The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-09
NEW YORK HERALD.
New York. "wednesday. September o. 1916.



The opinion that we expressed some days ago,
"a to the turn affairs would take in Ireland. has
b-rn fully verified ~ the event. O'Connell
has thrown off the mask-has declared thal ne
will have no coalition with O'Bren-has en-
d-av pred 10 make that gentleman odious t. the
people by accusing him OF entertaining doctrines
Of revolutionary tendenc has formally pre-
sen'ed his son John a. his successor 10 the IGsh
peope-and fnaly has pned the wings, whose
inquiries, three months ago, no terms in
O'ConnePs well-sto,ked vocabulary were strong
enough To condemn.
This exposure OF O'ConnelPs real views and
sentiments does not take US at all by sur prise.
We have thought for years, that one OF III, objects
OF his existence to leave his son ohm an heir
loom 10 the Irish people. We have foreseen,
ever since O'Brien became popular that
O'Connell would sooner or later seek to throw
that gentleman into the shade. Such has ever
been his policy towards those who oil
likely 10 interfere with his own popularity, as in
the case of Lawess, of O'Gorman Mahon, of
Sharman Crawford, of Richard Labor Shiel, and
Others. These gentlemen Were accused of doing
either too little o. too much, and were invariably
held mp to the popular gaze in such an odious
lighr, that they were either driven into obscnrty
or into The ranks of the enemy. This has been
the III O'Bren's instance. He became
too popular" His graces served him but as ene-
mics " be was in the way OF the succession, and
1t was necessary to kill him OF. Were John
O'Connell not i'll existence, OBrien would be
now basking in the sunshine OF O'Connell's IA
in Cancellation Hail.
We have already given detailed account of
the disruption i'll Cancellation Hall, and of the tu-
a
secession of Smith OBrien and Young Ire
land" An occasion for breach had been long
sought for, and great many annoyances were
resorted to for the purpose OF inducing OBrien
10 separate himself from the association These
annoyaHces Were d.sregaTded. series of reso-
lutons then proposed, condemning physl-
cal force, unqualifedy and absolutely. at all
times, and under all circumstances. O'Bren,
Mea2her, Mitchell, and others, OH ected to this
lt was srenuousiy urged, however, by O'Con-
nell, and ali opposition was Withdrawn in conse-
quence-O'Brien contenting himself with dis
sen,ing from O'Connelrs views on the subject
But O'Conne did not let the matter drop. He
reiterated, in letter 10 the association, that it
absolutely necessary the neral force
lutions should be acquescei in by all the men,
bers. This was g drawing line' between him.
sell and the Young Ireland patty.
~ recent meeting OF the association,
O'Connei formally presented his son John to the
people of Ireland as their future leader. We have
serious doubts whether the Irish people will feel
sach qualification ut this gift as O'Conneu
seems TO anticipate John O'Connell is not
fitted by his talents his steadness, or hls frmness
TO be leader. The affections and the confidence
of the people are centered in William Smith
O'Brien after Mr.. O'Connen, and it is perfectly
idle FOR Mr.. OConnei, even with his vast in
huence, TO tirn the popular current.
But the great principle upon which O'Con-
nell insists, is the moral for principle in all its in
tegrty No human oppression can, according 10
his position, justify the shedding of one drop of
human blood, and while O'Brien holds any other
doctdne, he cannot hold any communication with
that gentleman. Let see whether O'Conne
is consisent i'll this position.
In the great monster meetings of 1913, which
were in themselves demonstrations of physical
force, or nothing, O'Connell talked frequent
y of the pleasure it would afford him to right the
wrongs ofhis country in "battle line "-threaten-
ed that if the enemies of his country persisted in
assailing its constitution, they should advance
over his liteess rse-(certainly this smacks
somewhat of physical force) praised the volun.
teers of l7S2-not by any means moral force or
ganization-and absolutely organized club call
ed the 'S2 club, in imitation Of the men who
threatened England with revolt in 80, and insert
bed upon their banners the motto, "Ireand as she
ought to be, or the world in blaze" Steele
exceeded O'Connell in his wild enthusiasm, for
meeting the enemies of his country "in bat
tie line Smith O'Brien was more temperate
than either; and still declares that he has no idea
of resorting to physical force but he says that on
extraordinary occasions, rs, for instance. in the
case Of the American Revolution, n resort to
arms is necessary. O'Connel now declares that
this doctrine OF O'Bren is exceedingly dan
gerous, and that to entertain it is virtual treason
=" this is his opinion as a lawyer" This asser-
ton is most disingenuous. O'Connen at het
state trials, declared it to be "his opinion as
lawyer" that neither he nor any of his associates
had done wrong in using expressions COM
pared with which O'Brien's strongest lam
guage is milk and honey-and now he declares
that this language of O'Brien is dangerous and
treasonous O'Connell, lawyer, has no
superior in the profession-but here are two
opinions of his directly at variance. But his for
mer opinion, that his expressions and those of his
friends at the monster meetings were perfectly le-
gal, was sustained by the opinion of the law
lords of England. His latter opinion, is there
fore, not correct. 1t is easy TO judge whether he
was candid in the expression Of that opinion.
This want of candor in O'Connel is sadly to
be depored, as it is a blot upon the character of
one Of the greatest men at present in existence 1t
bu, is another proof how much selfinterest BELT
ties men even of great minds. But he has fallen
to still lower depth.
While the conservatives were in power
O'Connell declaredthat he had no confidence in
either wing or tory. Lord John Russell came into
power, and O'Connell Immediately declared
his determination TO give him his support Who
was this Lord John Russell, and by what had he
merited the support of the friends of Ireland !