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FOUR
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
SEPTEMBER 22, 1333
Senator Patrick Walsh
as a Neighbor Knew Him
Radio Address of John L. Armstrong Over WRDW, Au
gusta, Sponsored by C ouncil Named for Senator
In a series or programs sponsored
by Patrick Walsh Council Knights
of Columbus, it is fitting that one
should be set aside in honor of the
memory of the man for whom the
council is named—Patrick Walsh; and
so today we turn aside from the
hurry and bustle of modern life to
take a leaf out of the past, and pay
tribute to Augusta’s greatest, son.
As more than a third of a century has
passed since Mr. Walsh departed this
life,' none of my listeners under the
age of two score years can remember
him, and so if this effort should re
sult in a wider knowledge of him and
an emulation of his nobility of char
acter, I am well repaid.
Patrick Walsh was born in Ireland
and brought to this country at the
age of eight, his family settling in
Charleston, here he was soon appren
ticed to The Evening News to learn
the printng trade. At eighteen, he
became a journeyman printer, pur
suing his studies in the Charleston
High School, earning money for his
expenses by setting type at night in
the newspaper offices. In 1859, he
entered Georgetown College, where
he remained until South Carolina
seceded from the Union, when he re
turned to his native city of Charles
ton. In August, 1862, he came to Au
gusta, where he otbained employment
on The Daily Constitutionalist, be
coming local editor in 1863, and was
active in shaping the paper’s policy
during the critical war period. He
advanced rapidly until he became
editor of The Chronicle, which in 1877
was merged with The Constitution
alist, remaining editor until his death.
Mr. Walsh was elected to City
Council in 1870 and in 1872 was sent
from Richmond County to the legis
lature, being re-elected in 1874 and
1876 and serving on many important
committees. In 1884 he was elected
a delegate-at-large to the Democratic
national convention in Chicago that
nominated Grover Cleveland for the
the presidency and was for four
years the Georgia member of the
Democratic national committee. In
season and out of season. Mr. Walsh’s
pen and voice were dedicated to the
upbuilding of the South and his out
standing ability and work naturally
focused public attention on him. In
April, 1894, Governor Northern ap
pointed him to the United States sen
ate to fill the vacancy caused by the
death of Senator Colquitt. He was
subsequently elected by the legisla
ture for the remainder of the term,
but refused to stand for the full term.
As one in a position to know said:
“He was always an indefatigable
worker. In the United States senate,
he did more for the state and for the
South than anyone else in the same
length of time.” At the first elec
tion following his return from Wash
ington, the citizens of Augusta made
him mayor, but he did not live to
omplete his term of office.
Having lived a considerable portion
of my life on the same block
with Mr. Walsh, naturally I remem
ber him best as a neighbor. He was
idolized by the members of his own
household and beloved by all of his
neighbors. Except in warm weather,
he was generally attired in a Prince
Albert coat. His hair, worn long and
brushed straight back over his fore
head, gave him a striking appearance.
He was accustomed to walk to his
office every morning and I believe
it is no exaggeration to say that it
took him fully two hours to walk
from his home on the 1300 block of
Broad Street to his office located
where the Marion Building now
stands. He could not walk more
than a few steps at a time without
being stopped to shake hands with his
many friends and admirers, but he
would stop each time with a pleasant
smile and a friendly greeting for
every one. To illustrate his kindness
of heart, on one occasion he was re
turning home from his office, when
within a few steps of his home, he
was accosted by a stranger who ask
ed to be directed to a certain loca
tion, which proved to be near the
monument on the 700 block of Broad.
Mr. Walsh patiently explained to the
stranger how to get there, but for
fear he would not find the place, re
traced his steps and brought the man
personally to his destination. He de
veloped a number of men who went
far in their chosen profession. Two'
who come to mind at this time are
Pleasant A. Stovall, publisher of The
Savannah Press, and our own lament
ed Thomas D. Murphy.
Opens Leper Asylum
Mr. Walsh was a faithful son of the
Church. When Sacred Heart Parish
was established in 1874, he became
one of its founders and spent the re
mainder of his life in it.
As I have said, Mr. Walsh did not
live to complete his term as mayor
of Augusta. Stricken down soon after
assuming office, he was confined to
his home for months. I recall that
during that period, President Mc
Kinley raid a visit to Augusta. He
detrained at Wheless Station and on
his way to the city, stopped at Mr.
Walsh’s home to offer his sympathy
and best wishes for the recovery of
his friend, whom he had 1 own in
congress. But the noble spirit would
not be longer held in the frail body
and on the 20th day of March, 1899,
the soul of Patrick Walsh, rending
asunder its earthy bojids. returned to
its Maker. ' .
