New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-08-28
smith o'Brieu.

IRON no Nlai1 fIfr11sl iuurrs nf Au. ~
Never, perhaps, within the memory Of the present
generation, the public mind Dublin deeply
s"ayed by anxiety than on sunday the sixth day Of
August day oi remarkable import reand-the iay
that gave birth To Daniel OConnel and prison to
smith o Brien.
No sooner had the depressing intelligence that smith
Brien had been apprehended and committed tor high
been diiused. than anxious inquirers aoc sed
from every quarter OF the city 70 learn tina particulars
Of event iraught with many painful feelings and
recolecti0ns
There was no difference Of feeling whore common
sentiment u sympathy for suffering and respec, for the
private worth and high and honorable character of the
devoted man filled alike All bOsoms There was no
exception el-COnscrvativcs, Reporters, and even
Whies-ielt generous impulse when the event %
sunday became known. And why should e not be so ,
Men ever VIII sympathize with self sacrincing devotion
"A quality as rare ss it is heroic, and which always
reminds men, however Il may be- occasionally mis-
directed misappAed, OF better times aud ol more
heroic deeds than fall to the 10, OF these degenerate
days.
is not oru now 10 dwell upen the painful event OF
sunday, Of the few preceding days IL Is enough To
know that they have ended IN the communication the
highest offence known 20 the law-ot a man a. single
minded as honorable as unstancd and unselhsh, ~
candid and chivalrous rs ever roi the Irish soil.
Those who most differ from Smith OBrisn, who place
themselves in strongest autagonism TO the principles
which he advocated must accord % him the posses zion
the highest qualities and nobest virtues which adon
man. Men who cannot ascend beyond the low and yul
gar level OF their baseness will Of course, affect
posite character. With those We cannot argue
we shall not argue-we will not yndicate Smith q Br
ems personal character from the motives with which
such seek 20 asperse his fame. We are content 10
leave his personal reputation in the hands even OF his
political anniversaries aud certain that when the
heat OF present contention shall have subsided-when
the msts OF prejudice. raised by recent events. shall
have passed away. viii deal more justly with his
fame and be slow 20 sscrihe 10 mean or unmany mo
tves, however they may otherwise disapprove or con
denim, the acts of William Smith O'Brien
One act--he last free act of smith q Brien-illus
trates more powerfully than the fabricated cslumnes
OF thousand London special reporters, the spirit
that swayed the conduct OF this high hearted msan
act worthy of his ancient name-worthy his own rcpu
tation. and honorable to the country OF his birth
During whole fortnight smith O'Brien escaped the
hot and gant pursuit of power and IT'S ten thousand
armed men He found safety and refuge in the cotag,
of the peasant But when he discovered that To haf
Dor " shelter or aid William smith . Brcn would
involve the party extending such aid shelter, or mar
bOr in the tremendous penalties of hghtreason he Al
once resolved 10 absolse his poorer countrynen from
the performance of that instructive duty Of the Irish
acc-hospitIhfg--whch the cauiionary proclamation
had converted into legal crime, he vowed that no man
should suffer for having extended 10 him the shelter o
his humble rOoftree.
To this nagnanmous resolve Is due the arrest al
Thures w sricd and worn from long and painful
watching and fearing hat 20 accept the protection OF
the peasants side might direct the vengeance OF IN,
law on the innocent he determined never again TO lay
his head beneath root other then his own and II
pursuance OF that stern and heroic resolution he turn
ed his wande ring footsteps once more toward home
careless of personal nsequences-proydedo only iht
ini Jury and the RUIN fell upon himself alone.
We yOuch for this fact.
We must leave this painful subject Tor to-day ano
place before our readers narrative ot the scs which
preceded and followed the arrest of smith o Brien
Few they who will read them without deeply pam
fu emotions.