The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-12-29


the chess board of Europe, but to- day her
journalists have ceased to deny the fact,
and are engaged in the explanation of why
she has necessarily become 30. OF the
two great causes which have made her
fall from her position as first class power
in Europe, the first is the oppression of
her own masses, and the second the seven
centuries of unadulterated and infamous
oppression of Ireland. Mr.. Froude told
us, with an cpigrammatic force, the great
truth that the wickedness of nations 10 al
ways punished. No matter how long PrOvi-
dence waits, in the end the wickedness OF
race 10 answered by the wickedness of their
descendants. England has held for seven
centuries to the lips of her sister Ireland a
poisoned chalice. It's ingredients were
the deepest contempt and the most I'M
measured oppression; injustice such as the
world hardly ever saw before. And, as Mr..
Froude said Providence is holding back
that same cup to the lips of the mother
country. Twice within a dozen years she
has felt the deep punishment Of her wrong
and injustice to Ireland. Some ten years
ago, when Germany pressed to the wall
the small country of Denmark, which gave
England her Princess of Wales, England
longed to draw her sword. When, two
years ago, Bismarck saubbed her in the
face of all Europe, again and again insulted
her, and smOte her in the face, England
lopged to draw the sword. But she knew
right well that at the first cannon she fired
at any frst-rate power, Ireland wonld stab
not move on the chessboard of the great
powers.
One of the great causes of this sudden
crippling of her power has been the Irish
question. don't wonder ut all that q
thoughtful Englishman should long to cx-
plain to the world, if he can, that the steps
by which this country has been brought to
this sad state have been inevitable. If MIR.
Froude coald make out that proposition
i ana-cenEince- the-Morld, -thronSh-the
American people, that England accepted
the inevitable fate which the geographical
proximity of Ireland had entailed upon
her, he would have gone far to rub out the
eclipse of his country's shame. don't
wonder that he should make the attempt.
But believe, instead OF England's having
conquered Ireland, that in the true state
ment of the case, as it stands to-day, Ire
land has conquered England. She has
summoned her before the power of the civil
lized world to judge of the justice of her
legislation. She has<checkmated her as
Power on the chess board of Europe. She
has monopolized the attention other states
men. She has made her own island the
pivot upon which the destiny of England
turns. And her last great statesmen, the
present Prime Minister, Gladstone, owes
whatever fame he has to the supposltion
that he has devised a way by which he car
conciliate ireland and save his own country
But in all the presentations of the case, il
seems to me that our English friend has
been a partisan and NO. judge. Les me
: illustrate the Justice of this charge. The
population of Ireland previous to 1871 Ii
! wholly matter of guess-work. Iher'
, ! never was q census till this century. Ih'
; population of ireland had beene estimated
: by several gentlemen, but never ascertain
ed. But what charge is that wheneVe
it served his purpose to adopt a smai
guess, in order to excuse English pJustice
or bear hardly down on the critical con-
= dition of the Irish, he has always seiecte'
t the smallest possible estimate, ana Wne 81,
a ever it is for his interest to exaggerate tn
. cowardly inefficiency of the Irish people
q to divide the quarrelsome chiefs and com
. mare them with some handful of Engils
= troops, he has always adopted the iarges
\ estimate, swelling the responsibilities OF tn
great nation as much as possloie' co
y, instance; the earliest estimate of the popu
q lation of Ireland was made about the yea
h 1000 by Fynes Morrison, and his estlmat
was from five hundred thousand to 81
% hundred Thousand men. Mr.. Froude nd
y opts this when he wants to show Una
- James the FIRST in coniiscating six OF tn
~ best counties in Ireland aud bestowin
: them on his followers, committed no grea
- harmful evil, because he says there wei
): very few Inhabitants in Ireland, and the'
T. was room enough for great many NOR
v Well don't see myself by what p rl sI2;
4 any one might confscate Essex, ouho.i
az Mddlesex, Norfolk, Bristol aud Worcess'
10 Counties and turn all the present inhao
N tants out of the country because there is
~ great deal of vacant land in Nebraska
ID u that. 'f But let that pass Having left tn
period be down a to 9th Si1 coo ood
SO .nbSned Ireland, Then he does his be
i ie as a an advocate to swell Ireland into larl
~ proportions, and show you a great Peep Si o.
y swept like herd OF stage before one sing
". powerfulSEnglish hand. Thon he tells y
he that Sir William Petty has estimated T. :
Nc Nc population of Ireland in i64l to be 20, q:
p. 900 men an estimate which Halla am ca, ca
u, nrodiciously vain. 1t is one OF the me
IN =. marvellous estimates of history. Here W
~ Ireland, poverty stricken, without house US.
constantly lighting aud in coz ta,s ss'
", sbonU thirty eight years, when with all
w multitudinous advantages, ard with an