Memorial volume, 1772-1922 : the arrival of the first Scottish Catholic emigrants in Prince Edward Island and after

Louis J O'Leary, Daniel B Macdonald

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MEMORIAL VOLUME 1772 r 1922 THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST SCOTTISH CATHOLIC EMIGRANTS IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AND AFTER The Journal Ltd.Publishing Co., Summeraid , P. E. Island 19ft FEB 21 1955 FOKEWORD The erection a monument at to commemof Scotchfort orate the arrival the Scottish Catholicof first immigrants in Prince Edward is an event that deserves moreIsland, than notice. So is it connected with the bestpassing closely traditions in this that it deserves toof Catholicity Country, be enshrined in the who are ivithmemory of all, impressed the the Catholic Church has exercised ininfluence moulding the destinies the Province.of For this reason the Committee in the mattercharge of 1 deemed it advisable to a "Memorial Volume conpublish an account the entire and at thesametaining of proceedings, time the aims and insetting forth aspirations, crystallized the Scottish Catholic reunion 1922.19th.ofJuly The volume thus to the contains in depresented public tail the the Scottish Catholic Itstory of first emigrants. recounts the circumstances that them to leavetrying forced their native and come to seek homes in Prince Edwardhind, Island. It describes the conditions met on their ai^rivalthey and the trials and were tosubsequent difficulties they forced The in the volume tells the heroundergo. brightestpage of ism and devotedness the who with theof early Missionai^ies, stood at their and laboredconstancy ofMartyrs post of duty, to the Faith amid incrediblepreserve privations.

Sujets

• Catholic Church
• Scots
• Prince Edward Island

Informations

• Publié par: les_archives_du_savoir
• Nombre de lectures: 7
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 10 Mo

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MEMORIAL VOLUME
1772 r 1922
THE ARRIVAL
OF THE
FIRST SCOTTISH CATHOLIC
EMIGRANTS
IN
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
AND AFTER
The Journal Ltd.Publishing Co.,
Summeraid
, P. E. Island
19ftFEB 21 1955FOKEWORD
The erection a monument at to commemof Scotchfort
orate the arrival the Scottish Catholicof first immigrants
in Prince Edward is an event that deserves moreIsland,
than notice. So is it connected with the bestpassing closely
traditions in this that it deserves toof Catholicity Country,
be enshrined in the who are ivithmemory of all, impressed
the the Catholic Church has exercised ininfluence moulding
the destinies the Province.of
For this reason the Committee in the mattercharge of
1
deemed it advisable to a "Memorial Volume conpublish
an account the entire and at thesametaining of proceedings,
time the aims and insetting forth aspirations, crystallized
the Scottish Catholic reunion 1922.19th.ofJuly
The volume thus to the contains in depresented public
tail the the Scottish Catholic Itstory of first emigrants.
recounts the circumstances that them to leavetrying forced
their native and come to seek homes in Prince Edwardhind,
Island. It describes the conditions met on their ai^rivalthey
and the trials and were tosubsequent difficulties they forced
The in the volume tells the heroundergo. brightestpage of
ism and devotedness the who with theof early Missionai^ies,
stood at their and laboredconstancy ofMartyrs post of duty,
to the Faith amid incrediblepreserve privations.
While the monument at willstanding Scotchfort speak
to the andGcd thispasserby of things wroughtfor Country,
little volume icill bcnr the s.ime devotednessstory of through
out wider areas and to This is thenumbers.larger object
the "Memorial Volume" this t/>e irishof of
The Committee.
Charlottetown.,
1July 19th,CATHOLICSSCOTTISH
IN EDWARD ISLANDPRINCE
ICHAPTER
Few events in the of civilized nationshistory compare
interest and with the made in the middlein pathos, attempt
Prince Charles Edwardof the century by Stuart,eighteenth
of histo recover the throne ancestors.
in hisFrom his Scotland on 23rd tilllanding July 1745,
final into his soFrance, pathway lay through manyescape
vicissitudes of success and of andfailure, hope despondency,
that the of those few months seem to to thestory belong
realm of rather than to that of trueromance, history.
One trait stands forth from the backhowever, clearly
of doubt and and shines like a thread ofobscurity,ground
it and that the attachgold throughout all, is, unswerving
ment and of the Catholic to theloyalty Highlanders person
of the unfortunate Prince. With little for cononly, regard
flocked to his on the memorablesequences, they standard,
when its folds blessed McDonaldday waving by Bishop
were out on the breeze at Glenfinnan. Theyflung pledged
their their to his cause.their wealth, homes, lives, They
were to to forwith and dieready go him, fight him, aye
for him with a of that seemedtenacity purpose, begotten
not of calm reason but of infatuation. Andthoughtless
did for their devotedness. Terribledearly they pay, indeed,
theirwas the retribution that followed of theespousal
Stuart cause and for were forced to theyears they pay pen
amid incalculable trials andalty sufferings.
inIt is true that the Penal Laws had been in force
for of Princeto the Charlie;Scotland, years prior coming
much of theirwith the of had lostbut, lapse time, they
wellearlier and it often that officialsseverity, happened,SCOTTISH CATHOLICS IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
towards their Catholic would allowdisposed countrymen,
the intervals of But afterlatter, Cullod-comparative peace.
en s fatal when the Stuartday cause was ruined forever,
the authorities laid to harass thedeeper plans poor High
so that henceforth their existencelanders, became a verit
able hitherto exercised inEgyptian bondage. Any leniency
the administration of the Laws was no tolerated.longer
New all foimer inones werestatutes, surpassing ferocity,
orders wentand forth stricterenacted, enjoining vigilance
in with the Catholic was left undealing people. Nothing
done to make their lives and it would seem thatmiserable,
the of the was less than a wellpolicy day nothing plan
to the of the House of Hanover.out, vengeancethought glut
modern writer:to a "more than a thousandAccording per
sons were from the theCountry,transported Highland
Clans were decimated and the Catholicdispersed, Chapels
the at Scalan anddestroyed, Seminary plundered burned,
Missals and Vestments committed to the flames,publicly
with merciless Theand Priests and people persecuted rigor.
of the authorities was directed in a mannervigilance special
the of the Reverendagainst Bishop Highland District, Right
the andwho was forced to fleeHugh McDonald, Country
some time in retirement in France." (Geddes)spend
Another that added to the ofcircumstance, difficulties
whosethe times was the conduct of the Landlords, upon
estates the Catholic were settled. These landedpeople
from the Government of thetheir cuegentry, taking day,
treated their tenants with heartless andseverity, pursued
in their a of lessscarcelyregard policy petty persecution,
Howsoeverthan the laws of thetrying iniquitous Country.
matters stood with the his rent must be ontenant, paidpoor
his well or was ademand. Whether failure,crop yielded
collectorwhether his circumstances were or thegood bad,
*
never failed to come to his door the poundinsisting upon
for the luckof and seizure or evictionflesh," threatening
less who found himself unable to meet his obligations.one,
the rent was hailed withOft-times failure to undisguispay
who toed the haughty pretendedpleasure by proprietor,