The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1862-01-24

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Before 4 dbdicstiDg, however, he declared
his belief in the existence of God, and du-
ring the remainder of his reign, and until
his death, abandoned the worship of the
sun, which up to tha; time had beer the
religion of the island.
Thirty years later, the Monarch Mall,
after rendering great service to the En-
glish in repeiing Roman exactions, was
appealed to 10y the Gauls to Dr. fend them
from like oppression. At the head of a
large army he landed on the borders Of
! Brittany, and laid waste the cities held by
! the Romans, took an immense amount of
treasure and numerous captives. Inclu-
dsd in the prisoners thus captured were
two maidens and lad \; these were bro't
to Ireland, and that lad in time became
the great apostle SAINT PATRICK.
At this time and for centuries previous
Ireland was the school for Western Eur
ope. Though constantly al war, her exter
nal enemies were fought upon their soil
and not upon hers. And Notwithstanding
her domestic hroils, learning and religion
were objects always held sacred in times
of the bitterest civil feuds Iier insttu-
| tons of learning were extensive, and to
them were attracted the Gauls, Pcts
Danes, Germans, and Brtons.
The paganism of Ireland had never been
immoral, had never been revolving. Be
yond the denial of the true God and the
worship of a false one, it was in no respect
demoralizing. II inculcated honesty, tenn
perance, charity. and all the social virtues
The transition of an enlightened people,
thus taught, to the sublime faith of Chlis
tianty was natural and an easy one -
Patrick was sold rs a captive to a shep
herd, and after serving his seven years, re
turned TO Gaul, thence to Rome. Having
finished his education, and distinguished
himself for his piety and learning. he was
sent in 427 as a missionary to Ireland
Though Others had preceded him, but little
progress had been made, and it was not
until he succeeded in being heard in the
presence of the monarch and The parla-
nent that he made any extensive progress.
1t was upon this occasion that the Druids
declaring the doctrine of the Trinity to be
absurd, he stopped to the earth, and pluck
ing shamrock, with its three leaves upon
a single stem, SAID, to prove the reality
and poss bility Of the existence of the Fa
ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, have nuly to
pluck up this humble plant on which We
have troddeD, and convince you that truth
can be attested I'y the simplest symbols OF
illustration" Thenceforward, the con
version of Ireland was rapid, and it has
The sanclifed character, hat from the day
Christianity was first whispered 10 the Isle
until the hour when The whole people uni
ted in the same divnely taught faith, there
was neither tumult, excitement, riots nol
bloodshed. The Druids were left undis.
tur bed. and the Gospel was proclaimed in
terms Of peaceful charity and benevolence
Its meekness diSarrned hostility, and the
people embraced its sacred truths slowly,
deliberately, and enduringly.
Ia the ninth century, the Danes, who
had overrun England and broken up the
Saxon Heptarchy, tried their hands upor
Erin. For two hundred and forty year!
they persevered in their efforts to conquer
that little territory, but their efforts were
unavailing, and At last upon CIontarf
bloody field they met defeat so sigma
that they forever after abandoned the cen
test. Relieved Of the protracted war will
the Danes, Ireland once more revived
commerce, literature, once more flourishet
with renewed vigor until near the Twelfth
century, when the great, yet it is 10 b.
hoped, not perpetual, ch nge in her his
tory commenced its fearful work.
shall not attempt the recital of Ire
lands wrongs. nor Britan's crimes. Fo
six hundred years they have continued il
one uubroken series. For three hunlre.
years Irish vaor prevented the forcibI
possession of the land, though the valo
could not save the country from the de
vas'ating effects Of incessant war. Henr,
the Second. by proclamation, declared Ire
land conquered and part Of the British
realm but neither Henry the Seson'
nor any other Plantaganet saw Irelant
conquered or part Of the British realm
On paper, Ireland was declared Bri.isl
possession but when King William tn
Third, three hundred year. later, tried il
person to visit his '1rish Province" b
found Behind the walls Of Limerick, brav
men and women who successfully denied
hun the privilege.
The injuries wrought upon that peopl
from the 18th to the 18th century embrac
every description Of crime that it is pos
sbIe to imagine. Her soil was invade'
by foreign armies her cities burned, he
shrnes desoated, her men butchered
her women mangIed, her children slaugh
ed No adventurous explorers mid tn
iuncIes Of the East ever hunted with keen
er scent for the lair Of tie wild beast, 0
shot down more remorselessly the .avag
animals, than have the British agents dis
PLAYED in hunting down the people of Ire
! land Nor was the reality of cruel, bar
, barous war--its frighttul massacres, il
Wholesale destruction, its ravaging desola
ton the only calamity. Her religion be
schools, her arts. her sciences, her com
merca. her manufactures, her nationality
her cities, her churches. her architecture
. monumen,s-these were annhiated.-
| Her fields were laid bare, and it was mad
!, death tc cultivate them; her churcne
, were Ieveled TO the earth. and it was mad
death TO pray upon their sites it wa
made treason TO marry or be united j