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6 Correspondence. 3- < We finely admit and Invite correependenee In bene oolnmne, bnt we cusot hold onruelvee reepon sibUi for the eptniona herein expresMd. 11l commnnlcathjne of an editorial character should he addreaeed to the editor*, who cannot undertake to return rejected manuscripts. No anonymous letters can be inserted unless the ■sene and address of the writer shall have been •netoesd. DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH. tit. Patrick’s Cburrb. At Vespers in this Church, on Sunday evening last, Rev. S. Donelly, a youthful priest from Boston, Mass., preached a very interesting and instructive sermon on the life and character of St. Joseph, the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Foster Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Anew magnificent marble Altar for the new Cathedral has arrived from Baltimore. Mr. Mullen, of the firm of Mullen & Son, is putting it up. This beautiful piece of workmanship is of pure Italian marble; it will be twenty six feet in height, and it will form one of the principal attractions of the grand now Church. The doors, pews, communion railing and the episcopal throne will arrive in a few days. From this, it appears that the interior finish of the Cathedral is rapidly approaching completion. From Augusta and other places ap plications have already been sent in for seats for the occasion of the consecra tion of the Cathedral. Visitors to the new Cathedral will not be admitted any more until its opening for divine worship, except on business or by special permission. Receiving (lie Habit at the Isle of Hope. On Sunday last, feast of St. Joseph, the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Savannah, ac companied by Rov. A. Lechner, went to the Isle of Hope to give the habit to a postulant of tbe Ord?r of St. Benedict. Before High MasSjfthe Rt. Rev. Bishop addressed a few ''appropriate remarks 4s.the audience, iLad Rev. Dorn. Bergier, of St Benedi<st>fsresented the postulant, Mr. D. Enright, fro m Limerick, (Ire-1 lMd.-)h..jSliofet‘Rev. B&hop gave him the habit and the name of Dom. Greg ory. After the first Benedictine Pope; High Mass was sung by the Rev. Dom. Bergier. After the Communion the Novice was invested with the scapular of the Order. During High Mass, the Rt. Rev. Bishop delivered an impressive sermon on the Pope, wherein His Lordship proved that without a head the Church could not exist. Many of our Protest ant friends were moved by the eloquence of our Rt Rev. Bishop. At 4 o’clock p. m., Vespers were sung, and the large audience was gratified by another senuon by His Lordship, on Pur gatory. After the sermon, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given by Father Lechner, and all returned to the city, pleased with their excursion to wit ness the imposing ceremony. We wish the good Benedictine Father’s many Novices for their ancient Order of St Benedict, which has done so much for religion and civilization. On Tuesday last, Feast of St. Bene dict, Rev. Dom. Bergier, sung High Mass, in the Chapel of the Monastery. St. Patrick s Day In Savannah. The Irish in Savannah contributed their full share of honor and rever ence to tho great Apostle to whom they owe their faith. Though centuries have roiled by, kingdoms and empires have tottered and fallen, rulers and warriors, whose voices made the earth tremble, and whose smiles were valued as king doms, have passed away, and no mention of their existence can be found, save same worm-eaten folio of history, though ail this has fallen victim to the merciless destroyer of the “prowdest works of man” Bince the great Apostle of Ireland was laid to sleep in the bosom of Erin, his memory is still as green in the breasts of her sons and daughters as the hills of Ireland, pure and living as the limpid waters of .her streams, fertilizing to the faith as the overflow of her rivers to her banks and green meadows. The ish heart is too full of gratitude, the jpreciation of that peerless gem of nth too just to forget the one who handoned country and friends, made many sacrifices, endured so many joOt and suffered so many hardships to adorn with that pearl, the brow of Erin. Her children scattered over the uni verse, from North to South, from. East to West, might gather round the green flag to pay a tribute to the memory of many a generous-hearted patriot, to many a brave soldier, to commemorate great feats of valor or some hard fought bat tles of her sons; they might fill the air with, and bid the breezess waft to the ends of the earth, the praises of a Boroihme or an O’Neill, a Sarsfield or an OConneU, and entertain a just pride that Irish blood flows in their veins; but no, the saint before the soldier, the cross before the sword, for the Irish heart. That faith has cost them too dearly to give it only a second place in their breasts. The Irish in America know too well with what jealousy their forefathers strove for its preservation that it might be transmitted to their children unblem ished and as fresh as St. Patrick him self had given it. To do honor to the great Saint, on his feast, the different societies turned out in large numbers, vieing with each other as to who should present the grandest appearance. Such indeed was.their success, that Patrick’s Day never beheld in Savannah so many stalwart men assembled for its celebration. One might spend the day in some of the larger cities of the North or West, even in New York, and be struck with the colossal dimensions of its procession, but he would fail to perceive that order and compactness which characterized the procession here, and of which its participants might feel proud. At eight o’clock in the morning the several societies assembled on South Broad street, and under the command of Grand Marshal James G. Reynolds marched to the residence of the Bishop of Savannah, for the purpose of escort ing him and the Rev. Clergy to St. Patrick’s Church. The procession was there formed in the following prder: 1. Savannah Volunteer Guards’ Band. 2. Irish Jasper Greens. 