The New York herald., 1872-10-17

pockets But beginning or justice had been granted
be gradually fedressed short OF her demand for in
dependence. and that demand England could never
do SO or became an extinct Volcano Mr. Froude
concluded this general introduction ofhis course Of
lectures by asking Americans to remember that
though recent emigration from Ireland had been
mainly an emigration OF the Catholic peasantry,
there had been In earlier times another kind OF
OF the Presbyterians OF Ulster and the
North Of Ireland wn0 IKE the Pilgrim Fs
hear both sides OF the and to forget that
there were two sides 10 II; remembering further,
American Revolution the Protestants Of the North
OF Ireland had sympathixed with the cause OF
American freedom, the Catholics OF the South had
given their moral support to the cause OF the tories.
He was not among those who, like Mr.. Gladstone,
thought all Irelands troubles sprung rom the upas
believed that msstsrs would not be menSed no1
BY handing Ireland over into the hands Of the
Catholic majority.
subject Of his last evenings lecture-'rhe Norman
Conquest OF Ireland" He said that the era pre-
garded as the golden age or Ireland when the ISL
and was as happy as 1t was good. Undisturbed by
strangers, the people were supposed to have then
patrlarchal chiefs. Their days were passed in un-
broken contentment and enjoyment, and their
fninessp was however, purely purely mythic % They then
had no foreign enemies, but they fought handsomely
among themselves. Their earlier chronicles were
full OF accounts OF local wars. Their religion, how
ever, was OF a very real and tangible character.
Their saints according to the Welsh historian.
Giraldus, were ct least amply sufficient for
gave their names, inasmuch as they showed q re-
markabe faculty for cursing, ana as their curses
themselves thoroughly respected. But let 1t be re-
membered. also that this early civilization was
one in which, II they excepted few Cyclopean
churches and round towers, there was not single
stone building In the land. The people lived in
walled huts or burrowed, like rabbits underground.
dwellings, and had found on its earthen floor some
musse shells and bones, the relics OF the last dinner
the rude character OF the existence led by the happy
people OF this early golden age OF Ireland about
which 80 much had been said and sung; though,
notwithstanding all this, he was open to believe
that Ireland OF the eighth century may possibly have
had many OF the charms ascribed to it by ideal
the NOrmans Irishmen had fallen already q prey to
the sea kings OF the Baltic--mere heathcns, who
held the simple creed that the good things OF this
world belonged to those who were strong enough
to take them. These Danes soon established them
selves along the coast, and fortified the harbOrs
Waterford and Limerick. They also introduced
mechanical industry, and were the first to teach
the Irish the settled life OF cities. Mr. Froude then
proceeded to depict In vivid cO0rs the everdarken-
ing story OF Irish anarchy during the two centuries
Immediately preceding the Norman conquest,
eroes o rne
until the Irish had become little better
than the red Indians OF the American
dreary chronicle OF murders and massacres perpe-
trated in the year Of grace 1l60 and said that If this
nder py Two or WE nae az
before the Norman conquest. No learning, culti-
vation no industry OF any kind, scanty and
scattered population, living on the flesh OF the wild
cattle that roamed through the woods-this was
then the state OF the Irish people, as 1t was shown
not alone by Welshmen and by Engllsnmen, but by
their own chrOnlcers, who all told the same story
and showed the same Inconsistencies that any
thing else was to be expected or even desired. In
such state OF things q policeman was sadly
needed and the policeman duly appeared sent by
the shepherd whose special duty 1t was to take care
Of all Christian f0cks-the Pope. The Pope In these
days represented the conscience and the reason
OF the intelligent part OF mankind. He had his
agents all over Christendom, and through the re-
ligiOuS orders he was better informed OF what was
going on than any other living authority; and
when things were going especially i'll, as In Ireland
he judged 1t his duty to interfere. And the Pope
had instruments ready made to his hand. The
NOfmans had established themselves In France two
centuries and half before and had shcwn q re-
markabe aptitude for order and for organization,
and became nation OF police, whose mission
1t was to compel obedience to the laws Of God and
holy Church as they We're then understood. Mr..
FrOude then showed that different as 1t in It's
underlying principles to our modern theories OF
justly governed society," the feudal system was in
ass
anarchy. The Normans also for the first time
made the Irish subjects OF the see OF
ROmey which for some unknown reason claimed
especial Jurisdiction over all islands. Mr.. Froude
then proceeded to show the difference in the char
Of the conquest OF England and Of Ireland by
the Normans. In the former country they trl-
umphed not because the people had fallen into a
state OF anarchy, but had disintegrated-the indi-
vidual instinct had Overpowered the sense OF patr
otism and nationality They therefore, as they
became absorbed by the Saxons gained the Saxon
love of personal freedom and or material prosperity
while giving him their own profound respect for
law and genius for organization. They thus made
the Engllshman as he Is to-day, and as ne Is known
to history. But in Ireland the Norman eaven was
smaller to begin with and t soon lost It's distinctive
character and became Irish, though Of q fercer,
stronger, more ferociows type than the Irish as
they had found them. Thus gradually the island
again fell into utter anarchy until IN the time OF
distracted country in Christendom, wholly given
up to hate and anger and boodshed. Mr.. Froude
concluded his lecture by reading some extracts
from commissioner appointed by Henry the Sew
enth to report upon the affairs OF the island, and
assertion.
Mr.. Froude was greeted as he closed with hearty
round OF applause.