The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-07
TI,o O,ConncIl CcntennInI.

was duly commemOrated yesterday, moi
only in his own native land but nt various
points in this country. II is not strange
that Irish Catholics should feel called
upon to do honor to OCOnnell wherever
they arc scattered throughout the earth,
His name is as familiar to them as Il
household word, lie illustrated in his
life what one man can do by virtue Of I'M
rclenting, courageous and skillful dCvO-
ton to single idea. The removal Of the
political and civil disabilities that rested
upon his Catholic countrymen in Ireland
was the absorbing dream Of his life from
the year 1900 up To the repeal uf those
disabilities in 1920, During twenty years
Of that time he devoted some portion Of
every day either to writing or speaking
on behalf Of the emancipation of his
cOuntrymen, and during that time he
acquired wonderful skill in the use Of the
political, moral and religious machinery
necessary to foment, intensity and mag
nifty the agitation esteemed necessary to
command the attention Of the british
Government. O'Connell was II natural
born agitAtOr. lie would have been n
Wendell Phillips in this country, without
perhaps Wendell Phillips uhsellish dis
interestedness. The truth Of history
throws cloud over his fame In this re-
spcCt. II was shown in lsi5 that while
holding forth against oppression in pub
lie, and drawing from the contributions
Of the peasantry princely income on
the ground Of his eXertions on behalf Of
their freedom and prosperity, he was
himself middle-man, holding land on
low lenses from the landlord, and gaining
profits out Of tenantry in "a lost,
wrctched and neglected condition" " Is
said that O'Conncll was furious at this
exposure, but the facts were proved
against him. This was only two years
before his death, and 1t is believed that
the exposure alluded to materially con-
tributed to hasten his end.
Despite this tarnish to his fame how
ever, it must be said that he was the in
strument of extorting important conces-
sions from the British Parliament on be-
half Of the Irish Catholics, and It isnot
strange therefore that the latter do honor
to his memory. His fame as an agiEa-
tor may be said to have pulminated in
1928. II was In that memorable year thai
he was elected to Parliment, and that he re-
fused To take the testoathS that had been
enacted to keep Catholics out Of Parli'
ment His position at that time attract
ed attention throughout the world. lle
threw himself back on his copstlllents--ib
fact upon the whole Catholic population
of Iteland-and under his sklllful gaid.
nuce the agitation rose to such q tormldg1
bic height that at length the great leaders
Of the Conservative party, Sir Robert
Peel and the Duke Of Wellington, became
alarmed, and resolved toconcede emanci!
patton to the Catholics. And they did
concede II thenext year. a bill was passed
removing the last Of the civil disabilities
resting upon Catholics. O'Conhell took
his seat and soon became distinguished
member Of tho body. In order 10
keep alive the agitation which was
part and parcel Of his fame he proclaim
ed during Ills first year in Parliament
that a repeal Of the legislative union be
tween Great Britain and Ireland was Tie
only means Of obtaining Justice for the
latter country. II Is seriously doubted
whether o'Connell ever had any idea that
this new movement would succeed, II II
said that his object was simply to menac'
the English government aud coerce II
into measures Of amelioratlon. One o.
the wrongs that was agitated Under The
auspices Of this new movement was The
payment Of tiLhes. OF the S,OOO,0 900 peo
ple then inhnbiting Ireland, only one
tenth we're members Of the Established
(Episcopal) Church, and yet tithes for IL
support we're exaclCd lndiScriminatelJ
from all the people. 1t was this grievance
that GludstOne's administration StrucE
down only few years ago, at The time .
the passage Of the bill for the di'esIOb
lishment Of the English Church in ireland
O'Connell died In lS47, nbrOken dow
man. lie went tothC grave under cloud
After the exposure Of his secret busines
and pccuniaty transactions, II is sail
that "hc grew anxious and feeble, and a
length ILL.," Allison, the Tory historian
who was once examined for eight hour
bv O'Connell before a committee OF tn
House Of Commons, thus describes hi
person aud character
"Ln appearance he was striking b
would have been remarked among
thousond, His countenahce was neilhC
handsome nor commanding, but II hNt
something in II which irreSfstibly at
,rocted the attention. Strong and s1uart
bnilG his figure conveyed the idea o
great personal strength; quick, but eva
siyc, his eye gave the impression o
Jesnilical cunning. lie scarce ever look
ed Won in the face. In manners he was
when he chose, extremely pleasing nom
could exhibit when lie desired Il mor'
courtesy, or was q more agreeable com
panion; and none, when otherwise inclin
eI could let ly a more fearful yolley o
vnlsNr abuse. lie belonged to the age
Isnotius Layola or St. Francis rathe
t6on that Of the French revolution
pope EIildebrand was not more de
voted to the interests Of the Holy Sec
peter the Hermit did not possess in
higher degree tho art Of rousing and VIC
lently moving the people, He was borf
nm agitator and there he was supreme
mt he was neither more or less. He ha'
H.