3. Carriages with the Bishop and Clergy. 4. St. Vincent de Paul Society. 5. Father Mathew’s T. A. B. Society. 6. St. John the Baptist T. A. B. So ciety. 7. St. Patrick’s T. A. B. Society. 8. The Sodalities of the Cathedral and St. Patrick’s parishes. Upon the arrival of the procession at St. Patrick’s’ the Church was found to be filled to overflowing with ladies and gentlemen anxious to witness the grand and solemn ceremonies of the day. Room, however, was quickly made for the several societies. The Jasper Greons, numbering sixty one, were drawn up in line in front of the Sanctuary, and added not a little to the eclat as well as the solemnity of the ceremonies, under the command of the following officers: Captain, John Flan nery; Ist Lieutenant, Peter Reilly; ‘2nd Lieutenant, James McGrath; 2nd Lieutenant, Jr., E. J. Kennedy. After the large congregation was Beated, as far as possible, and perfect order prevailed, the solemn and impres sive ceremonies of the occasion com menced, the Rt. Rev. Bishop assisting PontificaUy, in cope and mitre, with Verry Rev. M. Culhnan and Rev. F. J. Miller, assisting deacons; Rev. L. Bazin, celebrant; Rev. J. A. Kelley deacon; Rev. H. J. McNallj, sub-deacon; and Rev. A. Leckner, master of ceremonies. The mass selected for the occasion was von la Hache’s Missa pro pace, to which the choir did full justice, and in which Miss Brooks took the principal part. St. Patrick seemed to have infus ed anew spirit into the organ through the finger’s of Mrs. Brooks, the com petent organist. After the Gospel, the Rt. Rev. Bishop delivered a panegyric of St. Patrick in his usual eloquent and impressive style. He commenced by making the remark that he supposed all his hearers were familar with the life of St. Patrick, and therefore he should only make allusions to it: He said that no doubt, if, when Si Patrick was a poor boy and a slave in a strange land, an angel had appeared to him, and told him of his glorious triumphs as a missionary of the cross, and of the honors that awaited him for generations to come, he would have supposed him to be a lying spirit in disguise. He then went on to describe the trials and tribulations, as well as the glorious THE SO mtEBN CROSS. and triumphant success of St Patrick as a missionary. While a poor boy and a slave he learned to love and admire the noble generosity of the hearts of the Irish people, although they were then envel oped in the Egyptian darkness of idol atry, and no sooner had he escaped from slavery, than he determined to prepare himself for the priesthood, and to spend his life as a missionary among the Irish people. After years of patient study and training, he was consecrated Bishop,and authorized by the Holy Father to proceed to Ireland, and endeavor to induce that noble and generous people to abandon their idols and embrace the Christian religion. He went there with his life in hia hand, with a firm purpose of sacrificing it, if necessary, in the cause of his Divine Master; but he converted the whole nation without the shedding of a single drop of human blood. What a noble tribute to the intelligence and native generosity of the Irish people! The history of the world does not fur nish another instanoe of the conversion of a whole people without the sacrifice of the lives of numerous missionaries of the cross. The Bishop then described with great clearness and force the results of the teachings of St. Patrick, the enemies of Christianity might rob the Irishman of his money, of his property, burn his house, and drive himself and his family into exile, and even rob him of his life; but they could never rob him of the holy faith instilled into the minds and hearts of his ancestors. Another of the results of the teachings of St. Patrick is the proverbial purity of the Irish women, recognized in every civilized communi ty throughout the world. As to the honors which have been accorded to the name of St. Patrick, the Bishop referred to the fact that more than thirteen hundred years after his death, there is scarcely a city or town of any importance in the civilized world, in which there is not a Catholic Church, bearing his name, and that in the city of New York, at the present time, there is in process of destruction, and rapidly approaching ceppletidu, ft Cathedral named St. Patriot, which will far exceed in magnitude and architectural beauty, any Church edifice on the continent of America, and that the erection of all these these Temples for the worshipof Almighty God, is chiefly due to the liberality of Irish men and Irish women. The above is only an imperfect out line of the address of the Bishop, which could only be justly appreciated by those who had the pleasure of hearing it. Shortly after the conclusion of the services in the Church, the civic proces sion was formed under the direction of Grand Marshal John A. Feuger and his aid, John W. Reilly, in the following order: 1. Hibernian Brass Band. 2. Irish Jasper Greens. 