Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-08-13
Daniel O'COnnelI.

sent to classical school in Redington,
near the cove of Cork, which is said TO
have been the first school publicly opened |
after the repeal Of those laws which made |
it penal for Roman Catholics to educate |
their children. With youth, fresh from the |
mountains, says Henry Giles, in his splen-
did description of the distinguished advo-
cate, W it'll mind trained in healthful sim
plicity-with an Imagination which had |
received its first impressions from the |
cloud capped headlands of Kerry, and
from the billowy and boundless Atlantic
with memory stored from the treasury
of Celtic legend from the wild and pas
sionate complaints of song and story, he
entered the college of ST. Omers, semna-
ry for Catholic instruction. Aller a short
interval at Donai, he came back to st.
Omers, and was thence excluded by the
French revolution, and escaped to Eng
land. The profession of law was opened
to Roman Catholics in 1893; O'Counell
studied for it, and in 179s he was called TO
the Irish bar. lie was among the first of
his church to avail himself of this relaXa-
ton of the penal code. He entered the po-
litical arena at the same time, and imme-
diately became, as he afterwards continued
TO be, the champion of Irish nationality.
lie made his first public speech in lSO0-a
speech which at once gave notice that a
great orator and great man had been born
into the world. Shortly after, in 1902, he
married his cousin, Mary O'Connell, with
whom, as he declared, he had thirty years
Of as pure happiness MS Is given TO man TO
enjoy on earth. Thus blessed at the en-
trance of household life, he began course
of prosperous activity. Practice came TO
him early, and 10 the last it continued to
increase. But the great work of OCou-
nelrs life vas TO labor for the political
emancipation of the Catholics. "For more
than twenty years." he says TO the Earl of
Shrewsbury, "before the passing Of the
emancipation bill, the burden Of the cause
was thrown on me. l had TO arrange the
meetings,to prepare resolutions, to furn-
ish replies TO correspondence, TO examine
the case of each person complaining of
practical grievances, 10 rouse the torpid, TO
animate the lukewarm, 10 control the vio-
lent and in1ammatory, TO avoid the shoals
and breakers of the law, TO guard against
multiplied treachcry, and at all times to
oppose, at every peril, the powerful and
| multitudinous enemies of the cause" Such
was the herculean task O'Connell had to
| perform, his only reward being in the sat
isfaclon at the glorious results achieved.
He had arrayed against him the biterest
| of foes, but only on one occasion was he
pro voked into personal encounter. DIES
terre, a member ofthe Dublin corporation,
driven by political anmosity, challenged
O'Connell to mortal combat. ID Esterro
was one of the best marlsmen in the coun-
try, but O'Connell killed him at the first
shot. The great agitator, after this event,
vowed he would never again fight a duel,
d resolve which many petty politician
took advantage of to insult and abuse
OCon nell, but the latter was not 10 be de-
tered from his great work by any such
acts of his enemies. O'Connell organized
"A Catholic board for the prosecution OF his
iabors, but the government ordered it to
dsband. 1t only started under new
name, and when the government again in
terfe red the name was again changed /;
when forbidden under one name, it mere
ly took another never giving up but only
gaining increased strength. 1t is very gem
orally known how the irrepressible o Con-
nell originated his movement for Catholic
emancipation. Announcing that if but ten
members could be secured to meet in a
room in Dublin, he would organize for ag-
itatng Catholic emancipation, he found on
the day appointed for the meeting but
eight of the desired number. Nothing dis
heartened or discouraged, he at once pro-
ceeded to the street and meeting two stu
dents of Trinity college, he caused them to
Join with him, and thus he made up the
ten and laid the foundation of that gigan-
tic movement which resulted in the eman-
cpation of the Catholics of Ireland.
In 1928 OConnell was elected member of
Parliament from Glare, but upon proceed
ing to take his seat, he refused to take the
oaths prescribed and was consequently de-
MED admission. Again be was triumph
antly returned, and the government feel
ing compelled to remove the oaths, O'Con-
nell was admitted, and he continued from
that time until his death TO represent his
country from one place or another; in fact
he considered himself member for all Ire
land, which indeed was the truth, in view
of his embodiment of the universal sonti
ment of the Irish people. lie commenced
his agitation for the repeal of the Union in
1912, and being prosecuted by the govern
ment on charge of sed ition, he was sen
fenced to $4,000 fine aud years imprson
, ment. An appeal was taken 10 the Hous'
of Lords and the Judgment was reversed
, Three months of the term of imprson
ment however passed before O'Connell
was released, and this period broke dowr
: his proud spirit. To quote a distinguished
/ admirer of the great agitator, sit did no
injure his body, but it entered his soul. l
proved him vulnerable, and when MAJ
Is thought vulnerable, a wound in tn
heel is as fatal as the splitting of the head
His person was till then the person of ;
Q tribune, which no man must rudely toucl
g and live. The spell was broken; he felt i
= was, and began TO droop. The majest.
4 that doth hedge a King bad been attacked
5 though not despoled it had been profane
Q ly treated. He could no longer reign; hi
e battles had not henceforth the prestige o
9 victory or Of hope. The hard but eXhilar
= ating contest in which his life had beel
}, passed must succumb TO prosy forms; til
4 wild eloquence that shouted in its FIRE
power over the surging seas of multitude
l must sink 10 cautious tameness in tn
i presence of a government reporter; mus
If give account of itself at the bidding of TIC
S ny judges. The charm was dissolved, an
S with ii the glory OF unquestioned domain.
d The sad, detected advocate sought relic
e in the continent, his visit partaking mucl
is of the nature of religious pilgrimage, bu
A. at Genoa on the 18th of Nav 1917 deaf