The New York herald., 1873-12-01
I a e L A ~ D.
THE WAR UPON THE UNION.
O'COnnel and the Party
If Young Ireland.

0UCeu-tO
She. Union.n Ireland has kept knocking at the
Union ever since. but hitherto has oeen as II were
knocking her head against stone wall. Daniel
O'Connen a more powerful and versatile, II not so
philosophc ana classic an orator as Grattan, and
leader OF far broader popular power, though OF
ny no means so great Parliamentary infiu-
ence, very early In his life took to the task
and died at IT, His first public speech, he
often boasted was at an anti-union meeting
when he was young and rather Driefless barrister.
During the agitation Tor Catholic emancipation he
more than once said he would willingly wait the
repeal OF the penal laws II the Protestants of Ire
land would JOIN him In agitating for the repea OF
the Union. During the last SIX or seven years Of
his life he concentrated all his abilities energies
and influence on that task, produced the most stu
pcndous organization OF popular power ever wit
messed, and died leaving the Union somewhat
stronger than 1t was when he commenced 10 Knock
at IL.
ATTEMPTS AT THE UNION
There have been in all four serious attempts
made by, or on behalf or the Irish nation to dis
turb the settlement under which Great Britain and
Ireland were formed into a United Kingdom in
the year $500. The first OF these promptly fol-
lowed on the admission OF Catholics to Parliament
O'Connen, in the first House OF Commons to which
he was admitted, in the year 1881, proposed q
select Committee to consider the terms OF the Act
OF Union, with view 10 its repeal. There was
long and able debate. The subject was fairly
launched 1t was all that 0'Conneil intended at
the time. He was beaten by large majority;
but the wings saw the necessity OF making special
arrangements with him for the government Of
Ireland. They abolished tithes, they opened the
municipal corporations to Catholics they enlarged
the Irish franchises, they dispensed the patronage
OF Ireland very much as o'Connell pleased. The
local administration OF the country was placed in
the hands of men who had the confidence OF the
people.
O'cOENELL AND THE WAR FOR REPEAL.
In fact, for a time O'Connen virtually managed,
lfhe did govern Ireland. Then Lord Stanley, the
late Earl of Derby, becoming Secretary for Ireland,
certain difficulties of temper occurred. Lord
Stanley would not submit to do as he was hidden by
Mr.. O'Connen. He had no fear of-indeed, he rather
despised-the popular leader. When they met In
uebate the Irish Secretary was In UerUe, keen
ness and energy Of invective quite a matcn
for the great agitator. Gradually the a-
ance with the wings gave way. O'Conne
called the Secretary SCORPION Stanley,
He called the wings "The base, bloody and brutal
whigs.r They gave up remedial legislation and
took TO passing coercion acts and acts against the
formation OF agitating associations Then 0'Con-
neil declared that he had lost all hope OF getting
Tie British Parliament, and proceeded seriously TO
agitate for the repeal OF the Union. He first
formed the Precursor Society," This was meant to
intimate to the British government that unless
they induced the Parliament to pass some half
dozen specified measures he would strike
with all his force at the legislative con-
nection Sir Robert Peel was then
Prime Minister, ana Lord Stanley, who had
turned from rampant whig TO terrorist tory,
was one OF his principal advisers Neither con-
tempated concession to Ireland, and especially TO
ireland impersonated by 0Connen, as honorably
possible. The Repeal Association was founded in
is41. 1t gathered strength slowly at first. Many
OF O'Connell's old neutrality-suspicious.
Richard Lalor Shiel-declined to serve in this
serious crusade. But a new generation was COM
ing to the 'front.'. The young men who formed wnat
was some years afterwards known as the Young
Ireland party were then leaving college and
entering On public life. Their great organ
the Nation, was founded in 1S42 1t
was written not merely with extraordinary
ard0r and elcquence, but with degree OF
tlt.ras5 -Shnement, spirit OF tolerance and con-
ciiation and an absence oil personality which gave
1t position unique in Irish journalism. The ma
tiona schools had begun to teach the people to
read, and the press thenceforth to play great
part in Irish politics. In 1s43 the agitation became
stupendous power. Repeal meetings, at which
O'Connell sometimes addressed hundreds of thou
sands OF people, assembled at various points or
three Of the provinces. The repeal rent rose to
between $4,000 and $4,000 per week. The associa-
tion was drawing to itself all the political power OF
The country, and. to some extent, displacing the
government. Suddenly the government deter
mined TO try conclusions with 0'Connen.
One OF his meetings was proclaimed Illegal and
Threatening to the public peace. He, his John,
fhree OF the repeal journalists and several active
members OF the association were indicted for sedi-
tion. and, after trial remarkable for its display
OF forensic ability, were convicted by jury which
had been selected with scandalous partality
O'Connell and his colleagues were imprisoned but
their Imprisonment did not last for long, for the
House OF Lords annuled the verdict on account OF
the malpractices detected in the empanelllng OF
the jury. Nevertheless Daniel o'Connea came ont
OF prison very different man from the stalwart
tribune OF the year before. He seemed to fear the
power he had evoked; his mind was always in
search OF means or solving the difficulty by CON-
promise. He now and then gave the agitation
violently Catholic complexion to the alarm OF his
Protestant associates, VINO knew that repeal could
never be carried with Ulster out in the cold.
When the wings came into power he resumed his
old relations with them. The truth seems to be
that the disease OF which he died. softening OF the
BRAIN commenced while he was in prison. The
Young Ireland party became alienated, grew dis.
trustIui and at length hostile 10 his policy and
person.
THE YOUNG IRELAND PARTY.
Ine quarrel was fought out in a great debate, in
which Thomas Francis Meagher, afterwards Gen.
eral In the United states Army, sprung TO sudden
cminence as political orator. The Young Ireland
party seeded rom the Repeal Association and
founded the Irish Confederation. wnie the coun.
try was divided by these angry politics the potato
crop failed. famine. such as no otner Western
nation has known Tor centuries. visited Ireland.
.O'Connell's maIady, increased by deadly compl.
cation OF cares, hurried TO a crisis. lie attempted
a pilgrimage to Rome, but died on the way, at
Genoa The power he had created died with him.
HIS son, John 0'Connell, who attempted to assume
the leadership as II 1t were hereditary, was re-