3. Hibernian Society. 4. Irish Union Socitey. 5. Benevolent Asso ciation. (j. Carriages containing clergy. 7. Savannah Volunteer Guards’ Band. 8. St. Patrick’s T. A. B. Society. 9. Father Mathew’s T. A. B. Society. 10. St. Vincent de Paul L. and B. So ciety. 11. St. John the Baptist T. A. B. So- ciety. The procession thus formed passed down South Broad street to East Broad street, thence to Bay street, pas sing in review at the Exchange before the Mayor and Aldermen of the city, where an immense crowd of people were assembled to witness the proceedings. After passing through the several principal streets the procession came to a halt at Chippewa square, where the Jasper Greens fired a salute in a manner which would have done credit to the most thoroughly drilled regular troops in this or any other country, after which the procession was dismissed. In the opinion of numerous old citi zens the procession was the most numerous and imposing which has ever occurred on St Patrick’s Day in Savan nah. Rous, Ga., March 20th, 1876. Editor Southern Cross : Last Friday night a most solemn and impressive oeremony was witnessed at St Joseph’s Church, Dalton. The pas tor, Rev. Joseph F. Colbert, erected the “Stations of the Cross.” The atten dance was very large, notwithstanding the imclemency of the weather. The Stabet Mater, which was on this occasion heard for the first time in North Geor gia, was nicely rendered. I trust that Father Colbert will soon perform the same ceremony in Rome, for our Church foundation is already completed, and when the work begins I trust funds will not be wanting to the carrying out of his grand and glorious designs. Spectator. St. Patrick’s Day in Atlanta. Atlanta, Ga., March 21st, 1876. Editor Southern Cross: Dear Sir —Believing that a few items about the manner in which the Irishmen and Catholics celebrated the anniversary of St. Patrick would be acceptable to your readers, I concluded to write you a brief account of it The different organiz ations assembled at the corner of Broad and Marietta streets at 9 o’clock A. M. and proceeded to the church in the fol lowing order: Cleburne Rifles, Capt R. C. Young; Hibernian Benevolent Society, President, John H. Flynn; St. Patrick’s T. A. B. Society, President, Joseph Gatins, and the Catholic Benevolent, President, Dr. Spaulding. Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father O’Reilly, after which he delivered a beautiful panegyric on the life of the saint The procession then reformed and marched through the principal streets of the city. It was the largest procession ever seen in this city upon St Patrick’s Day. This was the first appearance in public of the Cleburne Rifles since procuring their new uniforms, which is considered by military men the finest in the State. It was also the first parade of the Catholic Benevolent Society. This society de serves especial mention. It has dis pensed its charity with a liberal hand during this winter. I have never heard of a single needy Catholic applying to them for relief but have received it. The Hibernian Benevolent Society was or ganized in 1866. This society is the wealthiest in the city. The St. Patrick’s T. A. B. Society was organized in No vember, 1874. They made a fine appear ance with their new regalia and beauti ful banner. There was no oration delivered this year, owing to the illness of Mr. M. P. Carroll, of Augusta, who had consented to deliver it After the adjournment of the parade, the St Patrick’s Total Ab stinence and Benevolent Society pro ceeded to their hall for the purpose of electing officers to serve during the ensuing year. The following are the officers chosen: Joseph Gatins, President; W. H. Fifer, Vice-President; M. N. Blount, Secretary; P. F. Clarke, Financial Secre tary; William Gleason, Treasurer; Hugh Lynch, Marshal ;John Farley, Sergeant-at- Arms; James O’Donohou, Banner Bearer; Thomas Nunan, John J. Callaghan and P. D. Whelan Board of Directors. The Society is in a prosperous condition, many new membershaving been admitted during the past year, and everything promises well for its future prosperity. ‘•Novus Home.” St. Patrick’s Day in Charleston. Emblematical of the glorious light of Faith the great Apostle brought to the once dark land of the ‘Emerald Isle,’ the bright light of day broke out on tt e 17tli, and shed its warm and welcome influence ever the sons and daughters of St. Patrick in Charleston. Early in the morning the happy smile j and cheerful word greeted you on every | side. The streets were soon glittering with the flash of the regalia and the sweet shamrock, shining on the sons of Ireland like that sweet green Isle on the bosom of the waters. It was a lovely day—a day to make an old man young again—and the bright sun and the blue sky and the glittering flags and all seemed to say “Cead mille failthe” “a hundred thousand welcomea” The Cathedrae.