Rev. Joseph Sweeney, M. M., of
New Haven, Conn., former Pro
curator* of Maryknoll in San
Francisco, who is en route to
South China where he will open
a leper asylum in the Kongmoon
district. Fr. Sweeney will be aid
ed in the undertaking by the di
rection of Dr. Harry Blaber, of
Brooklyn, N. Y., the first Ameri
can Catholic physician to work
with Maryknoll missioners in the
Orient.
The cold recitation of the outstand
ing events in the life of Mr. Walsh
is inadequate to convey to those of
my audience who did not know him
personaly, the tremendous hold he
had on the affections cf the people
of Augusta, and so I have thought
that a brief description of his funeral
might aid in giving a true picture.
Never in her history has Augusta
rendered such honor to one of her
sons. After a solemn Mass of
Requiem at the Sacred Heart Church,
his body was taken to St. Patrick’s
Church, where on that same after
noon the final rites were performed.
Bishop Becker came from Savannah
to conduct the services. Governor
Candler came down from Atlanta to
pay official honor to him, and on
looking upon the vast concourse of
sorrowing friends gathered at the
church, said: “Except at the funeral
of General Grant, I have seen no
such demonstration.” From the mo
ment his body was placed in the
aisle until the casket was closed,
there was a constant stream of
mourners passing. Decrepid age tot
tered along with youth: Catholic and
Protestant, Jew and Gentle, white and
black, bowed with grief, came and
went. Bishop Becker said of him:
“He deserved the name of the Just
Man, as was said of Aristides.”
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BELMONT. N. C.
While Mr. Walsh was a faithful
member of his own church, he was
greatly loved by those of other de
nominations and among his honorary
pallbearers were: Dr. Lanrint? Bur
roughs, pastor of the First Baptist
Church; Dr. Chauncey C. Williams
pastor of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church;
Dr. J. T. Plunkett, pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church, and Rev.
S. R. England, pastor of Broadway
Methodist Church. With Governor
Candler were four ex-mayors of the
city: Charles Estes, Robert H. May,
W. B Young and J. H. Alexander.
Time does not permit a detailed de
scription of that memorable scene.
Suffice is to say that according to the
newspapers, more than 25.000 people
paid a last sad tribute to the memory
of Mr. Walsh. The Jewish Synagogue
held a memorial service for him in
which the Rabbi referred to him as
being of the elect of God.
Small wonder then, that the local
council of the Knights of Columbus,
formed soon after his passing, should
have taken the name of Patrick
Walsh Council.’ Small wonder, too,
that his hosts of sorrowing friends
phould have erected the ebautiful
monument of granite and bronze that
adorns Barrett Plaza, that future gen
erations might know him. They
epitomized all their love and ad
miration for him in this short sent
ence engraved on it:
“A patriotic citizen; ,
, A loyal friend;
A lover of humanity."
And so we leave him to his wel-
eamed rest on the bosom of his
adopted city which he loved so well,
there to await the final summons that
must come to us all.
“His life was gentle and the ele
ments so blended in him that nature
might stand up and say to all the
world: This was a man.”
MISS FRANCES PERKINS, Secre
tary of Labor, conferred with the
steel workers of Homestead, Pa., in
St. Anne’s parish hall, with the Rev.
Clement Hartnek, pastor, as chairman
of the meeting.
THE EV. HAROLD THOMAS
CONLEY, Dowell, Mass., and the
Rev. Edward Jerome Marien, Buffalo,
N .Y., members of the Oblate Fathers
of Mary Immaculate, will sail soon
for Natal, South Africa, the first
American Oblates to enter this mis
sionary field.
Pope Leo, Cardinal Newman
Among Great Personalities
Customs Ruling in
Chalice at Belmont
Treasury Department Re
leases It as Duty Free
WASHINGTON. —A ruling ii:volv;_
ing the importation of a chalice
which was presented to a member of
a religious community, but which
became the property of the commu-
ity itself was made recently by the
Bureau of Customs of the Treasury
Department here.
Some weeks ago there arrived in
this country from Beuron Abbey,
Germany, a chalice directed to Bel
mont Abbey, Belmont, N. C. The
sacred vessel was held at Belmont by
the postmaster, pending the payment
of duty. It was contended that de
spite that goods and vessels “import
ed in good faith for the use and by
order ..... of a religious society”
are pei.u.tted free entry, the chalice
in question could not be so admitted
because, bearing the inscription
“Presented to Cuthbert E. Allen, O.
S. B., by his Aunt. Pray for me.” it
was “a presentation” and not en
titled to be free of duty.
At the request of the Benedictine
Fathers at Belmont Abbey, the Le
gal Department of the National
Catholic Welfare Conference made a
presentation of the facts of the case
to the Commissioner of Customs.
