The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-25
MEMOIR. OF JOHN mitchell.
HIS LIFE AND TIMES.
His Speeches and Writings,
Sc, &c., Sc.

One OF the most rema, kahle Ireland proaucsi
and certainly the most di asuhsd and widely kuowa
Of her for the last half century DALiel 0Conne
excepted, the subject of the present. memoir; who is
his way from San Francisco to New York, and may
arrive at any moment
HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE, FAMILY, AND EARLY
CAREER.
The wri Of this . distinct rcole 'tion Oh
his pereona appearance between and six ago
h il little above the medium height rather slender
than otherwise but we'll formed agile and active IN MS
movements. He is of fair complexion AMI pale 'a'e with
q slight ,inge of red His cheeks somewhat holisw ana
the cheek slightly ell waited His hair Is brown and
his o. ss blue large but quick aud piercing His
son. ON the whole 1t that time decidedly handsome
He struck the suffering from delicacy of
health which the fact. He subjsc. to asth
matte Affection and it is said that the climate of Aus
trAa has agreed with his health. His physogr omy is
highly intellectual. He il not of exctabe tsmpsra
ment the contrary he COOL amidst the excl
ting There calm and dignity about
his thin lips and finely knit orows Altogether he looks
what he Is. In his he is very gsntsmany quiet
unostsatatious, and rather reserved with strangers
the society of intimate friends he occasionally lights up
with enthusiasm when congenal topics introduced
Then again. he L. sometimes taciturn and thoughtful
and expression Of sadness shades his
thor than of words Een in public he has made very few
speeches. though what did make were of the finest
description, and exhibited the power his writ
inss, which They short sharp and
decisive, like the ring of rife His accent is very must
CAL and his delivery clear and distinct His is
graceful snd appropriate though devoid Of exayge
ration o. his words Of rant In character UPRIGHT he
. Of truth and enemy of all humbug He
unquestonably ths spirit the Irah revou-
uonary movement of ls4s aad far the greatest intel
lect and Sblest writer of the time. He is admitted ON all
hands to have been the dangerous enemy Br
tsh government and hey accordingly singled him
the first victim.
John Mitchell was born in 1914 at Dungiven, in the
county of Londonderry, village far from Newtown
limavsdy He is now, therefore, thirty nine years Of
age His father Presb, terrain ciergyman removed to
Newry in Johns hoyhood, and there the youth was
brought up. Newry situated in the county of Down
almost the boundary line between the provinces Of
Ulster and Leinster and is therefore called ths fronsr
town Of the North" 1t is however, in Ulster and con-
sequen'y John Mitchell both born and reared north
srn rishman His father is long since dead His vene
rabe mother his brother. and OF his sisters are
siding in the vicinity of this city His father was always
zealoua friend of religious freedom and political equal
U, and had been United iishman and republican ia
1885, rhenunder the leadership of Wolfe Tone VIII oss
spirit after the lap Of hsf century to have de-
seconded John Mitehel-sR effort throw off
the English yoke and make Ireland repu Bile His mother
had Tone il the city Of londonderry ~hen after the
French feet that had wi had
been scattered by storm, he captured of the
in the Hochs which had been surrounded by four of
the lire and q frigate and reduced to dlsmanslei
wreck after six hours desperate ugh ing No dou tbs
story Of Tone had its effect upon the youthful of her
eldestsn
His father descended from family OF the Scottish Dor
der, driven to Ireland for political offences against Eng
land was highly respected minister Of the Unitarian
creed In which John was educated and believer
and which also lad its inuenos upon his political opin
ions, the Untarar being remarkable liberal
ity in politics for their liberation tiers of re
gion Constituting but small proportion Of the Protest
ants Of Ulster and holding in regard to the doctrine
the Trinity teDets At variance with the faith only of
the Prehbytesians but Of the Ep:scopalians Catholics
Baptist independents Methodist and all other Christ an
Scots the Cntarans were for the part from
the pale Il christianity and salvation ITSELF by other
denominations and particularly BY he Orthodox" fol
lowers of John Knox THY consequently
In social point Of view, in country here religious
cor and intolerance have Away prevailed extent that
would incredible in the United States where macs
creed rarely made subject Of inquiry BY his
In Ireland religion has been the great bone contention
and pety in the followers Of each have con
tans Of every other denomination This persecution and
oboquy have been shared largely by the
and seems to have had the effect of making them liberal
IN their political sentiments Certain it is they have gen
orally eeen found enlisted the side of feedo 10 every
Irish strl sgls.
The population Of Ulster the best educated the ost
enlightened tle comfortable in their sircumstancs
the most sturdy and sterling the country-dTsrng
from the Inhabitants Of the other provinces not only
their accent which partakes strongly Of the Scotch dia
lect but il their physical appearance and in those
tai qualities which dstss ush the PIE OF Sea land
whose blood flows copously in the Of Northern
Iishnen. Belfast the capital of lister which is
ks Scotch city Il Il is like cities in the South
or West Of Ireland is only the distance of few hours
sail from Glasgow, sud the inter comm there
lore very gs1at The Inhabitants of Belfast for their in
education arts and ndustry would do credit
any State in An erica. It has risen rapidly from
fishing village and by far the prosperous town
Ireland The great bulk Of the Protestant population
side the North. The refbsd AMI highly edu
Gated POI Of the Pressy eris Unitarian
Of them.
John Mitchell was instersted By his father in classics
and other branches of liberal eoucation and having
comp eted his preliminary studies, at early age
he sent to Trinity College, Dublin, w.
be distinguished hiu self by his rapid proficiency,
particularly in the ancient Greskths language of h5er
Fa language whose writer's to this day the finest
models of style, and from whom, doubt, be drew much
Of that inspiration which in future years glowsd alike
in his sentiments and the diction in which they
conveyed The scenery of his birth place highly
mantle and may have also contributed to the formation
and culture of his mind In his youth he fond OF
roaming t. mountains and the wild headands OF
the North, and he made himself intimately acquainted
with the habits and manners of the people. All these
circumstances, together with original intellect Of
great power acutenes combined to prepare him for
the task Of revolution ~hich he afterwards assumed,
and VT ich he prosecuted with much vigor.
Before he twenty years Of sgs he married the
niece of Sir William Werner, deputy lieutenant of the
county of Down, and colonel in command OF the militia
OF that county she provedhersef heroine, and
thv Of be the wife Of Mitchell during his trial. and
h.n;sbnent She Ia the m yher Of six chdre 1.-The