The New York herald., 1872-12-01


Mr.. James Anthony Froude, the historian,
replied to the arguments of Father Burke on
the Anglo-Irish question last night. effectually
disposing, as we think, of the historical ques-
lions which remained undecided. On the
question of the Irish nativity or extraction OF
American citizens the historian had the ad-
vantage of the priest but while he was ap-
parently backed by our census, both OF them are
delightfully."- wrong in their conclusions. On the
point touching the Duke of Alva-that most in
human of butchers-the historian also had the
advantage The slaughter of the Huguenots
was another question where the priest trod
upon dangerous ground Then Pope Adrian's
bull again came up for review, and Mr.
Froude showed, as Father Burke had shown
before him, that it is a two-sided question, but
not very profitable for discussion. Lastly, the
courage and the cowardice of the Irish people
were commented upon; but before either OF
these distinguished men talked oft everybody
knew all about it, for Irish courage is like
good wine, which needs no bush to proclaim
its merits. All these points were elaborated
with great skill and acuteness, and if Father
Burke has q mind SO to do he can elaborate
them still further. But why should they
dwell upon themes which have lost their inter-
est with the little excitement that made them
interestingly Another word on this subject
will be worse thana blunder, for we shall then
behold the spectacle Of two eminent scholars,
like the most abject of beggars, persisting in
unbandaging sores against the sight of which
men cannot but close their eyes, Neither the
crimes of Alva nor the butchery Of Bartholo-
NEW can have any effect in making Ireland
contented or England just We have heard
all their stories, and heard them patiently to
the end, and are glad with the promise that
the end is reached.
This, then, we take it, is the close of the
discussion, SO far as it has public interest or
importance. Looking back at what Mr..
Froude attempted, and comparing results with
expectations we can only say what we said in
the beginning, that his mission, in so far as it
was a mission, proved complete and utter
failure. He created no American sentiment
in favor Of English domination in Ireland.
He turned not single promoter Of Fenianism
aside from the self-imposed task Of securing
Irish independence. He made no Irish heart
beat more kindly toward England, and he
failed to show that any such thing existed as
English magnanimity toward Ireland. Most
Of all, he evolved no broad political phi
losophy by which nations may be bound to-
gether in unison and peace. What, then, has
Mr.. Froude gained by his mission to America?
Nothing for Ireland, certainly, for he did not
find the healing herb he came to seek, but
much for himself. His fame as q historian is
broadened and deepened by his personal con-.
as q chronicler of the past, SO vehemently as
sailed in the Old World and the New, is more
firmly re-established. His scholarship and
his research stand out clear and grand among
the monuments of time. Even Macaulay's
reputation is not greater now than Froude's.
These are the only results of his mission and
great as they are in themselves he might have
attained them at less cost than an almost
Quixotic attempt at healing the feuds Of two
perverse nations, separated in sentiment and
kindly feeling and held together only by the
power of the sword.
It seems useless to 60 back and discuss Ire
lands condition over again. Her miseries are
deplorable enough, but the panacea for her
ills is in the future, not in the past. English
man and Irishman, Protestant and Catholic,
must look to the coming time for prosperity,
happiness and peace. The past cannot be
touched without lifting thousand ghosts
out Of the quaking earth, and by clothing them
anew with flesh and blood, making them dance
once more to the spirit Of hate and of revenge.
It matters little whether Pope Adrians bull
was q humping English lie or not, SO long as
it is left to sleep in the oblivion which it
merits. It matters little whether the sixty
Irish kings murdered their subjects and each
other as daily advertisement in the ruder
era Of Irish history, SO long as the kings and
their crimes are forgotten. It matters little
whether the massacre Of 1641 was Protestant
or Catholic, SO long as people are willing to
let the dead past bury its dead. What mat
ter the Williamite wars and the Boyne Water
and "Croppies lie down." when only the
future is to be considered? The United
Irishmen of '98 are as dead as Charlemagne,
or julius Cesar, or Alexander the Great or
Xerxes, or Sesostris. But the Fenian pris-
oners now in British prisons are living mon
uments Of perpetuated tyranny and misgovern-
ment. They are fit subjects for discussion
along with such themes as home rule
in Ireland, the land question, the
rights Of the tenantry, unjust dis
ordinations against Irish industry and COM
merce, and the thousand and one questions
which make up the present relations of the
two countries. Beside these history is bug
bear which ought to frighten nobody; and
when we see Froude and Burke pommeling
each other upon notty points of Irish annals,
we confess it reminds us of the gendarmes in
'Genevieve de Brabant," who sing mellifuous
vOroavoa o% ooch ofbor ord r,nk ovo;<aI a.