National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-30

good repute and independence OF the Catholic
BODY seemed about to be contaminated, when Just
at the critical moment Daniel O'Connen stepped
seventy.fve years ago on the 18th of January,
| 1875, O'Oonnel delivered speech a. the Royal
introduced q series Of resolutions, the FIRST and
| last Of which embody and define, in few words,
his political philosophy. These resolutions read
aReSoIvsd, That we are Of opinion that the pro-
| posed incorporate union Of the Legislature OF
/ tion Of the liberty Of this country, which would
be reduced 70 the abieot condition Of province,
Legislature Of another country, to be bound BY
their absolute will, ard taxed at their pleasure
BY lnys in the making Of Tnish THIS country
| "ReSolped, That, having heretofore deter
mined not to come forward any more in the dis
tinct character OF Catholics, but to consider
claims and our cause, not as those Of q sect but
| involved in the general tate OF our country, We
imitation, to publish the present resolutions in
| order to undeceive our fellow-subjects who may
have been led to believe, BY false represents
renee whatsoever to so foul and fatal project to
assure them we are incapable of sacrificing our
and that We are Of opinion that this deadly at
tack upon the nation is the great call Of nature,
Of country and posterity upon 1rishmen Of all de;
scriptons and persuasions to every constitutional
andlegal resistance; and that We sacredly pledge
ourselves TO perseTere in obedience to that call
The words Of these resolutions, the wise, Just
| and liberal sentiments which they contain. re-
/ mind one Of the eloquent and sagacious utter
| ances Of the leading American statesmen Of our
James Otis, one Of the first and foremost cham
c centfating and 7OiciHg the Judgment Of these
statesmen, declares that government springs
rom the necessities o. nature, ana nave an eyer
| God. The hrst principle and great end Of gov
eminent being to provide for the best good Of all
people, this can only be done by supreme legis-
tatIre and executive ultimately in the people or
| the whole community, where God has placed 1t.
rS s 81 sVeE %sn " hlI oens TbsI
are rights derived from the Author Of Nature;
| Inherent fnaIienable and indefeasibie by sny
| law, compacts, contracts, covenants or stipula-
lations which man can devise. Godmade all men
As a statesman o'COnnen Iabored to establish
| the
UNITY, INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM OF IRE
| LAND.
| To this end he would enancipate every inhabit-
| ant, and perpetuate freedom Of conscience; he
would annul the Legislative union between Eng
land and Ireland, and give to ireland her oWR
Constitution, and the rights IT guaranteed,
through her own government. In considering
| his long and persistent labors in behalf of HIS
country, the sacrifices which he made, the suffer-
| ings and trials which he endured, his imprison-
| ment and triumphant release therefrom, his dou-
BILE election from Glare, hts entry and brilliant
career in the Imperial Parliament, his matchless
and eloquent addresses before the congregated
thousands who gathered at Dublin, Ennis, Tara
| and other places made classic by his presence
and utterances, we accept as fit and truthful
II have already devoted all the faculties of my
soul to the pursuit Of the liberties Of my country;
and humble as my capabilities are, had already
given them all to my native land.
"Alasl the gilt was small, but 1t included GER
perssyeFsnce of exertion, contempt Of personai
danger, neglect Of personal advantage, and,
finally, incorruptible integrity and truths" and
ing the plate rendered him on behalf OF the
CATHOLIC people Of Ireland, when, continuing, he
said: "For myself need not tell you that, in the
struggle for the liberties of Ireland, every peril
personal OF political is to me source Of pleasure
and qualification" II have heretofore
loved my country for herself am now her
bribed servant, and no other master can possibly
tempt me to neglect, forsake or betray her inter-
estsn
O'ConneIl claimed and demanded "home rulen
for ireland; the repeal Of the act of union, and
the restoration Of the situation Of 1TS21s0O when
lament. And 1t win prove diticult task for the
OppOsers Of such restoration to show why indie
pendent home government, wisely and firmly es.
prove Of the greatest benefit to the 1rish bring
Ing them national peace, union and prosperity.
Such government, Judiciously administered, can
prove no source Of confusion, generate no
feelings of malcontent among the people.
HWein our states may enjoy sell government,
sovereignty, without confusion and with the
largest good order and happiness, why may not
Ireland with her home Parliament?
