The American nation is a great, imitative people; they cannot live without some or other great excitement. In their time Fanny Elssler, the dancer, and Jenny Lind, the singer, were idolized by them and called divine. Kossuth was the idol during six months; he tried with success his fortune at it, and he issued bonds and gathered a good round purse while his excitement lasted. In short, he returned to Europe incognito, leaving his dupes ashamed of themselves for having been so craftily humbugged by that greatest humbug of the age, as he now stands here acknowledged by even his once greatest admirers. The present antiCatholic excitement, though of a very different nature from the above facts, can possibly not last long; other matters may soon present themselves that will attract more and all their attention. The anti-Catholic movement of England is only aped at, at present, in the United States. Witness the ridiculous nunnery questions in both countries. England had the wisdom to leave it alone and the Yankee legislating parsons of Boston burned their fingers at it and are now held forth to scorn by their very adherents who placed them in office.
At first I feared that the Know-nothing movement would prove disastrous to the Catholic church. I feared that the great majority of the American people, constituted as it is by Protestants and quasi infidels and those in general who take no thought of religion, would unite to put down the Church. This fear was increased by the recollection of the facts that mobs had burned convents and churches with impunity in some of our eastern cities. I saw no hope for Catholicity but in the promise: " Lo! I am with you all days," etc. But now, even humanly speaking, I feel confident that instead of being injured, the Church will be benefited by this Know-nothing warfare against it. Political parties are generally tolerably equally divided. Recent State elections have shown that Know-nothingism is not allpowerful and it is more than probable that the majority of the American people will be found on the side of those prin