William F. Montavon, Director, told
the Commisisoner of Customs that
Cuthbert E. Allen, who was about
to be ordained, is a member of the
Benedictine Order for his lifetime,
and that “as a condition of that
membership he has taken what is
known as a vow of poverty” under
which “he has abandoned his right
personally to own property.” Mr.
Montavon also pointed out that
Father Cuthbert “did not order the
chalice on his own authority but by
virtue of specific authorization given
him by the Superior of Belmont Ab-
by” and that “the money with which
payment for the chalice was made
was not the property of the Rev.
Cuthbert E. Allen, but was received
by him from his aunt, not for him
self but for Belmont Abbey under
an authorization specifically given!
him for that purpose.” “It results,
therefore,” Mr. iClontavon concluded,
“that this chalice has been imported
in good faith for the use and by or
der of Belmont Abbey, which is a
religious society, and therefore the
chalice should be exempt from the
payment of import duty.”
When the seminarian’s aunt ex
pressed the wish to make him a gift
of the chalice, he at once told her he
could not himself receive either the
chalice or the money, but that per
mission must be obtained from the
Father Superior, and that the money
should be presented to the commun
ity, which in turn would obtain the
chalice for the' community’s use.
After a study of these facts, the
Bureau of Customs announced that
“in view of the circumstances outlin
ed, the Bureau is of the opinion that
the chalice was imported for the use
and by order of the Benedictine Or
der of BelmontAbbey, and that it
may properly be released to the in
stitution free of duty under para-
grapr 1773 of the Tariff Act of
1930.” The chalice has since been de_
livered to Belmont Abbe".
Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler
Names Them as Two of
Four Greatest of Century
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
NEW YORK. — Pope Leo XIII and
and Cardinal Newman were named
with Gladstone and Prince Bismarck
as “four of the greatest and most
dominant personalities which this
world has produced for a hundred
years,” by Dr. Nicholas Murray But
ler, president of Columbia Univer
sity, in an address delivered at a
banquet in his honor here.
The occasion of the banquet was
the thirtieth anniversary of Doctor
Butler’s presidency at Columbia, the
fiftieth of his graduation and the
seventieth of his birth. Two thou
sand persons attended the meeting,
prominent among them being former
Governor Alfred E. Smith, Owen D.
Young and Governor Wilbur L. Cross
of Connecticut. Other speakers were
Chief Judge Benjamin N. Cardozo,
of the New York State Court of Ap
peals President James R. Angell. of
Yale, and Professor John Erskine,
of Columbia.
Reviewing those events of his life
connected with his journeys in Eu
rope following his graduation, Doctor
Butler said:
“There was one thing more which
that Voyage of Discovery brought to
the youthful traveler, which has long
been a blessed and a fortunate mem
ory. This was the opportunity not
only to see and meet, but to speak
with some intimacy, however brief
ly, with four of the greatest and
most dominant personalities which
this world has produced for a hun
dred years—Mr. Gladstone, Cardinal
Newman, Prince Bismarck, and Pope
Leo XIII. Widely different as these
four personalities were, and widely
removed as are the pedestals on
which they will forever stand in the
history of the race, they were alike
in this one thing: each was a model
of excellence, whether of political
sagacity and service, or of the intel
lectual life itself, or of spiritual as
piration and expression. One whose
good fortune it was to come, how
ever briefly, under the influence of
their personalities has gained unfor
gettable and overruling standards of
measurement for human achievement
of every kind. Such a bne can never
again be satisfied with the cheap, the
tawdry, the base, or the second-rate
Would that every youth setting out
in his tiny bark on the sea of the in
tellectual life might have the privi
lege and the blessing of like stimulus
and like standards of excellence!”
THE REV. JOSEPH S. FLANNA-
GAN, S. J., celebrant of a Solemn
High Mass at St. Peter’s Church, Dor
chester, Mass., was assisted by three
brothers, the Rev. John P. Flannaean,
S. J., deacon, the Rev. Edward I.
Flannagan. O. M. I., sub-deacon, and
Charles A. Flannagan. a student at
Holy Cross College, Master of Cere
monies. Sister Marv Clark of the
Sisters of Charity. Halifax, is their
sister. Another sister, Sister Leo
Stanislaus, of the same order, died
recently.
St. Leo College Prep.
School
Accredited High School
Conducted by the Benedictine
Fathers
Ideal Location
St. Leo Pasco County, Florida.
St. Angela Academy
Aiken, S. C.
Resident and Day School for Girls
Elementary High School and Commercial Departments
Conducted by the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
For Catalogue, Address
THE DIRECTRESS
Sacred Heart Academy
Belmont, N. C.
/
A Standard Catholic School for Girls
High School, Secretarial, Grammar .
and Primary Courses
Art, Vocal and Instrumental Music
The Academy is affiliated with the
Catholic University of America, and
with the University of North Carolina.