he says:—“As to what is called Fenianism, you are aware that, looking on it as a compound of folly and wickedness, wearing the mask of patriotism to make dupes of the unwary, and as the work of a few {maths or knaves, wicked enough to jeopardise others in order to promote their own sordid views, I have repeatedly raised my voice against it."
Those invited to join Fenianism ought, said the Archbishop, to raise the following questions; “Who are its leaders? What public service have they rendered to the country ? What claim have they to demand our confidence? Would they sacrifice others to promote their own sordid views? Are they men of religion ? Are they men remarkable for their sobriety, their good conduct and attention to their own affairs? Have they been successful in business? Are they men to whom we would lend money or trust the management of our property? Were they to succeed, would they be good rulers and good magistrates? Would they better the condition of the country? or rather, as needy and desperate adventurers are always disposed to do, would they not introduce despotism and a system of confiscation, and the spoliation of all property, public and private? In the case of the leaders of the Fenians, if these questions had been seriously considered, no men of sense would have joined their ranks. Nay more, if the charges lately made against the originators of the movement had been known, every one would have boon filled with alarm at their introduction into the country; for they are said to have proposed nothing less than to destroy the faith of the people by circulating works like those of the impious Voltaire, to preach up socialism, to seize on the property of those who have any, and to exterminate both the gentry of the country and the Catholic clergy. What- ever is to he said of such fearful nominations, which we hope are only founded on vague report, it is too certain that the managers of the Fenian paper called the host People, made it a vehicle of slander, and circulated in its columns most pernicious and poisonous maxims. Fortunately they had not the wit nor the talents of Voltaire, but according to appearances they did not yield to him in anxiety to do mischief and in malice. And hence it. must be admitted, that for suppressing that paper, the public authorities deserve the thanks and gratitude of all those who love Ireland, its peace and religion."
"Fenianism made us ridiculous by its boastings, its menaces, and its promises, pretending to overthrow the British government, and to establish an Irish Republic, This was all idle boasting, calculated to deceive the unreflecting. Fenianism had no power and no means to accomplish such a revolution; its hopes of obtaining assistance from America were quite delusive; the American government is hostile toil." …… "Fenianism, however, though powerless to obtain what it proposed, had great influence in bringing about mischief; it succeeded in inducing its dupes to engage in breaches of the law, to disturb the minds of others, and to bring public vengeance on themselves." ……
"It is our duty, as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which inculcates humility and obedience, to encourage a love of peace, to inculcate patience and forbearance in the time of trials and sufferings, and to prevent the spread of secret societies, and to check everything revolutionary. The experience of the past shows us that revolutions and rebellions tend to inflict the greatest calamities on the human race, by uprooting all religion, and that they almost invariably terminate in massacres, anarchy and despotism.”
In 1866, Archbishop, then Cardinal, Cullen, warned hi people to "keep aloof from all those who advocate violence or revolution,
