Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-08-11
The O'COnnplI Centennial,

Friday was the one hundredth anniver-
sary OF the birth Of the Irish patriot, Dan
iel O'Connell.
Wendell Phillips nude one of the great
est speeches of his life in honor of o..
Connellat Boston. Friday evening last, to
an audience that packed Music Hall full to
overlooking. Patrick Donohue presided,
and among the 200 on the platform were
Gov. CASTOR. Gen. Banks, William Llovd
Garrison and Charles Francis Adams, .Jr.,
and many other public men. Gen Butler
was absent, and Gen. Banks, when called
out, declined to speak. Boyle O'Reilly's
poem was first given with good effect, and
then Mr.. Phillips spoke for an hour and 4
half, amid great applause, which was
most enthusiastic when he spoke of o.
Connell's fidelity to the aboltionists His
keynote was that O'Connell made Ireland
Il nation; he found her Il kissing and a by
word, and he left her the pivot of English
politics, Il nation whose continued discon-
tent has dragged England down to be a
second-rate power. He is to be ranked,
= rot with the founders of states, but with
men like Luther, Mazzini. Garrison and
Sam Adams, the men who have changed
the destiny of states He was "a states
man. and the greatest orator that spoke
the English tongue" dying, he left in
Parliament !; specter, which, if not appeas-
ed, pushes ministers, wing and tory alike,
from their Stools He completed his
work 10y giving Ireland the KEY of her
own destiny. having created 4 public opin-
ion and a unity of purpose which are
the substance of nationality. 1t was odd
and finely in contrast with Buffers f,wn-
ing speech, the previous night, to hear
Phillips speak of the colossal proportions
of Luther, and say "IfI were an Irish
man. would cling to the EMPIRE The
and there from Phillips old lecture on o.
Council. and gave great delight to all who
heard it. Religious services were held
during the day mt st Johns Catholic
church, Archbishop Williams celebrating
pontitical high mass, and Rev Robert Fui7
ton of Boston college preaching a sermon
on the life of O'ConnelI.
O'Connell died at Genoa, May 10, 1917,
while on his way to Rome. lie was de-
voted Catholic. and at his request his heart
was embalmed and taken to Rome. while
his body was returned to Ireland and re-
ceived a magnificent burial there.
Daniel was born ut CARMEN, in the Conn
ty OF Kerry. He received his education in
great part in France, but owing to the
French Revolution, left school and in 1894
began the study of law ut Lincoln's Inn
lie became most active lawyer, but
worked rapidly into politics, becoming the
pillar on which Catholic Emancipation was
built
In 1928 the Roman Catholic Emancipa-
ton bill Was the great political question
and OConnell was returned to Parliament
from the County of Clare lie refused, as
roman Catholic. to take the test oath.
and Peel and Wellington had to do away
with the civil disabilities of Catholics In
May, 1893, O'Connell took his seat in Par
lament and became great power there
lie advocated the repeal of the legislative
union between Great Britain and Ireland.
and IN 1913 had brought about monster
meetings IN Its favor, and ut length he
alarmed government, who had him tried
llned and sentenced to imprisonment
though he appealed to the House of Lord,
and was acquitted. His health failed. and
shortly before his death he started for
Rome, hoping to die there under the bless
ing of the Pope