The New York herald., 1872-10-17


to Ireland and ali her remaining grievances would
be gradually redressed short OF her demand for In
sn and could never %
do so or became an extinct volcano Mr. Fr0ude
concluded this general introduction ofhis course OF
lectures by asking Americans to remember that
though recent emigration from Ireland had been
mainly an emigration OF the Catholic peasantry,
70 New Ena
OF the Presbyterians or Ulster and the
North Of ireland. who. IKE the Pilgrim Fa-
for conscience sake. He wished them, therefore, to
hear both sides OF the case and to never forget that
there were two sides 70 y; remembering further,
American Revolution the Protestants OF the North
OF Ireland had sympathixed with the cause OF
given their moral support to the cause OF the tories
He was not among those who like Mr.. Gladstone,
thought all Irelands troubles sprung from the upas
tree oil Protestant ascendency, but the contrary
believed that matters would not be mended now
BY handing Ireland over into the hands OF the
Catholic majority
Mr.. Froude then began speaking to the special
subject OF his last evenings lecture-''The Norman
Conquest OF Ireland" He said that the era pre-
cedng the Norman conquest was generally re-
garded as the golden age OF Ireland when the isl
and was as happy as 1t was good. Undisturbed by
lived IN peace and plenty under the mild S sway se Of
patriarchal chiefs. Their days were passed in un-
broken contentment and enjoyment, and their
saints presided over the pastoral scene. This peace
iulness was however, purely mythic They then
had no foreign enemies, but they fought handsomely
o Of local Ter reon Sow
ever, was OF very real and tangible character.
Their saints according to the Welsh historian,
Giraldus were at least amply sufficient for
the protection OF the churches to which they
gave their names inasmuch as they showed re-
markable faculty for cursing, ana as their curses
were generally fulfilled they managed to make
themselves thoroughly respected. But let 1t be re-
membered also, that this early civilization was
churches and round towers, there was not single
stone building In the land. The people lived In
walled huts or burrowed like rabbits, underground.
lie had himself unearthed one Of these primitive
dwellings, and had found on its earthen floor some
musse shells and b0nes the relics OF the last dinner
the rude character Of the existence by the happy
people OF this early golden age Of Ireland, about
which a. 80 much had M bee been said and sung though,
that Ireland OF the eighth century may possibly have
had many OF the charms ascribed to 1t by ideal
the N0rmans irishmen had fallen already prey to
the sea kings Of the Baltic-mere heathens, who
e Re hos aay whH e goa gs % s
to take them. These Danes soon established them
selves along the coast, and fortified the harbors
Waterford and Limerick. They also introduced
mechanical industry, and were the first to teach
the Irish the te life Of cs M then
ing story Of Irish anarchy during the two centuries
Immediately preceding the Norman conquest,
begat even a wilder ferocity in their victims
until the Irish had become little better
than the red ns Of non e 10
dreary chronicle OF murders and massacres perpe
trated in the year Of grace 1l60 and said that II this
were multiplied by two hundred we had the state
OF Ireland under home rule for couple OF centuries
before the Norman conquest. No learning no culti-
vation, no industry OF any kind, scanty and
scattered population, living on the flesh OF the wild
cattle that r0amed through the woods-this was
then the state OF the Irish people, 1t was shown,
not alone by Welshmen and by Engsnmen, but by
their own chronlclers, who all told the same story
and showed the same Inconsistencies that any
thing else was to be expected or even desired. In
such state OF things policeman was sadly
needed and the policeman duly appeared, sent Dy
the shepherd whose special duty was to take care
OF all Christian nocks-the Pope. The Pope in these
days represented the conscience and the reason
OF the intelligent part OF mankind. He had his
agents all over ChristendOm and through the re-
ligiOus orders he was better informed of what was
going on than any other living authority; and
when things were going especially ILL., as In Ireland,
he Judged 1t his duty to interfere. And the Pope
had instruments ready made to his hand. The
NOrmans had established themselves In France two
centuries and half before and had shcwn re-
markable aptitude for order and for organization,
and became nation OF police, whose mission
it was to compel obedience to the laws OF God and
holy Church as they were then understood. Mr.
FrOude then showed that different as 1t was in its
underlying principles to our modern theories OF q
justly governed society, the feuda system was in
na coa nave to Europe
anarchy. The Normans also for the first time
made the Irish subjects OF the see OF
especial Jurisdiction over all islands. Mr.. Froude
then proceeded to show the difference in the char
acter Of the conquest OF England and OF Ireland by
the Normans. In the former country they trl-
umphed not because the people had fallen into a
state OF anarchy, but had disintegrated-the indi
vidual instinct had OverpOwered the sense OF patr
otism and nationality. They therefore, as they
became absorbed by the Saxons, gained the Saxon
love of personal freedom and or material prosperity.
while giving him their own profound respect for
law and genius for organization. They thus made
the Englishman as he Is to-day, and as ne IL known
to history. But in Ireland the Norman leaven was
smaller to begin WITH and It soon lost It's distinctive
character and became Irish, though Of hercer,
they had found them. Thus gradually the island
again fell into utter anarchy until in the time OF
Henry the Seventh 1t had become the most pitiably
distracted country in Christendom, wholly given
up to hate and anger and boodshed. Mr.. Froude
concluded his lecture by reading some extracts
from commissioner appointed by Henry the Sew
enth to report upon the affairs Of the island, and
which were gloomy enough to fully Illustrate his
assertion.
Mr.. Froude was greeted as he closed with a hearty
round OF applause.