, 1875-03-22
JOHN MITCHELL.

Al, irish VAuss OF fsia s,lkc.
",rolu Mitchell IL doad." Such Ia the an-
nouncoment sont to Anorlca from Ireland
bfarcl, %. 1876. Tho nsme and fan,e OF tlis
man arc a pnrt Of tho history Of two nations. Ills
Vas an eyontfat life. nnd bis was a natl,ro not
casily con,prcl.ondcd by those who wore not
familiar with tho peculiar qualities Of his mind.
JOHN Mitchell WAS bosn In tho County Derry,
4. D. f815. Tho Ron Of III Unitarian minietcr
who llat boen "Ui.tol Irinl,u,an," ile grow up
in tho stern atmoHpero Of tho Irish Ropubtican.
LAM Of Ueter, which survived tho disnstefs sud
horrors of 179s. The boy was bright nnl zoal-
| Gus, gifted with keen satlre. and with
! courage that tho power of All Empire
| could not daunt. From tho lips Of Ills
venerable parent, rs woll aB from tlo traditions
OF his country, he learned to Ablor EhgIHh rulo
\ In Iratand, and cultivated hatred Of English
domination not surpassed by any 1risltnan, 'ir-
| ing or dead. 1Io rms given the benefit OF lib
oral education, aDi, At proper age, entered tue
Office OF lawyer III Belfast, r'lerc he soon dis.
ttnglishcd hu,scf not nlono in the profession hc
Ind ehosen, hit also In occasonas articles Written
| Oh tho subject Of lrial, polisicu.
While Yot very young man, ho became in
tercstcd In tic struggle for repcnl Of tho Uuion.
insuguratcd by Daniel o Conno>'. bnt he nuver
| Ind any faith in tho AgtRtor'B "1nota1-forco
policy as applied against tho English doycr,-
tueuL in ireland. Mitcliol was cvor u thorough
robel. 1io lated England after fashion
tlat know no such word as compromise.
lie did not bcltoyo IN unarmed ''mcnstcr moet-
iugs." bnt had sturdy crni1dencon in the fighting
qualities Of IiH uoHntrynet, and hoped that, uut
Of tho ropeal buncotnBo, something llko manly
effort for tho independence Of ireland might be
nodded. Tia cant Of "10yalty to tho Crown"
10 common iu those .s1aysl daya after Catholic
emancipation, ho dcsplhcd With bis who!e
heart, and launched his 1iofce sarcasm against
Ills Bonl1css sycophauts who pretended dayo-
tion to tho EngIiHl, sovereign which 1t waa i'm
possible that my 1.!sliman not parasite could
foeI. lie took thu strong and aol,sibo ground
tim. The English lad no claim. upon ireland at
all, except tho robbers claim Of brute FORCE hud
always srote OF Great britain as the usutper,"
| and ''tho cnomy." ~
The Young oafzister soon bocamo dissinauinlcd
for tho thoso,ghness Of bis views, aud Iornoa
tho acquaintance of CharloH Gayan Duffy and
Ihon,aa DarIs.--tho two men to whose gonius
tho brilliant Young 1rcaud party owed ita
blltl. In 1slo, tho Dublin Nation was started
john H. Dillon; and, BOON after, Mitchell became
n rogular contributor, aud finally IN associate
writer. ii;s PEN ras wonderful power IN tho
Iris!. niaHses. lilo Na.iou editorials became
wari'ko nnt impressive. The independent
Usterman. unused to tho seridom which
bowed Catholic ireland to tho dust, repaid
sssSy sS eoa Gsfsn s'ss 'fssi s s s%ss sfssy
nJoss lietl, he exposed t.s falaehooa. Who,,
ii threatened. ho illing back defiance. Whom 1t
rialculed, Mitchell returned tue compliment with
d4yss s Of switt. 6oonnell. aloao warsa 's spir.
nizad master hand At work. ait aid
trenblcd for the fa.o OF big pot theory Of - NOR
anl seemed to divide ireland with tho great
! Agitator himself. 1t certainly commanded moro
attention from tho educatod portion Of tho Irish
people, especially tue towusnlsn.
