this policy of yours, if it could prevail, you would be doing the most effectual thing to annihilate yourselves, both physically, politically, morally, and socially.  For, if you turned off all the “furriners,” not only would you sink in wealth and resources,—­your ships unmanned, your factories unworked, your canals and railroads undug, and your battles unfought,—­but your very blood would corrupt, and turn into water!  Your physical stature would soon be reduced to the standard of the Aztecs; and, what is worse, following the natural channel of your Anglo-Saxon instincts, you would become a godless race of Liliputians!  Yes, followers of Mormon Smith, Joe Miller, Theodore Parker, and spiritual raps.  O nativists, to what an abyss your mental intoxication was hurrying you, in your blind zeal against the emigrant and the foreigner!

CHAPTER VIII.

THE ORPHANS IN THEIR NEW HOME.

After the arrival in the city of the wearied missionary, his first visit was to the scene of his late visit to the dying widow; and learning all the particulars there that came under the cognizance of Mrs. Doherty, he next drove rapidly to the poorhouse, where, as we have already stated, the pious officials had arranged the details so as to disappoint the Popish priest of his benevolent designs, and to secure, if possible, the adhesion of the young and interesting orphans to what they called “Bible religion.”

When Father O’Shane called at the county house, he learned from an under official that the boss “warn’t to home; and,” said he, “the children hadn’t been here mor’n a few hours, when a highly-respec’able farmer had taken them with him to bring up.”  He couldn’t “tell nothin’ about who the farmer was, or where he was from; but the children wor well done for, that’s all.”  It was in vain the priest represented that the children were no paupers, but of highly-respectable connections, who were able and willing to provide for them.  He didn’t “know nothin’ about that; but he knowed papers were signed, (as he was directed falsely to assert,) and that sartain the children could not now be claimed by any persons except their parents.  They were now under the care of guardians.”  After repeated visits, continued for weeks and months, to the same establishment, Father O’Shane could gain no more satisfactory knowledge of the fate of the orphans.  He was obliged to relinquish his search in despair, concluding that the children were kidnapped, and that, except by God’s mercy, their faith and morals were doomed, under the influence of cold, contradictory infidelity or heresy.  He mentioned the case to his congregation, earnestly soliciting their prayers for these poor orphans of Christ; and he oftentimes offered the holy sacrifice, to enlist the influence of heaven in their regard.