The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-02-27
THE REV. HENRY GILES DISCOURSE
ON TIE
SPIRIT OF IRISH HISTORY;


AND SOME OF ITS REMEDIES INDICATED.
Delivered in the sew York Tabernacle, on
Tuesday Evening, February 23.
The cry Of u6sring millions Is wslng through the
nations ana three thousand miles away, though is II
falls percinxy ears, and ctingy hearts
The roar Of ocean has but borne II 10 hearing with
wdsr energy. II 10 the shrek Of humanity out Of the
depths s calamity II il the sound Of mighty
that risss above tho OF elements, and fresh
In bi,ierness the sweep Of world A whole
people starving and starving even death Food
hst q, the best WRECKED sndbut rarely sbunaan Is
nov wanting alioge'hsr-exisssncs which, with multi
tudes In ireland hsd ever bcen struggle u denied
upon The hardest tsrus Famine stalks gaup:y through
the lana hunger staggsrs BY the way side mortality
dssol.iss the psssanss hearth and these poor homes
which. bare BEFORE wersyet eontsned. by mysterious
visa,ioa Of Providence have becomes Installations Of
mourning and ruin. Multiiudss psrishing that act
sd~i,. neither 81 doubt Of dispute. Muititudes
ere psnshios Ast s % certain |" Il !: terrible
fact 10 still most korribl sad NEST appalling. Were
they ssvsgss in the depths OF an African viii
send ,s.s sueesar We're they. the %..,Su.r sr.ns
sr foreign to us IN every mode Of thought and habit
that can render .s'isn: alien to each other they
humanity, and hs voice would plead for them. Were
they base saA worthless both in character end cen
wiu from US csupsssisn. Were they eDsniss and had
done the worst Of injuries. net only the prscspts Of
10 help them In the hour Of their agony. But, they
are nooe Of these They have given TO civilization
,n, ~ - s,r:s, o. ." most p
most heroic minds Multfndes Of US here bone OF
ihs bone and essh Of their fssh the fathers who sup
pertsd youth live above, or lie bsnesth the green
swsrd Of Iris: the mothers Who Gang infancy 10
sleep with s paissive melodies are still breathing It's
Dir, gone TO misgs with lie saints In heaven To all
Of OF whatsoever nation, they kindred In the ties Of
tia, solemn existence which We feel the intense
Own ears nav. bsss s~sy: open 10 The cry Of the dis
uessed. They have ever been willing to give. not mere
r.oDi. Sh... So.pi,:ss free .s III. wind
upon their mountains. and generous az the rain
upon their valleys; III. fame o. !. vide -
pie now xrisvous trouble. They are in the midst
Of famine and in the midst Of plenty Out OF this
great plenty We sending them support and with sup
port pity and prayers Let us most gratefully
and hunbly bless God who has put h.s most blessed pr
s.s a. cor r,S ss .vag fhoss VINO
hearts to sng for JOYS TO change mourning for gsdnes
aid the spirit Of boHvness for the spirit Of praise
with passionate emotion shskss the population Of
this great lend within tho whole compass 81 is bsun
Diary, ssstng nss lie cities merely, but csusnE tesrs 70
nsw s the ,h,n,y Of its darkest forest Or its
widest prairie would not insult yoar synpshiss ny
appssliss then; am not ssrs 10 plead cause; The
hears mound me are its burning advocates ADD nay
feeble the poorest echoes Of the anxiees
that heating in hesrts for the millions that look
therefore, enlarge the present distress; will endesyor
to revive the wsolo system Of which this 10 only part
to seek out whence IL has originated and how be
chsDgetto trace Of iis causes, end to indicate
some Ut It's reNedies. must OF course con6ne mysel
tins. bu, tn" re- sairomsnss OF tho oecssion The occs
sion il one which will not tolerate much that admits
greatly Of dispute and one which requires ell the
citation that truth sanction II WILL thsrefois, he
my desire in analysing this lecture and spe
cifying remedies to take broad ind common grouns
as with my opinions. Il 10 possible for me to tske II
offence and, though such man may dispute my posi-
lions trust that he will have no Complaint 10 make
sgsinss my temper. The Of Irish distress man,
find wholly in the choTsccr Of the people. On this
tor We eacrss sisrd to enlarge and, thu, |, may
ST IN our way AZ We proceed, we will grant for the
IS 10 OF argument that the character OF the people
snd 80 restless Us there philosophers describe IL
tis cause alone, or to this mainly, Is not only
psriia but false at vsrisnce slke with any comprshen
cas.s OF any psrsaisr .nnesinS in LELAND is seldom
local or to be found within itself
near The causes OF the present de.tituton
not all immediate They are not ai IN the failure Of the
posa,o- not eli in the character Of those who plant
the potato and live on H. The potato IL 10 true pre-
carous vegetable and the people Of rslnd who have
fed upon for geAsrasioa not in oil things
wisest or most povident OF nations; but in, any
state OF things woula not surely be within the limits
dust which hid tailed 20 saord nourishmept 10 fragile
root such tfiicuons rs Ireland is enduring. terri
bic as they are are not singular In her experience They
have been but too often her misfortune snd though 10
eur view they are strange, they in her story suf
h,
skies above, from the earth beneath and therefore
we shall nat ascerd 10 the heavens, 70 down IN.
deep 10 seek their causes most Of them within III.
range oivsry ordins enquiry and they both Dte
gibie and exflansbls shall speak on causes Of tw,
kindsone historical, and social And hs, Of IN.
historicslr has long been country Of seii alton
The elements Of dscord have been sow early in he,
history and throughout her course, they have beer
noun.hed and not srsdicated. AT first divided into
small principahes Ike all countries ircumsanced
strife was constantly taking place among them either
for dom pion defence. 1t did not hspr to Ireland
TO England that these separate States bad been subsud
into uni by native prince, before the Intrusion Of
foreign ruler II cid not happen to Ireland 90 to Enssi
fed his dignity with IT, and thus his children became
natives Of The soil England previous 10 the iavasisn
OF Willism tue CoraueIor, was united empire. and
therefore, though at hs battle Of Hastings the
Of tho throne was changed the integrity OF the nation
remained Ireland made up OF divided and conflicting
States, when the myrmidons If Henry the Second or
rived upon its shores and, sf,er these hss gained
settlements in the country there adhesive yrnci
pie among the natives. lad ireland been sol,dstsd
she CO. Ia not have been being conquered
she would like England, have absorbed the
The spirit OF English nationality was never stronger
than was IN the princes Of the Normsn line; and they
asserted with hsughpess. oftsn,iues with an inus
tce that rendered the formidable every
STATE ihey were the most inordns,ely jealous Of
external interference with the concerns OF their king
dom, either of secular spiritual character, or
generations they guarded Epgsnd with even Zero
cious pride but, also, with CONNIE ndsbls zssI they
reared up her motive Institutions, and broueht out her
lsten' energies But the stranger Ireland; sua
Q stronger no itili remained English comision CON
lene.d IN ifsuni IN spirit Of conquest, and u con
tinued III spit Of exclusion. NstionsI sbimosty
thus IerPe'usted, ,ustansd the spirit Of vsr. ans
ragged vfh a herceness which tine ca
nothing to mt gate. TIE native ct ieitsins hen rot
in conlct asoss themselves united against the com.
mon ioa and the end 81 every nav struggle was 10
creased opp ssson 10 the people. Coveiousnsss nd
dsd to the otksr basar passions aud rspacy snsmss
the anarchy IN which IL hoped for gain Defeated rebel
lion brought conA'ssuon insurrscon was, therefore,
the hsryest Of advsnturer soss Of fortune rather
soldiers ior fortune ghered like wolves 20 the bstie
Ihey were reody 10 glory IN the strife aad 10 profit by
~ Ihey enjoyed the soil Of the sretchss whom they
slaughtered; and the work seemed ss great pleasure
as tne recompense Exhausted however In Iobbng the
aborginos they sought new excitement IN deer oiling
one ano'her and tired Of lighting for plunds they be-
gan, NJ isst 10 night for precedenceso u continued 20
Tue period OF Elizabeth, and though that brouc change
ul' not blts Improvement ior 10 tho conh ct Of
wss now AIDED The conflict Of reiig ion THIS sgs OF
f1iAaOrtn when was 90 Europe the dawn OF many
hopes mis- sge OF Elizabeth, which adorned and
30 sntcned w'th all that makes age h,s
~ Vi hHsgeth wab only for Ireland heavy and star
Iess hsht Inc government of Elizabeth which had 40
h, sory iot England gave no promise TO ireland Ia