, In tho fall or 1916, .rAomas Davis died. and
s Mitchell waH tho only man in ireland capable Of
: filling Ills place. Ho waa not, like Davia, a
poet but bis prose WAS like tito flash Of bay
tenton Of sha Ensiish dovarninoant a W ass va soou es
turned TO tue columns Of the Nation.
) lu lsie, hi. Duffy, proprietor Of the
Written Sy join sltsSel; but ths 5asy t.i'e c
/: agree aud tho matter was allowed to drop,
! Mitchell soon grow tiroa Of tho moderate polio,
adsooated by Du,fy, spt IN !hs fal! Of 1917. tho
established the Ui.i'ed lrtslman, . journal which
. openly advocated the separation Of ireland
!: from Groat grtan and which published . series
Of military Instructions 40 to the manufacture o
iishtlng which prod1eod profonna o1eitamen
. | "ismIne years" Mitchel's motto fo'
the as,ia 1fs IT, IT, ut ot.h y DettoE &
~
8 Tho people chorlshol tho sentiment; hut Htarsa
tion, 1opcal-spoochitytng, and "moral force,
had quollsd their spirit !; and the United Irix!
nan powo9tnl - Il gaa. woS uusbIo to Eo~kindlt
t Mitchell nov grcw desperate. He attacaes
u tho Losd-Loutouaat and tho Qoyoru.
ment in - . sty'e xleh ~ Enflant
transport e ' torsS!s IT eator :' lis vrtng VI @
weTo SO we'll guarded, force though tlloll
: tendency was, that Lord John Ilussoll, the tier
promlor. was obliged to bare spsclal net, knowl
II uouBea Of Parliament within twenty four Lou1s
to secure the conviction Of John Mitchell. The
latser was apooily arrested and brought to trial
q Tue Government could not AFFORD to bs beaten
cent mode Of luty trial pfnctlcod for Tie benefit
!. OF civilization "in Ireland, namoly: A packst
d jury. All Catholics and most psotostauts, OF
sdea "fs%sa e III. s's Two Essssi xssS
h and hali-a.dozcn traaee,aan OF tho Lord-Lis.,
tcnans wore among sac Jurors. Under suci
-, atosn. d conviction Was matter Of certainty
i Felony IT, advocating tho Freedom .
IRELAND by forco Of arns,-Nas sontcneel to b
% transported for fourteen years, Whom asket
sna wha Gn he bo to 'sy ,osl Wy seone
i plled in speech rcplcte NTH vehemont denun
Is brief, but very effective. ~ haso alloan," b
aaid "wlnt English power IN Irolaud Is base
Il | uftAs-tathSA 1oA!e' e"+N1e%u oAo6e1s toAlAu
10 Eher1a."
70 Tho Judge would hear no more. The peop,
a began 10 cla.nor and. In cha!ns, Mitchell va
removed from tho dock, placed on board al
j. English mat,-of-war, aud sont to tile Dermudsa
10 aud finally to Tasmanla. Ihls waA On tho a1t
70 day OF bIsy, 1913. In 1853, Mitchell. nsalBtod b
P,J. Amytli. the prssont motnbcr Of pariameu
r. from Weatmeatl, having rotMrnod his parole
succeeded III escaping to tho unlted btates.
u Ills career tn THIS country is too we'll KNOW
d to need much recapitulation. Ha committed
IN great mistake Ia advocating African slavery
r Gut he was firm in AiH convictions that I'll
negro vns M inferior aniGaal,--not lt to b
h. raHked in equality with Caucasian blood. 1
T. tho War OF tho Rebellion he side
os with the SOUTH and two Of 4a SOUS tell IN battle
u Que at Fort Aumtcr, and QUO in the charge o
u pickett's Division, Ut Gettysburg. AZ tue clos
IL Of tho War, Mitchell was contihGd for time i
ID Fortress Monroe; but President johnson 70
9. leased him on petition Of the Fenlan Congrosd
q. a4AQl9b1ed LII rlIEadalphIA III October, 1865.