Newspaper Page Text
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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
FEBRUARY 2. 1957-
FATHER ABRAM J. RYAN AND THE PACIFICATOR
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FATHER ABRAM J. RYAN
(By Edward A. Egan)
Catapulted into national, and
even international, fame by his
authorship of “The Conquered
Banner” and other patriotic and
religious poems, Father Abram J.
Ryan, poet-priest of the Confede
racy, has been principally and
most widely recognized as a poet.
However, he also wielded an able,
strong, and influential pen as a
prose writer and a forceful and
respected voice as a pulpit orator
and lecturer.
His “Crown for Our Queen;”
“A Catholic Convention of One;”
contributions to magazines and
journals; sermons, addresses, and
lectures; and work as newspaper
editor had wide and popular ac
ceptance and left their lasting im- ,
print.
As editor, he is said to have
been associated with “The Paci
ficator,” published in Augusta,
Ga,, from October, 1864, to July,
1665; “The Banner of the South,”
a weekly also issued in Augusta
from March, 1868, to October,
1370; and the New Orleans
“Morning Star and Catholic Mes
senger,” a publication printed in
New Orleans from February, 1868,
to sometime in 1929.
The exceedingly meager and
tenuous information to date
brought forth about the very ex
istence of “The Pacificator,” and
the uncertainty of the chronology
place, and character of the activi
ties of the poet-priest at the time
The Journal was in circulation,
have beclouded his alleged editor
ship of the Augusta weekly. It
is, therefore, a phase of his life
certainly warranting closer scru
tiny and more definitive clarifica
tion.
..The weekly was founded by
Patrick Walsh and Leopold T.
Blome, two courageous Augusta
career journalists, who Were its
publishers. A tabloid-sized and
normally four-paged newspaper,
it was the one and only Catholic
journal “Devoted to the Interests
of the Catholic Church in the Con
federate States.”
Some respected sources are de
finite in their assertions that Fath
er Ryan edited “The Pacificator.”
Dr. John Gilmary Shea, in his
“History of the Catholic Church
in the United States,” Volume 4,
page 460, saysr-
“Tov/ard the close of the war
the poet priest, Rev. Abram J.
Ryan, assisted Rev. G. Duggan at
Augusta and became editor of the
Pacificator, to which the Bishop
occasionally contributed.’
Father J. J. O’Connell, O.S.B.,
writes in his “Catholicity in the
Carolinas and Georgia,” 1879,
page 565, as follows:
“Towards the close of the civil
war Rev. Abram J. Ryan was con
nected with the Church of Augus
ta, and in the liftetime of Rev.
G. Duggan . . . He became editor
of “The Pacificator,” the most
popular sheet published in the
Confederacy, and widely circulat
ed because of its strong advocacy
of Southern rights . . .”
In an article entitled “Pioneer
Catholic Weeklies,” published in
'Historical Records and Studies,”
Volume 30. 1939, pages/ 143-44, of
die United States Catholic His
torical Society, Father Joseph R.
H'rese, S.J., goes even farther than
either Dr. Shea or Dr. O’Connell,
tie credits Father Ryan with the
sounding of “The Pacificator:”
‘During the Civil War the Poet
Priest, Reverend Abram J. Ryan,
; larted at Augusta. Georgia, the
Pacificator, ‘A Journal devoted to
int interests of the Catholic
Cuurch in the Confederate
! , ates . . . ’ ”
Present-day available facts do
x support the contention that
the poet-priest was ever editor
of “The Pacificator.” To! the con
trary, they strongly contradict
such editorial association at any
time during the newspaper’s, life
of approximately ten months.
On file in the Duke University
Library are original copies of the
first three issues of “The Pacifica
tor,” date October 8, 15, and 22,
1864. The New York Historical
Society has an original copy for
February 4, 1865. All four copies
list “Walsh and Blome” as “Edi
tors and Publishers,” in the mas
thead,, and “P. Walsh” and “L. T.
Blome” as “Editors,” in the box
on the editorial page.
After “The Pacificator” sus
pended publication in July, 1865,
and Mr. Blome had withdrawn
from the newspaper as editor and
publisher. Mr. Walsh ran an ad in
the Augusta “Daily Chronicle and
Sentinel,” beginning July 20, 1865.
