We have seen that the Irish Papist could not be discouraged out of the country, in which he was not without the ministration of the priest, who though he had no fixed abode in the Island, usually came out in a fishing-boat, and so diguised as to escape the vigilance of the hostile authorities. Protestants suffered from no such disadvantage. Their's was the recognised religion of the State, and its ministers were stationed in the principal settlements. This indeed was the state of things throughout the continent of America, wherever, in fact, the British power was recognised. Catholics were under a ban, hunted, persecuted, or grievously discouraged, while Protestants enjoyed in its fulness the advantages of a protected church and a dominant religion. This should be always taken into consideration when estimating the progress of those who were guilty, in the eyes of their jealous rulers, of the double offence of being Catholic and Irish.
In the year of grace 1784 liberty of conscience was proclaimed in Newfoundland, and the Catholics at once took advantage of the boon. In that year the Rev. James O'Donnell, the founder and father of the church of Newfoundland, landed in the island. A native of Tipperary, he had spent a large portion of his life in the Irish Franciscan Convent of Prague, in Bohemia, and afterwards presided over the convent of his order in Waterford, and subsequently as the provincial of the order in Ireland. He was the first regularly authorised missioner in Newfoundland since it had been ceded to the British in 1713 ; and to his wisdom, firmness and sagacity are due the practical settlement of the Irish in that colony. The following document is rather a strange commentary on the proclamation of liberty of conscience and freedom of worship of six years before. It was written by Governor Milbank, in answer to an application by Dr. O Donnell for leave to build a chapel in one of the out-ports:
