The New York herald., 1872-10-22
The Isish Penal Laws and Their
Consequences.
Vivid Picture Of Ireland in the
Eighteenth Century.
EFFECT OF PROscRIpTNE LEGISLATION.



Consequences" The attendance showed Q greater
falling on even than the last from the overnowing
audience that greeted the great historian on his
opening night; but the seats were filed much more
conspicuously than before with students and
others specially interested in the subject matter OF
the lecture, and there was . delightful absence OF
mere scuriosity- -mongers. throughout the closest
attention Was manifested, and Mr.. Froude, with
discreet regard to the hints thrown out by the
press gave his hearers by an occasional pause
after striking point the opportunity to indulge In
the rehefof an 0utburst OF applause or laughter.
Mr. Froude, who was warmly received, began by
recapitulatng his former description OF the state
Of Ireland during the nine years OF anarchy preced
ing the advent OF Cromwell After that great
leader Of the Purtans had restored order what was
he to dor Could he have put ballots into their
hands They would, no doubt, then have decided
that the English should at once leave the island.
But it might be said that the English had no busi
ness In Ireland. It had grown to be too late to
argue that. Ireland had already been subject to
the British Grown for centuries, AMI now that she
had espoused the Italian side OF the great religious
question In Europe, Cromwell could not, IN behalf
Of the cause he represented. permit her
TO leave and become thorn In the
side Of Protestantism. The Irish demanded
liberty Of conscience; but Cromwell said, 'If your
liberty or conscience means the right to celebrate
AVsCoeoAAV
And he (Mr. Froude) could not, after an impartial
review Of all the circumstances, blame that great
man for this decision. Let 1t be remembered that
this religion which Cromwell prosecuted was not the
Catholic religion as it had once been or as 1t Is
today. The Romish Church In that day was waging
. bitter persecution to the death against heretcs
III over Europe, and was actively engaged In
ptirring up rebellion against all Protestant
governments. And 1t was against that form OF
ort<wf~~ 49,
BY connscating the lands Of the Irish gen.
try who had taken part. in the rebellion
against England, reserving the province OF Con-
and an Immigration Of Memlngs and Huguenots
Cromwen also abolished the irish Parliament and
e make the Sy S the Try as
ai0nality and the same opportunities Of commercial
and material prosperity: we might call this
mun,g He IMr. Frcude5 thought that Cromwell @
Anglo-Sax race had ever produced and that he
bad been, besides, the best friend OF Ireand's true
fne Irish Ps1iisment was Se.established S' and the
Episcopal Church received as State institution.
10 conform, and the English government, in order
20 reduce them 70 submission, encouraged the
n 4Re ens s
Irish Puritans sold their property and many ofthem
turning their facss westward, westward. became the snces-
wellians LEFT Ireland other Englishmen came, but
they were simply land speculators or money-getters
Under this new regime the Catholic religion swept
back IKE . nood, and under James H., who was
himself Catholic, all ofIlces were given to adhe-
contemplated the con1scation Of ali the lands that
were held under the Cromwellian titles and their
restoration to their original Catholic owners; but
bis hight to France and the accession OF William OF
Orange Of course prevented this scheme being car;
ss .osensr wsS
proceeded at once, on technical plea,
sa @ s nsS m %n sy dessrsd have sns
Con1scati0n or the new titles and by name prescribed
nearly every Protestant gentleman OF any i'm.
portance. Then followed war OF reconquest, and
although Williams soldiers were OF much less stern
stun than Cromwell's Ironsides, there was but q
. resolute struggle for independence. AT the
Battle OF the Boyne they made scarcely any stand
whatever; and ct Antrim alone was there gallant
light But william was only anxious to secure the
guet Of Ireland at any cost, so as to leave himself
.e1os Sas with rranoe ae n
gave the Irish articles OF peace which were sngu-
@ %o1s Rss %Sst fSs ns ne @
Ireland 70 the invader This was that the heart Of
desired the independence OF their country. They
were terribly oppressed by their own landlords snd
eadefs they knew at heart tnat their true interest
was in the success Of stable foreign rule. After
that the time for penal laws had passed away,
though, y had he lived in that age, he
Catnciic Countries at that time q fierce persecu-
ton was being urged against Pr0testants. and 1t
esi ncned 70 retaate rnat this was mis-
take, however, was plainly seen in the clearer light
that we enjoy to-day. In all Protestant coun-
tries, at any rate, persecution was at variance
with the genius Of the people. But William aggra-
religions BY wholesale Confscation. This last re-
beliIon had cost England nine millions or money,
and Parliament ordered that the lands OF the prin-
In other respects the terms OF peace were mild.
An the Catholic gentry who were not ruined BY
inScved i in Settling the question Of williams sue.
sns sided Win the surs and the dansep Of
this disoyalty was Unnamed further by the Jealousy
as ss sesome @s s
prosperous. and important and, therefore, their
f ~Sosn m ass SS0 %ss g ss
and soon another outrageous folly was committed.
s Irish nj SSs took &, unS@O = @ ms ss.u9 e
COOK place rom Ireland most Or them going to the
expulsion Of the Catholic hierarchy: Every bishop
or archbishop was driven from the land, and thus,
snat no new priests could be ordained ana that the
Catholic religion would die out. This act, how
Deed il Was pretty certain that the English u; gov
ernment did not wish 1t to be enforced, though it
mot e. s
5 union WITH England, the Irish Parliament petit
ttoned for its own abolition and for the absolute
absorption Of their country In the united British
1aea But this request was refused, because the
admission OF Ireland into the union would neces-
sari!y hsye involved her being granted also free
or the English manufacturers. No madden act
shan this Could be found in the whole course Of
6ngllsh history Then came the .i law Of the lrisl,
Popery. This provided that no Catholic could
buy land ff0m Protestant or hold
> lease for more than thirty-one years,
Or sit n Parlinment or take once under the Crown
Or praetice N any learned profession, and that any
BON who turned Protestant inherited hts fathers
estate wlenout regard 70 any adverse clause In his