It notified patrons of the weekly
that it had suspended publication
due to “want of means” and ap
pealed for “generous support” of
the clergy and laity and “liberal
patronage” of “members of other
denominations,” so that publica
tion could be resumed. The ad
specifically stated that the journal
would be “conducted solely by the
subscriber.” The subscription was
that of “Patrick Walsh, Editor
and Proprietor.”
The obituary of neither L. T.
Blome nor Senator Walsh inti
mates any connection of Father
Ryan with “The Pacificator.” The
obituaries of both men, however,
refer to their association with the
poet-priest op “The Banner of
the South.”
When Mr. Blome died in Oc
tober, 1891, his obituary in “The
Augusta Chronicle” (of which
Patrick Walsh was then editor and
president) recalled the following:
“In 1864 and 1865, while a clerk
of the City Council, he was also
connected with Mr. Patrick Walsh
in the publication of “The Paci
ficator,” a Catholic periodical
which was published until the
close of the war. He was also
connected . with the publication of
“The Banner of the South,” a
weekly literary paper with which
Father Ryan was connected.”
Mr. Walsh’s obituary, in the
March 20. 1899. “Augusta Chro
nicle,” referred to Father Ryan
as follows:
“In 1864 Mr. Walsh became as
sociated with Mr. L. T. Blome in
the publication of “The Pacifica
tor,” which was a weekly paper
of extensive circulation through
the south: he was also one of the
editors and proprietors of the
“Banner of the South,” to Which
Father Ryan contributed so much
of poetic patriotism and wise
counsel.”
The Augusta “Daily Chronicle
and Sentinel” and the Augusta
“Daily Constitutionalist”—of the
latter of which Mr. Blome was
local editor until 1S63, and Mr.
Walsh local editor thereafter,
through the period when he was
also editor and publisher of “The
Pacificator”—both evidence that
they maintained a close and con
tinuing interest in whatever de
velopment related. to “The Paci
ficator.” Nevertheless, they were
completely silent with regard to
any shift in the editorship of that
newspaper involving the poet-
priest.
In the baptismal and marriage
registers of St. Patrick’s Church
—then the Church of the Most
Holy Trinity—Augusta, are found
no entries made by Father Ryan
during the 1864-65 period when
“The Pacificator” was a going
publication and he was alleged to
have “assisted the Rev. G. Dug
gan . . .” The earliest record there
by the poet-priest is February 8,
1868, when he was already in
Augusta in connection with the
editorship he was to undertake
with “The Banner of the South.”
At the close of 1864, Father
Ryan left St. Mary’s Church,
Peoria, 111., in the Diocese of
Chicago, for Edgefield, in the
Diocese of Nashville. Here he was
stationed at the Church of St.
John the Evangelist — now the
Holy Name Church in East Nash
ville—making his residence with
a Mrs. W. Burns. His ministra
tions in the Nashville area are re
corded at St. Mary’s Church,
Nashville, as early as the latter
part of May, 1864, and as late as
the forepart of July, 1865.
His connection with the Church
of St. John the Evangelist, at
Edgefield, is confirmed by the
New York “Freeman’s Journal” of
December 24, 1864. It reported the
following change, which, though
it might have been temporary,
located him in Tennessee and not
in Georgia:
“Fr. Ryan has gone to Clarks
ville, and the venerable Fr. Hoste
has come to Nashville, or rather
Edgefield, 1-xchanging places.”
It was in the spring of 1865,
shortly after the surrender at
Appomattox on April 9, that
Father Ryan gave utterance to the
spirited and gripping lines of
“The Conquered Banner - .” While
Clarksville and Knoxville, Tenn.,
have since vied with each other
for the honor as the birthplace of
the dirge of the “Last Cause,” it
has been /generally accepted that
the poem was penned in Tennes
see.
The New York “Freeman’s Jour
nal,” within less than a year aft
er “The Conquered Banner” was
first published in its columns,
said, in its issue of May 19, 1866,
“The author Of those most touch
ing words was a citizen of Ten
nessee and is now a subject of
that state . . .” James A. Me-
Master’s newspaper could reliab
ly make such statement because
it was being faithfully informed
by its Nashville correspondent
regarding Father Ryan’s activities
and movements.
When St. Patrick’s Day came in
1865, March 17 called for a ce
lebration, in Nashville, of the
anniversary of him whom so many
Irish, native as well as descen
dant, venerate throughout the
world because he brought to the
shores of their fatherland the
blessings of Christianity.
As usual, the occasion required
the services of a pulpit orator of
highly recognized ability. Prompt
and general choice fell upon Fath
er Ryan.
