The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-30
FROUDE AND BURKE.

FR0UDE AND BURKE.
THE MONK AGAINST .CHE HISTORIAN
n REMARKABLE CONTROVERSY,
A Point of Argument Between the Two
champion Lecturers.
From the New York Evening Post.I
Father Burke has finished his course of five
lectures In reply to Mr.. Froude. The discus.
sion will be a memorable one. An English.
man Of fac mind and thorough culture comes
to tell us In America. BY word of mouth, q
new story, which he seer fit to convey to his
own countrynen through the booksellers
shop. An Irish monk, who chances to be in
this country on the business OF his church,
concelves an Injustice to have been done his
countrymen by the narrative, and In bis
priestly robes betakes him self to the lecturers
platform. I%ll-prepared as he was for the work,
he undertook the task, ard In the main has
come of with credit. The dramatic character
ofthis mental joust eliminated last evening.
In the first four lectures Father Burke, In spite
of himself, spoke ss the monk. Loving Ire
land ardently, it was Catholic Ireland that he
loved; hating England bitterly, he hated her
for the wrongs she hso hesped upon his
church; defending the Irlsh from the critl-
oisms Of Mr.. Froude, 1t was the Catholic
Irishman whom he DEFENDED. His impasbio"-
ed words leGped forth with q color and tone
bred In q cl6f6er, jnst as bis body appeared 10
Ar .o-h ~ hfo NrInr Din hrnfzt10 tnoo MIR n
more certain Indication of bis birthplace and
customary abode than his sentiments were Of
the fierce and naughty churchman.
Last evening, however, Father Burke pla y
ed q different part. He presented the strange
spectacle OF g Dominican monk standing up
and declaring that be believed every people
to be able to legislate for themselves. In an
swer to an Englishman who. II report be
true, is not In the best OF odor with theo-
ioeians, and who had virtually declared that
one nation has q divine right to govern
another, II 1t be the stronger, ne, the repre-
sentative OF the churchly absolulism, asserted
lha Inherent and i%rrefragnble right of every
nation, Irrespective of lis relative strength or
Its temporary weakness, u administer It's own
affairs, in lis own way. This he did with a
wit, q sarcasm, q pathos and an energy
effect which brought To lie once more the
triumphs OF the old orators. Strong men
wept, bis bursts of indignation were applaud
ed to the echo, and yet 80 perfect was the
orstorIcal art that the judicious counsel which
followed received similar commentator.
Haynp's mental fence WAS not more skilfnl
and Webster's most potent logic was not more
influential.
So far as the historical discussion between
Father Burke and Mr. FrOude is concerned, IL
amounts to little. 1t waE at best a dispute
about dead questions. In some cases the
priests arguments did not ft Mr.. Froude's at
ell. That Is q topic for the pamphleteers,
however, and our grandchildren will probably
be divided In opinion asto which was right
when they come TO look over the books to be
made about 1t for the historical societies.
But while these men Btand 30 far apart on
historical questions, they are practically
shoulder to shoulder on the only vital point
In lhs whole controversy, and that ia the
present and future of Ireland. Father Burke
disappointed his enemies and surprised bis
friends by his plain oomlnon sense and saga.
cious method Of handling this delicate part oil
his theme, and we hope that IrIshmen every
where will give heed to his opinions.
After speaking OF the act of union with Eng
land and its results, be said there were two
methods proposed Tor improving the condi
ton OF Ireland; one wss by means of the
sword, the other by he development of the
natural resources of the Island and the build.
Ing up of q united and HtroDg people by lole
ration, industry, frugalsty. temperance ant
obedience to law. The first is Fenlanism
with Its head.centres and ils George Fran
els Trains; the other iE tue great principe
| that nations, like men,, must work out theil
saIvatisn-that 1t Is not the name q natioI
goes by, but the character OF its people
which gives stability 10 the State and freedom
10 the Individual. Father Burke was positive
In his choice between these two methods
| said he II do not believe In insurrectloDary
| movements In q county 80 divided as Ire
land.n On the contrary, he urged upon The
Irish the adoption Of The opposite view by
and national honor. He made q special ples
tor charity of opinion and unity of acllor
among Irlshmen 10 Ireland In this effort u
build up a progressive State. Mr.. Froude
himself cid not say q wiser thing than wal
said by this monk when he declared ''tha
union can be effected by largeness OF mind
by generosity and urbaniiy toward You
fellow. citizens; by rising above the miserable
blRotry that carries religious differences ant
| religious hatreds into relations OF lie lha
| don't belong to religion" There Is lurking IL
this advice q commentary on Ireland's pas
| history and g confirm agion of Mr.. Froude'
opinion, that hitherto the Irish race hav'
shown q strange incapRcity for self govern
| ment, which no one can fall to notice. Blu
for to-day IL 10 sucn Wise cOunsel, IL nlts 30 pre-
| cIsely ut the root of many Of the evils unde
| which Ireland has been bowed down, that VI
commend II Without q Limitation.
Mr.. Froude will do q wise thing II he stops
work on his new lectures In reply O drops
| the discussion. One part of the American PEG
pie have listened to his plea and another par
| have heard the answer. The press have pil
both arguments before the public. The objec
| of his visit has been attained. Father Bnrket
| history was chiefly made up from Catholic AL
| thOrlties; be spoke Without a manuscript ant
In q loose aud often inaccurate manner; Wha
| he gained In force he lest in style. Certainly
Mr.. Froude, either as all historical writer OF
as q master Of the English language, ha'
| nothing to gain by further argument. Ant
| since Father Burke closed his lecture Will
| such discreet aud wise counsel, Mr.. Froude
| II he loves Ireland aud the Irish, will not re
vive the bitternesses ard iDjustices of by-gon.
| years for the sake of q barren personal tri
| umph, He may make books about IRELAND