The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-28
New Books.

The LEADERS OF PUBLIC OPINION IN IRELAND
SWIFT, FLOOD, GRATTAN, O'CoNNEL. BY VII.
liam Edward Harlpole Lecky, L. a: New
York: D. Appleton & Co. 1872. Charles
ton: Holiness Book House.
The four essays contained in this volume
were published anonymously many years ago
They are solid and valuable contributions II
the literature of one of the most perplexing
questions Of the day, and their interest Is en-
hsnced by an introduction in which Mr.. LeckI
gives his latest opinions upon the question O
Irish discomfort. Mr.. Lecky's views are very
suggestive, and deserve the attention OF Irish
men everywhere.
In the essays on the career and character O
I Swift, Flood, Grattan and OConnel, MT. LecK!
tells the story Of the growth aud degeneration
of public opinion in Ireland-the public opin
ion which Swift created and Flood fostered
which, In the hands of Grattan, accomplished
Irish independence, and under O'Connell ga"
its greatest triumph and rapid decline. 1t Ii
hard to realize the Infamous condition O.
things with which these men had to deal. Fol
a century the Irish Catholics (four-ftths Of the
population) were subject to "a penal CODE
| which left them no civil or personal freedom
The first measure OF relief was passed IN l76s
but Catholics were not upon foollDg of com
plete equality with Protestants till 1892. TheiI
| disabilities from 1901 to 1872 are summarized
BY Mr.. Lecky as follows:
| Rv this code the Roman Catholics were abso
luIeIy excluded from the Parliament, from the
| magistracy, from the corporations, from toe
bench, and from the bar. They could bot vote
| at parliamentary elections or at vestries They
eonId NOT act as constables or sherfs or jury
men. or-serre In the army or navy, or become
solicitors, or even hold The positions OF game
kpeper or watchman. Schools were establish.
ed 10 bring IN their children as Protestants;
and If they refused 10 avail themselves oil
these, they were deliberately consigned 10
hopeless Ignorance. beiug excluded from the
university, aud debarred, under crushing pen
altles, from acting as schoolmaslers, as ushers,
44SQGS II GSu # @ EzeM SsaetRR 3Hs
were refused at home. They could not marry
Protest ants; and If such marriage were cele-
orat.d. 1t was annulled by luw, and tue priest
who uficatcd might be hung. They could not
buv land. or inherit or receive 1t as gift II ON
Protest eilts, or hold life annnilles, or leases
for more than thiriy.one years, or any lease on
such terms that the profits OF the land eXcred-
ed one-lhird Of the rent. 1tany Catholic Lease
holder by his Industry so increased Ills pronls
that they exceeded This proportion, and did
not Immediately make corresponding In
crease In his payments, any Protestant VINO
rave The information could entsr Into posses.
Sion of his farm II any Catholic had secretly
purchased either his olG forfeited estate or any
other land, any Protestant who Informed
against him might become the proprietor;
The few Catholic landholders who remained
were deprived OF the right, which al! otner
| nf lQn06
as they pleased, II their sons continued Cath.
ulics, It was divided equally between them. II,
however the oldest con consented 10 aposCa-
lIze, the estate was settled upon MIN, Inc
father from that hour became only l1te-ten-
ant, and lost all power of selling, mortgaSnS,
or otherwise disposlng OF It.: II tne Wlie OF
Catholic abandoned the religion oil her nus
band, she was Immediately free from his con-
troll, and the chancellor was empowered to as
sign to her certain portion Of her husbands
property If any child, however young, pro-
fessed itself Protestant, 1t was at once taken
from the fathers care, and the chancellor could
obllge the father TO declare upon oath the
value of his property, both real and personal;
aud could assign for the present maintenance
and future portion of the converted child sllch
proportion of that property as the court might
decree. No Catholic could be guardian either
to his own children or to those OF anolner
person; and therefore Catholic VINO died
while his children were minors mad tine
bitterness oil rejecting upon his deatn-oed
1ana. An annuity of from twenty to forty
pounds was provided as brlbe for every
p1iest who would become Protestant. 10
convert a Protestant to Catholicism was q
capital offence. In every walk OF llfe The
Catholic was pursued by persecution or re-
srclion. Except In The linen trade, ne
could not have more than two apprentices.
He could not possess horse Of The value OF
more than five pounds and any Protestant,
on giving him five pounds, could take his
horse. He was compelled 10 pay double 10
the militia. He was FORBIDDEN, except under
particular conditions, to live ln Galway or
Limerick. In case of war with Catholic
mower. the Catholics were obliged to reim-
burse The damage done by the enemy's prlVa-
teers. The Legislature, 1t Is true, did not
venture absolutely to suppress their worship,
but It existed only by doubtful conDlVance,
stigmatIzed as If 1t were q species OF licensed
prostitution, and subject 10 conditions which,
If they had been enforced, would have render.
ed It's continuance Impossible. An old law
which prohibited it, and another which eDjoln-
ed attendance ut The Anglican worship, re-
mained uurepealed, and might at any lime be
revived: and The former was, in fact, enforced
during the Scotch rebellion of Ills. The
pat ish priests, who alone were allowed 10
officiale, were compelled 10 be registered, and
were lUTUluutL w hScp Cul otee, VI w oIASlne0
anywhere except in their own parishes. The
chapels might not have bells or steeples No
crosses mi sht be publicly erected. Pilgrim.
ayes 10 the holy wells were forbidden. Not
only all monks aud trlars, but also all Catholic
archbishops, bishops, deacons and oLher Dig
nilurIes, were ordered by certain day 10
leave lhe country; and ir after that date they
were found In Ireland, 1hry were liable 10 be
first imprisoned and then banshed; and ii
after that banlshment they returned TO dis
charge their duty in their dioces: s. they were
laole 10 the punishment of dealh. To laclI-
tat. the discovery oil offences against the code,
two justices of the peace might at any time
cumpe! any Catholic oil eighteen years Of age
to uecare when and where he last heard mass,
what persons were present, and who oftici-
at4d; aud II he refused to give evidence, they
might imprison him for twelve mouths, OF
until he paid o fine of twenty pounds. Any
on. who haroored ecceslastirs from beyond
the seas was subject 10 fines, which, for the
third offence, amounted to the cOnhScallUn OF
all Ills goods. A graduated sca'e of rewards
was offered for The discovery of Calh0lic
bishops, priests and schOomaslers; and re5O-
lulion oi The House OF Common pronounced
the prosecuting and Informing against Paplsts
an honorable service 10 The government.
And the Irish Protestants, also, were the
objects OF jealousy and persecution. All the
prominent political officers were always Eng