer with them.

persons

"I beg your lordship's blessing, and that you accept the assurance of the profound respect with which I have the honour to be, my lord,

"Your lordship's most humble servant,

“Lossduinen, near the Hague in Holland,

9th May, 1823.

"F. SAGETEN BRock, Notary."

(NO. 3.-TRANSLATION.)

«To Miss Lalor, and all those who will Spiritually unite in Prayer. "On the 10th of June, at nine o'clock, I will, agreeably to your request offer my prayers for your recovery.-Unite with them at the same time, after having confessed and received the holy communion, your own, together with that evangelical fervour, that full and entire confidence which we owe to our Redeemer JESUS CHRIST. Excite in the recesses. of your heart the divine virtues of true contrition, of an unbounded confidence that you will be heard, and an immovable resolution of leading an exemplary life, for the purpose of preserving yourself in a state of grace.

Accept the assurance of my consideration. Huttenheim, the 9th of May, 1823, near Bamberg."

"His most serene highness recommends some devotion in honour of the most holy name of Jesus and of St. John Nepomuscene. Martin Michael, a truly refigious man, united in friendship with the prince and with me, will join his prayers to those of his highness. To avoid the expense of postage, I shall send

this letter by Holland. This instant we have received an account from Verdelain, diocess of Bordeaux, in France, stating with the utmost joy, that a young female, deprived of the use of speech for five years, had been restored to it in the church, on the day and hour appointed, namely, the 14th of March-May God grant increase and perseverance.'

"On the part of his most serene highness the prince,

"To the Most Reverend, &c. &c. James Doyle, O. S. A. Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, in Ireland, at Carlow."

(NO. 4.)

"JAS. FORSTER, Parish Priest.

"Old Derrig, Carlow, June 1, 1823. "VERY REVEREND DEAR SIR.-When in Mountrath, I wrote at the request of Mr. Lalor, of Rosskelton, to the prince de Hohenlobe, soliciting his highness' prayers, that, through their efficacy with Almighty God, Mr. Lalor's daughter might be restored to the use of speech, of which she has, for some years, been deprived. On this day I heard in reply; and it is desired, that Miss Lalor's pious friends do join her in a devotion in honour of the most holy name of Jesus, and in honour of St. John Nepomusćene, for nine days preceding the tenth of June, on which day she is to confess and receive the holy communion at Mass, to be celebrated at the hour of nine o'clock, exciting in her soul the holy virtues of true repentance, with an unbounded confidence in God, through the merits our blessed Redeemer, as well as a firm resolution of spending her life in obedience to his commands, and in a holy conformity to his divine will, all joined to a lively faith, and disinterested love of the Lord.

"I write to you, that you may have the goodness to communicate the foregoing to Mr. Lalor and his daughter, that they and their friends may, on the days mentioned, or on such of them as will not have elapsed, unite their prayers, with those of the prince and his friends, for the purpose of obtaining the mercy of God for her who is the object of our present solicitude.

"Your friends here will co-operate with you, and without publishing the matter too much, you can insure the prayers of many holy souls, and you know how they do violence to Heaven.'

"The prince's secretary mentions that he had, at the moment he was writing, received an account of a cure, entirely similar to that which we hope for, performed in a village of the diocess of Bordeaux, through the prayers of his highness, and of those united with him.

"Your's most faithfully and affectionately in Christ,

"To the very Rev. N. O'Connor, Maryborough.

་་

"J. DOYLE.

"P. S. As the meridian of Bamberg differs from that of Maryborough, by an hour and about 12 minutes, you can direct the mass to be celebrated for Miss Lalor at a little before eight o'clock on the 10th of June."

(No. 5.)

"MY LORD, Maryborough, June 11, 1823. "In compliance with your request I send you a statement of the facts relative to Miss Lalor, which I have heard from others, and witnessed myself.

"I am now in the house where she was first deprived of her speech. She is at present in the eighteenth year of her age; and as she is connected with most of the respectable Catholic families in this country, and has had frequent intercourse with them, her privation of speech during six years and five months, is