The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1875-03-25
Gl)c 1ctfcrsoniau.
THURSDAY, MARCH IS, 1875.
JOHN MITCHELL.

day morning, March Goth.
John Mitchell was born at Dungiven,
County Derry, Ulster, in 1916. His father
was Unitarian clergyman, and he himself
was intended for the church. His incina-
tions, however, had no leanings that way,
and after graduating at Trinity.C College Dub
lin he began life as an attorney in partnership
with law firm at Banbridge He first
obtained reputation in lS45, by the pubca-
ton of his life of Aodh o nellie, the great ulster
chief, which prominently brought him before
the Irish people, and gave him the position
of leader of young Ireland" At the death
of Thomas Davis he succeeded to the chair
of the nation and at once became, in the
language of Mr.. John Savage, ''the leading
tinker of the land "
In the same year, lS45, Mitchell settled
in Dublin, where his plain spoken and writ
ten words soon gained him the affection of
the people, and the ire of the English gov
crnment, who looked upon his utterances as
seditious, and set about the task of entrap-
ping him in the meshes Of the law. He was
arrested and, on the trial the jury failed to
nothing but rank ''treason, according to the
crown views, but really, principles which
could not fail to lead to the securing of the
largest liberties for the people which he
loved. During IS47, Mitchell wrote, spoke
uni lectured on national subjects of interest
to his people, and his lectures on land tenures
in Europe were not only extensively copied
but became standards as supports of his side
of the question, and rendered invaluable
services to the cause he had at heart
Tn lS4S Mitchell left the nation, because
Of Gavan Dufy's opinion, who had already
began to exhibit weakness for honors under
the Queen, that his writings were too 'sedi-
tious." He then, on the 18th of February,
1913, established, in association with Deven
Reilly and Clarancc Mangan the United
Irishman, when, for some three months the
English government stood such fire as it
had never before experienced. In fact mat
tiers became altogether too hot for English
endurance, and, on the 18th Of May, Mitchell
was arrested on charge of felony, and sent to
close confinement in Newgate. On the 26th
of the same month he was brought to trial,
ana by means of a packed jury, was found
gnilty the same day, sentenced to penal
seryitude of fourteen years, and at once hur-
rled out Of the country.
Mitchell was confined on the island Of
Bermuda, and then taken to Australia where
he next met Smith O Brien, Thomas Fran
c,s Neagher, Michael DohaneY and others,
where after spending four years of Jail life
as he called ii, he escaped to America.
through the aid Of his friend, Patrick j.
s:myth, now member of Parliament from
WeStmeath. 1t was contended by the
British government that he violated his parole
Ul honor but the facts do not warrant the
assertion. lie yielded up his ticket OF leave
which had been furnished him and at once
mounted horse in waiting and left. He
was pursued but fruitlesSly, and the reward
offered for his capture-''ten dollars or a les
FER sum" as the magistrate might fix,
slowed either hopelessuess Of his arrest, or
that the Government was conscience stricken
over its treatment Of one whose only fault
vas that he loved his country.
Ia 1854 Mitchell arrived in New York and
at once, began the publication Of The Citizen,
paper devoted to the interest OF the Irish
Nationalist party. He continued this one
year, when he removed TO Tennessee, pur-
charsed farm, aud lived for several years
Here lie established the Southern Citizen,
which he subsequently removed to Washing
tOn where it came TO an end in 1859. After
this he went to France, but returned, and, in
1861, became the Editor Of the Richnaond
Iaqujrer, aud continued in that position un-
Ill the close Of the war, iDdulging through its
columns the most bitter auimosity to the
Union cause and the people Of the North,
his apostacy to the cause Of liberty going SO
far as to lead him even to advocate the open
ing Of the slave trade.
lie came north, before the struggle was
over, and Became assistant editor of the New
York NecS, aud brought with him all the
secession sentiments which he had entertain
ed at the south, the advocacy Of which finally
led to his arrest. He was, however, released
at the petition Of Fenian convention. ItI
was Il strange phenomenon that which this
portion of his life presented-the uncompro-
missing advocate OF the Irish liberty assuming
the role of the advocate of negro-slavery
The Irish Citizen oSta ahliShed in 1887 was
Mitcheli's next literary essay, but it fingered
only until 1873 when it died, aud from that
time until July 1874 he led quiet life. At
the parliamentary election last February, last
year, he was one Of sig home rulers for the
two seats from Tipperary ireland, but was
badly beaten. He then visited most portions
of Ireland in a private manner, and was
every where received with enthusiasm By the
people. In October last he returned to New
York, but before leaving was presented with
n +oe+;uoan;ol raooIinr Go NOO H., q Il