On March 17, 1865, he de
livered a St. Patrick’s Day ser
mon in St. Mary’s Church, Nash
ville. In all the publicity, which
appeared before and after the
event, he was presented as one
w - ’no was local and already well
known. It gave not the slightest
indication he was an out-of-town-
er.
Prior to December, 1867, the two
newspapers then published in
Augusta printed nothing regard
ing Father Ryan’s presence in that
city in connection with “The Paci
ficator” or St. Patrick’s Church.
In December of that year, how
ever, when he actually did take
up residence there, the “Daily
Constitutionalist” promptly an
nounced that “. . . Father Ryan,
author of ‘The Conquered Ban
ner’ and other beautiful South
ern songs, formerly of Knoxville,
Tennessee, has been transferred
to the Diocese of Georgia.” An
other item in the same newspaper
reported that the poet-priest had
on the same day also visited its
office.
The late Capt. Patrick H. Rice,
K. S.G., a highly esteemed and
well-informed citizens of Augusta,
was privileged personally to know
Father Ryan, Patrick Walsh, and
L. T. Blome. He was familiar with
their journalistic activities, in the
city. With regard to the alleged
editorship of “The Pacificator” by
SAVANNAH—The Holy Name
Society of the Blessed Sacrament
Church held their monthly Com
munion on Sunday January 13,
at the eight o’clock Mass. After
the Mass the members adjourn
ed to the school cafeteria where
a delightful breakfast was serv
ed. Al. Kuriger newly elected
president presided at his first
meeting along with his fellow of
ficers William M, Matthews Vice
President, James L. Woods Sec
retary, James Daly Treasurer and
Edward Beranc Marshal.
The president appointed Joe
W. McGee chairman of the six
committee and serving with him
will be Nick Kenny and William
Matthews.
Father Thomas Brennan Spiri
tual Director of the organization
gave an interesting talk about an
article in the current “Ave Maria”
Magazine entitled “Are Modern
Fathers Too Easy Going.” He also
reminded the members of the
Forty Hours Devotion that will
start in their church Sunday Jan
uary 20.
Mr. A. J. Halligan Sr., gave an
interesting talk on the Blegsed
Sacrament Athletic Association.
Plans were discussed for the re
ception of new members to bq
held Wednesday February 6 at 8
p.m. to be followed by a social in
the sihool cafeteria. The speaker
will be announced later.
The president appointed James
Father Ryan, he unequivocally
wrote in a letter in September,
1928:
“I am sure Father Ryan was
not connected with “The Pacifica
tor” as I was an altar boy during
his stay in Augusta and knew him
well.”
Addition of Father Ryan to tha
editorial staff of the Catholic
weekly must be considered in tha
light of the practical need the
newspaper might have had fop
more editorial personnel. Messrs,
Walsh and Blome were themselves
experienced editors. From ail
operating standpoint, then, that
scarcely left any room for a third
man of that craft on a four-paged
journal published weekly.
If Father Ryan had at that tima
already been as celebrated and in
demand, as he was after he had
written “The Conquered Banner,”
it could be more reconcilably reas
oned that the publishers might
have sought to have “The Paci
ficator” capitalize on his fame by
placing him on its editorial staff,
especially in the less auspicious
days of the newspaper after p-
pomattox.
On account of the facts thaC
“The Pacificator” by only a few
years preceded “The Banner of
the South;” that both weeklies
had Augusta, Ga., as their base of
operations; a n d that Patrick
Walsh and L. T. Blome were con
nected with both journals as prin
cipals, the one has undoubtedly
been often confused with the oth
er.
Like so many, other statements
and activities ascribed to Father
Ryan, the one regarding his edi
torship of “The Pacificator” has
all the earmarks of a legend. He
actually never was editor of the
one and only weekly newspaper
which occupies the exclusive and
eminent status, in American Cath
olic journalism, of having been
the Catholic press of the Con
federacy.
Woods as chairman of the recep
tion committee along with Nick
Kenny and the officers.
Services For
William J. Gough
BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Funeral
services for William Joseph
Gough were held January 19th
at St. Francis Xavier Church, Rev.
James S. Cummings S. M. officiat
ing.
Survivors are his wife, Mrs.
Ann M. Gough and one daughter
Mrs. Neighbors of Brunswick,
three brothers, and several nieces
and nephews and four grand
children.
Reception February 6th
Blessed Sacrament Holy Name
Hears Talk By Father Brennan