— At half past ten a. m., the Cathedral Chapel was thronged with the various companies and societies which were to take part in the procession. A large number of the faithful were present; but many, owing to the vast concourse assembled within, were obliged to stand without The service commenced soon after ten o’clock. Rev. Father Quigley was celebrant; Father Gore, of St. Peter’s, deacon, and Father Twigg, sub-deacon. Father H. Northrop was Master of Ceremonies, and the Rev. Father J. H. Turner, Vicar-General of the Diocese of Brooklyn, and Father Croghan, assistants. The oration was delivered by the Rev. Claudian Northrop, Pastor of St Mary’s. He chose his text from the 44th Chapter of Ecclesiastics, from the Ist to the 15th verse, and had he searched the whole Bible, he would not have found one more opposite for the eulogy of the great Apostle, “to the man of renown—the man of mercy, whose posterity is a holy inheritance, whose children remain for ever, who ruled over the people, and by the strength of wisdom instructed the people in most holy words.” The orator gave a succinct but very beautiful outline of the Saint’s life, from his captivity fro his glorious death: “pre cious in the sight of God." March ajtk, 1876. He spoke in terms eloquent enough to captivate the heart of iron, of the read iness with which the Irish nation, almost as one man, bowed their intellects and warm hearts to the Faith of St Patrick. That Faith had never died out of the Irish nation, but had seemed to have grown brighter and stronger by the very things which have, in the case of other nations, tended to put it out or to render it feeble. The three hundred years in which Irishmen were fighting the Dane had no demoralizing effect on the grand religious heart of St. Patrick’s children; and, to day, after years of cruel oppression, tyrannical laws, exile, poverty and a thousand other evils inflicted by a con quering nation, they are as still strong in their Faith as their forefathers were on the field of Clontarf. He spoke of the virtue of hope that had buoyed up the unflinching and brave souls that could, even with despair open ing lijje an abyss before them, hope on, and see the fair star of victory shining in the future. He spoke in glowing language of De land’s charity, visible in its love for its neighbors, in its well-known hospitality to the stranger, in its willingness to as sist and befriend the suffering and op pressed. He eulogized the wondrous and beau tiful purity of Ireland’s daughters—-a purity taught then by the virginal bps of St. Patrick fifteen hundred years ago. He brought this beautiful and eloquent oration to a close by counseling his audience never to stain the Irish name, but to be true to God, themselves, and the noble country that had opened its broad arms to receive and welcome them. The discourse was listened to with great attention; and though it was long, no one manifested any desire for the orator to conclude, —a sign that his words went home to the hearts of all his hearers. After the Mass the procession was formed, consisting of the Irish Rifle Club, commanded by Lieut. J. F. Walsh; Irish Volunteer Rifle Club, commanded by Capt. Phil Fogarty; Irish Volunteers, commanded by Lieut. James Cosgrove; The Montgomery Guards, commanded by Captain A. G. Magrath. The procession marched through the principal streets of the city, and made a very fine and imposing display. The “Day of days” was concluded by a grand supper at the Hibernian Hah, Meeting street, at which appropriate toasts were uroposed and responded to by some of the leading gentlemen of Charleston. Thus ended St. Patrick’s Day in this “City by the Sea;” a day which we trust, by its brightness and its beauty and its thousand nameless things, has served to knit and bind together in a closer bond the children of the “far-off green Isle of the Ocean,” and of the Saint that once trod upon its sands and taught them the glories of the Catholic Faith. Charleston. The Irish Element in the States. The Hon. William E. Robinson, of Brooklyn, lectured last week on, ‘The Irish Element in the United States,’ in Peekskill, N. Y. for the benefit of the House of the Good Shepherd. He claim ed a very high position for the Irish in this country, showing that the leading generals, statesmen, merchants etc., who supported Washington were Irishmen and their sons, among them Barry, Butler, Carroll, Dunlop, Finley, Hand, Irving, Knox, Lyncfi, Livingston, McKean, Meade, Moore, Noylan Mont gomery, Nixon, O’Brien, PoUock, Read, Ramsey, Rutledge, Sullivan. Stark, Stewart, Thompson, Taylor, Thornton and Wayne. He showed, what is now generally known, that the family of Liv ingston, perhaps the most distinguished Revolutionary American family, were all descended from an Irish Presbyterian minister, who built a ship, called the Eagle’s Wing, at Groomsport, in Belfast Lough, and sailed for this country" with 144 colonists for New England. Though driven back, most of them afterwards emigrated to this country, and his son Robert was the founder of the family here. He showed that the original Plymouth colony came to America in one ship, whilst the first Irish colony of Londonderry came in five ships, and he showed that several of these early Irish settlers in New England, whose names and families he gave, had each about one hundred descendants among the American people. He claimed that at the time of the Declaration of In dependence at least one half of the American people were of Irish birth or blood, and that the proportion is now much larger. —American Gael. The Report Courteous. —A shop keeper purchased of an Irish woman a quantity of butter, the lumps of which, intended for pounds, he weighed in a balance and found wanting. “Sure it’s your own fault if they’ relight,” said Biddy, in reply to the complaints of the buyer, “it’s your own fault, sir; for wasn’t it with a pound of your own soap I bought here myself that I weighed them ?” The store-keeper had nothing mote to say on that subject