POPULAR GOVERNMENT IS WORTH so MUCH,
is SO desirable, is so calcQlateQ-lI we may luQge
from national experience, our own especially-to
work and support popular good that we demand
for ireland and the Irish people this inestim9ble
no less-D0 other thing. know that the colored
American, so lately made free, lifted from chat
telhoOd to the dignity Of manhood, citizenship
political responsibility and oficiaI duty, in the
ardor and enthusiasm inspired by his new life Of
freedom, makes haste to extend his hand Of sym
Of Ireland, whose soul, catching the accents, the
deathless, eloquent voice Of O'Connell, would
throw of its chains and assert its natural, inhe-
rent right Of self government. The eolored Amer
lean Is too sensible Of his debt OF gratitude to
O'Connell and the great leaders OF the Irish
people to be unsympathetic or Indifferent to Ire
lands condition and struggles.
Before this audience, at this time, when popu-
lar conviction is sc distinct and pronounced as far
as government by every nation for itself and In
its own interest is concerned, need not say that
the enunciation and advocacy Of this measure
craftsmanship. And its establishment in Ire
land, believe, is the only thing that will bring
Cancellation and cordislity to Catholics and
and happiness to all the people.
History gives O'COnnell yet another and not
less interesting and pleasing character. refer
As AN ABoLITIoNIsT,
occupying deservedly conspicuous place by Clark
son, Wilberforee, Buxton, Brougham, Macaulay,
group Of Great Britain's leading abOlitlOnists.
II has been we'll said that "the tribute which
Great Britain has paid to the genius Of humanity
African slave trade and negro slavery, is the
aspect in which che delights to be contemplated
by ether nations"
If this be true we may not forget on this oeca-
sion what she owes to the noble sons Of ireland,
whose eloquent words go SO far to complete the
beautiful testimony which she has borne this
subject. We may not forget the words Of Curran;
here may emphsiEe those Of O'OonneIl. More
than hall century ago the former declared In
II speak in the spirit of our constitution, which
makes liberty commensurate with and inseper-
kn, nIaFWN 70 h0
stranger and the soiourner, the moment he sets
his foot upon our native earth, that the ground
he treads is holy and eonsecrated by the genius
Of universal emancipation; matter In what
language his doom may have been pronounced;
no matter what complexion Incompatible with
freedom an Indian or an African sun may nave
burnt upon him; no matter in what disastrous
battle his liberty may have been cloYen down; no
matter with what soiemnities he may have been
devoted on the altar Of slavery, the first moment
he touches our sacred soil the altar and the god
sink together in the dust; his soul walks abroad
| in her own majesty; bis body sWells beyond the
measure Of his chains that burst around him, and
he stands redeemed, regenerated and disen-
thraled by the irresistible genius Of universal
emancipation"
In 1880, year memorable as the one In which
| the friends Of the abolition movement urged and
demanded immediate as opposed to gradual eman-
cipation, OConnell uttered these noble and CRATE
/ ful words:
81 am TOR speedy, immediate abolition. 1 care
EEme, / am for It's total, its instant abolition.
Whether IL be personal or political mental or
corporal, Intellectual or spiritual, am for its
| immediate abolition. enter into no compromise
with slavery; am for justice in the name Of hu-
manity, and according TO the law Of the living
| God"
The utteranee of such sentiments, made with
| force, eloQuence and power, was we'll calculated
not only TO change, reform and settle the popular
| Judgment of Great Britain and the West India
fsands where slavery existed, against that insti-
| tuition but, since the utterance was made by
OCoDnei, an orator Of rare, royal power; astates
| man Of consummate ability, commanding by his
addresses the attention Of Senates as well as the
people Of all civilized lands, its influence was felt
| especially and appreciated in our own country,
| eneOura glDg, Strengthening and sustaining the
| noble band Of American abolitionists In their
| warfare upon Q despotism black and cruel as
| death. OConnell was not content, however with
the indirect though Inevitable effect produced by
his utteranees on this subject upon the American
/ people. He knew, too, how large the number Of
/ 1rishmen Was-sons Of his sWn native land, Gath
Olics, with Church relationships in Ireland which
had been Incorporated into our body polite, and
become re sponsible in good measure for the char
| acter Of our nation IS regarded by mankind. He
| Therefore bore a direct and earnest and uncom-
promising and positive testimony against our en-
sIavement OF the negro, and the prescription, the
feeling Of caste which It generated and fostered.
/ We remember hts address to the Irish Repeal
i Association, Of Cincinnati, Ohio, accompanying
/ the Pope's allocution Of slavery and the slave
/ trade. Addressing the association, he commences
1--WE have read with the deepest afiction, not