Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-27

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tartan minister. Graduating at Trinity
College, Dublin, in 1865, he began the
practice of the law during the stormy period
of Daniel O'COnnells "nonster meet
ings,n and soon imbibed the spirit Of young
Ireland. In 1916 he succeeded Thomas
Davis as editor of the Dublin Nation and
his vigorous writings soon brought upon
that journal the wrath of the government.
In 1S4T he started the United IriSlmdR,
the bold utterances Of which led to his con.
viction for constructive treason and a sen
tence Of transportation for fourteen years.
The government orders were that he should
be treated "as q person Of educ3tiOn and a
gentleman" The first two months of ex.
patriation were passed at Bermuda, after
which he was depOrted to Australia where
he met as fellow exiles William Smith
O'Brien, Thomas Francis Meagher, John
Martin, Terence MeManus and otherpoliti-
cal associates.
Gen. Bate said: "After sWeltering under
a tropical sun for five years, John Mitchell
made his escape from Australia through the
iRstrumentality CT Mr.. p. L. Smith who
went from New York, commissioned to eff
feet it, but not until he had surrendered
his parole to the authorities who had given
it. and he felt it honorable to do so. And
singularly enough the same Smith is now a
member Of the British Parliament.
Having, with much embarrassment, made
good his escape through the forests of Tas-
mania, he embarked for America, and after
a weary voyage, entered the golden gate of
the Great West, as an exile Of Erin and
was welcomed with warm hearts and hOspit-
oil to Nc l. IL,
resumed his Journalistic careeI, in the bet
ter days of oar Republic, without the fear
Of 'gag-laWs, arrest or Punishment, and
after years Of labor, wearied Of the excite
ment consequent upon metropolitan life,
be sought refuge and quiet in one Of the
most hid-sway places known to the in
habited part of our country. He found,
nestled in the spurs Of the Allegheny
mountains in BlOunt county, East Tennes-
see, a little uninhSbited vale of AvOka,
where the bright waters meet where in
the deep solitude he could commune
with Nature up to Natures God without
the fear of intrusion, and settled there.
Though away from the busy hum of men,
banished and eziied, and the dew on his
thin robe hung heavy and chilli yet, even
here, he could not shut out from his vision
the spot of bis birth, tha playground of his
bOyhOOd and theater Of his eTentful after
life. He nightly saw above him the same
twinkle Of those little eyes of heaven
which for centuries had been the silent
watchers Of the glory and gloom of his
Fatherland. Their reflected image danced
in the bright little arteries Of the Tucka-
leechee cove with the same glee as they
were wont in the bosom Of his own Killar-
ney.
''The winter seems to have chilled his
ardOr for mountain seclusiOn, and with the
spring he returned to the walks
Of active life, TO renew in Knoxville the
Efforts Of his vigorous pen, and the Citizen,
under the editorial management of Mitch
Il and Swan appeared before the reading
public. II was while he lived here, that !
four speaker saw him for the first and only |
line. He came one morning, where / |
lhanCed TO he, in the tasteful library of his |
,ocial and literary friend, Hen. VIM. g. |
whose sttainments made him @ |
,ODgenial companion for the scholarly |
rishmaD. If his name and reputation |
lad not attracted me, his ap-
,earance and conversation certain |
y would. There was before me a slender
Gentleman, Of ordinary stature, apparently
0rty years of age, with manly from, |
FTeathed with dark bFOWn hair, hegemmed |
nth such expressive blue eyes as gave the
Impress Of genius TO his face. His CONVEX
alton was chaste and somewhat humorous,
nd he pronounced, round and full, every
yllable he uttered, which was enliVened
Y a moderate share of his native brOgue.
IN ardent temperament and Intrepid dar-
No OF character were visible in every emo
ion Of body and mind, and looked the
ian who would defy Baron LefTOy as he
sentence upon him with the
lme lofty bearing that stamped greatness
nd Immortality on the young brow of
,mmett as he dehsntly confronted Lord
-Orbury.
GAS an editor and as a man he was no
IS fixed in his convictions and pronounced
/ his political opinions in America than in
leland. Led away by no sickly senti-
lent, cOntemning that over weaving sup
lance to power which he derided as fun
9ldSll, and guided alone by the sense of
ght and love Of justice, and having taken
ie oath of allegiance TO the United States, |
nd recognizing the fact that the general
)Yernment and the States each had rights
lder the Constitution, that they were, in
e language Of one of Americas sweetest
,ets, as distinct as the pillows, yet
le as the sea- and being, like
Ost Of his race, too colnbative in
s nature TO remain idle in a fight,
had no sooner heard the mutterings of
e coming conflict between the Northern
Id Southern States, than be took bold and
ZEN grounds in favor Of his adopted sec
ID; and during that Titanic struggle {
.ver ceased to WELD his pen, keen and
snchant, in behalf of the cause he had {
pOused. With him there was no middle s
Ound; neutrality itself was action, but | ]
ch action as his proud nature and /
aracter forbade. His three sons en-
red the army of the Confederate States,
o of whom sleep in the hallOWsd
som of our Southland in soldier I
lves, and the third, wounded in the
me cause, now survives, and, as q &
5ident of New York, lives, a support and
" to the noble mother of those gallant Il
acchi. The fercer the storm, the closer | n
hr Mitchell clung to the colors, until the C
fated Gross Of st. Andrew became a
nquered banner and as such was 4
and sanctified unto history by
prOmethean FIRE Of Father Ryan, in the v
IdeSt but sweetest strain that ever emitted
N the broken harp OF Erin. The strug. o.
over, he found a prisoners cell in Fort It
rren, until released by the late ex-
.sident Andrew johnson. Always a I'll
riot, twice a prisoner, but never a felOn, CT
will be remembered among the heroes CO
two continents. re
Having taken the oath of allegiance to
United States, he felt secure from ar
!, and in 1874, made short visit to his ed
nds in Ireland, and while there, doubt M
perfected arrangements to be returned N
n Tipperary to the British Parliament, ap
wing full well that under the Jaws Of an
at Britain, and by virtue cftreaty stipu- W.
ons, British subject who had taken to
oath Of allegiance to foreign power, on HI
Ining to Britain with the intention Of tn
aiming permanently, became thereby a IL
zen rehabilitated with all the rights and be
ers attaching to other citizens, and, as an
], had legal right, all other objections be
e, TO be elected and seated ID Parlia- ] dir