joined the Parnellite movement. A large section of the Irish Catholic hierarchy and priesthood gave Adhesion from the beginning to the Parnellite programme. and subsequently, at a critical moment, when Mr. Parnell'a fortunes seemed on the wane, stepped forward to rescue him from popular ingratitude and neglect. At the beginning, Mr. Parnell. as a Protestant whose sentiments leaned in no wise towards Catholicism or Churchism of any kind, and as a stranger, was disliked by the Catholic prelates, and distrusted as one who sought, under colour of the Land agitation, to gain political power for ends not clearly defined. He concerted with men who depended on lay rather than clerical support, some of whom bed gained seats in Parliament in defiance of episcopal and priestly opposition. Many of the prelates, and notably Dr. Mac Cube, the worthy successor of Cardinal Cullen in the Sec of Dublin, exerted themselves against Mr. Parnell, and strongly disapproved of his policy as one which tended to injure the Catholic religion as well as to excite disaffection and disloyalty. The Pope approved the action of Archbishop Mac Cube, and testified his approbation by creating him a Cardinal. Nevertheless, Archbishop Croke and some of the Irish bishops continued to give their support to Mr. Parnell in various ways. When Cardinal Mac Cube condemned the Ladies’ Lend League, Archbishop Croke published a letter in approval of it. Mr. O’Brien, the editor of "United Ireland," a newspaper devoted to Mr. Parnell and the Land Leaguers, and one which contained articles in which the Pope and the Propaganda were treated with glaring disrespect, become a candidate for Mallow and was successful, having been warmly recommended by a letter published in the newspapers by Archbishop Croke. Mr. Mayan who shewed his dislike to the doctrine of Cardinal Mac Cube by leaving the Marlboro-street Cathedral while his Eminence was preaching, and who published letters to vindicate this unseemly demonstration of his hostility to the Cardinal, was commended to the Tipperary electors by Archbishop Cram, and ostentatiously attributed his return to the influence of that prelate. A month or two ago a subscription was commenced in Ireland to present Mr. Parnell with a testimonial. For weeks the sums subscribed were small. The Farmers were apathetic. No Catholic bishop came forward either with his name or his purse. At last a vigorous letter appeared from the Archbishop. of Cashel, rebuking the people for their ingratitude and asserting that the subscription list would be a test of patriotism for all persons whether in high or low station, in Church or in State. The result of this stirring appeal was the adherence of eight bishops to the Parnell Testimonial Committee, and a general collection by the parish priest's throughout almost all Ireland The subscriptions which, before Dr. Croke’s letter were about £300, rose rapidly to thousands. The Archbishop of Cashel gave fifty pounds, and his Vicar-general forwarded from the dioceses of Cashel and Emly more than £2,500. The collections were made mostly by the parish priests, after previous notice in sermons on Sundays. The episcopal and priestly commendation of Mr. Parnell betrayed in many instances s most bitter spirit of animosity towards the British government. In one episcopal letter, Mr. Parnell, combatting in the House of Commons was compared to "a Mac Mahon in intrepidity, a Sursfield in dash and a Godfrey of Tyrconnel in unflagging perseverance to the end of the battle," The parish priest of Killala joyously proclaimed "that since 1798, when the French General Humbert with his troops landed in the boy of Killala, no man was ever so welcome as Mr. Parnell." All honour," added the writer, "to His Grace Dr. Croke, truly noble and renowned Archbishop of the sunny South, who has so opportunely sent forth that fiat which, riding on the billow and careering on the blast, shall infallibly be taken up by millions of the Irish race at home and abroad." Another priest, an admirer of Dr. Croke, calls on the "rebels of Cork" to contribute. And another enthusiastic clergyman assures the Parnell Committee that Irishman "are ready to fight under Mr. Parnell's banner, confident of victory, as were the French soldiers under the great Napoleon."
The Address of the National Committee for the Parnell Tribute, the majority of the members of that committee being
