The New York herald., 1872-10-17
F r oUDE E.
The Great English Historian On the
Norman Conquest Of Ireland.
Seven Hundred Years of Gel
tic History.
A Calm Review Of the Causes of
Irish Subsection.


Irish Subsection.
ENTIRELY THEIR OWN FAULT"
Mr.. James Anthony Froude last evening delivered
at Association Hall the first Of his series OF lectures
on Irish history before strikngy intellectual and
refined audience, and, In spite OF delivery which,
TO American ears. Is by no means pleasing, he was
listened to with close and uninterrupted attention.
Mr. FrOudc has the ''rsing and falling" infection
which seems characteristic OF all English orators
and now and then the regular now OF his verbal
cadences had q perceptibly soporifc effect upon
part OF his hearers The interest OF the matter OF
his lecture, however, redeemed 1t from ali taint Of
dulness to these who were mentally strong enough
to rise superior TO the vices Of style by which its de-
livery was marred. Mr.. Froude was but rarely
applsuded but there was. on the other hand, not
the faintest murmur of dissent, although some OF
his opinions must have been by no means palatabe
either to Englishmen or Irishmen.
The lecturer was introduced by the Rev. Or.
Crosby In few appropriate words, and opened his
lecture by referring to letter written seventy odd
years ago by an American ambassadOr-Mr. Rufus
King-to an English Minister, which requested the
latter to induce His Majesty George the Third to
of seventy Irish gentlemen who had been
concerned in the rebellion of 179s. These
| seventy Irshmen-so wrote Mr.. King-were
plainly infected with the detestable principles OF
the first French revolution and could not fail to
| exert banefu influence In land where, as In
| America, the language was the same as their own
| Mr.. FrOude used this incident to show that II an
| American could pass SO harsh Judgment upon
Irish rebels some apology might be justly claimed
for the wrongs Of which England had been guilty
to the Emerald Isle. At the present day there
were probably in America more Irshmen and
men OF Irish extraction than there were
in Ireland, and America, therefore, had direct in
terest in Irish politics. He had not come across
the Atlantic to talk commonplaces about English
tyranny or Irish anarchy but to appeal to America
to judge between England and Ireland, as the COM
mon friend OF both. 1t was admitted that to-day,
at least, tw0-thirds OF the Irish people demanded
separation, immediate and absolute, from England.
1t stood confessed that with all their (Engsh)
efforts they had neither made the Irish
friends nor broken their spirit. England
forgot, but the Irish did not forget.
When the English had left Ireland and troubled
Irishmen no more-if that should ever be--they
would perhaps be willing to interchange civilities
with them and to take English money, II English
men were pleased to lend it to them II irishmen
could lift their anchorage and float out into
the middle of the Atlantic ne did not
think Englishmen would have any right to
object, though to have to part with a bril-
liant and enlightened race, who had for many
centuries shared in English greatness, would be
disgrace to English statesmanship. But, unhap-
PLY. Ireland was no Laputa, or flying island, and
philosophers had not yet discovered how to uproot
the soil; and so long as England remained a great
Power, with ieets and armies and an Indian EN-
ests in every corner of the world, she could not
let 60 her hold upon an island lying close by her
na e and ae q
could not commit political suicide, and until Eng.
land was beaten on her knees the inhabitants OF
Ireland must share the fortunes OF the stronger
country. II the Irish refused to be recOnciled
with Englishmen they must continue as they were
now, each thorn in the others side, the Irish
must find another home, or they must fight for
their independence and win 1t for themselves And
though as as an Englisahman in such contest, he
for one, when the work was completed, would
welcome them gladly into the great family OF ma
jewel to be lightly earned. It was not to insubOr-
| dnati0n and mutiny, 1t was not to eloquent ora
agitation or hustings speeches or even votes that
| the fates awarded the crown OF national indepen
dence. That crown was the reward only of a
| persistent determination to be free-a deter
mination which ninched at no danger,
which hesitated at no sacrifices OF personal
interest," which expressed itself in deeds as well as
in words. To win independence men must first learn
| to obey and to count themselves as dust beside
their countrys cause; they must forget their quar-
| one harmonious whole, with common heart and
common purpose. II he were to sum up the secret
lay in this-that while from the first
she had resisted England, complained OF England,
which England had inflicted upon her. she had al.
ways invited others to help her and had never
made an effective fight herself for her own rights.
nation which unninchingy, with q single heart
and mind refused to yield to the invader possessed
already the constituent elements Of independence.
No violence could permanently bind such nation
and when she had shaken or her oppressor she
could take charge OF her own destiny.
MI snen n sde tne
English invaders. and showed that In the former
case the scotch had Always stood shoulder to shou
der, a compact, patriotic mass, never resting q
moment while the foot OF the foe on their SOIL
while in the latter the Irish had fallen easy prey
among themselves At Bannockburn the Scotch
repeled 10000 Engshmen, while for years
not more than 1900 men, Douglas or Camp
bell cared more for his country than himself; an
Inc OF an y M always y o ready to
would aid him to help himself to a slice OF his
neighbor's land. 1t was an lrishman who, when
he had country to sell. No people had more talk
OF patriotism on their lips than the Irish; peo
pie when it came to action, allowed performance to
not know that accident set Ireland free tomorrow
the first step after the declaration OF independence
u
know that ii Ireland broke into rebellion to-mor-
row half Ireland would be found fighting on the
English slider II ever time should come when all
ranks, all classes, all religious sects in Ireland
should unite to demand the liberty OF their coun-
try, and II they were prepared TO become q free
nation or to die, no earthly power could prevent
them from accomplishing their purpose
six millions Of people on their own
soil could not be chained by force, and
the public opinion OF mankind would not, in this
age permit them to be destroyed. And until they
are thus united the Independence they desire
would be curse, and not blessing, to them
England to-day had but one wish for lreland-that
she should share her prosperity to the very utm0st
and whatever measures OF impartial justice Ireland