The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-03-03
THE IRISH IN ENGLAND.

We extract the following passages from the
Cork Examiners report of the lecture which
was delivered recently in Cork by Mr.. W. Lane
O'Neill, solicitor. London:
There are several classes in the vast Irish
population. There are. in the irst place, those
who when they Leave Ireland, shake the dust
off their heels, abend every national prin-
ciple of fesling-if such recreants ever had
any-sell their birthright for q tness of pot
tage, and try hard to pass themselves off as
Eneiishmer--an attempt which is usually un-
successful, and for making which they are
most properly despised by those with whom,
by shis trucking conduct, they seek to curry
favor. And We, too will now dismiss them In
a summary manner, and with that GOD tempt
which they deserve. Hugh Harkin has justly
lashed these men,
Who's the wretch that baGey sprrn,
The ties of coantry iindred, trsnos-
That bsrfeFs every neblsr aim
One .lave alone on earth yon,i hSi
60 Loot to virtue, dead TO ehsIno-
The aLt.-Irish Irishman.
Having got rid of that ciass, and thus cleared
toe ground, we shall Low divide the remaining
Irish classes into two great ostegorias-those
who worL. with their hands in every depart
pers of industry-manGal LABOR. commercial
pursuits and similar ayocations, aud those who
do the intellectual end mental work of tne
countpy-soit0rs ana newspaper writer's, men
in all the lesrpei professions and in every de-
partment Of art and ecienee requiring iatelleo-
tual 4otivity. First, with regard to the classee
who work at manual labor and similar pursuits,
l think to th.ir general character cannot
DO better than quote an opinion OF Scotch
b;ehop "a to our 1rish people elsewhere, which
in my Judgment applies with equal force to the
position Of onr people IN England. He says:
"They are a thrifty, Industrious, energetic
class of people, OF perseverance, that would
be worthy of isnitation. They keep pace in all
respects, in intelligence aud education, IN com
fort and Independence, with the people among
whom they live. As fer the Irish girls. there
conld not be 6 more modest, chas1e and we'll
conducted efas5.n Now let pause to consider
W hat onr people actually do tor Esgland In
considering what the Irish do for England,
what strikes ons most forcibly, as affecting the
intellectual class, is the great accession of in
tellectual power which the Irish element fur
Eisbes. TIE light ard pleasant fancy aud
brilliant genius of the Celt 10 much to enlivep
Saxon ponderosity. There are Irishmen on tho
bench, in the press, at tue bar, 10 Parliament
in the Cabinet, who add largely to the mass of
Intellectual power in England. There were on
the English bench short time ago no less
than three distin guishsd judges Irishmen and
county Cork men-Mr. Justice Wiles, Mr.. jus
tioe H&nnen and Mr.. Justice Qusin and the
very highest legal position in England st this
moment-the seat on the wooleaok-is filled by
an IIishmsu. One of the principal leader
writers on the Times at the present moment is
q Corkman, and similar position op the Daily
NetVs il filed by Corkman. No notice Of
Irishmeu in EnglaDd wonld be complete with
out referring to his Emine1ce, the great and
good Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, and
bis Jealous and ndt farigsble aide,de camp,
Father Loc khart. although not 1rishmen they
entertain true love for II elsrd and it's people.
Their exertions in the cause of temperance
have been prodiRiOua and of ipcslculable ad-
vautsges to our people a. the other eide of the
Channel; and it is with pride and satisfaction
that observe from your applause that you are
sensible of the great advantages which our
people in England derive from these pioneers
of temperance. 6propos of Cardinal Manning,
l heard a good story of bic EniRenee short
time ago. He was asked "ATo you Home
Ruler 7" and With that exquisite tact that dis
Uiuguished hiUr, he replica II am not en- Irish
man but if l were, fear should have been
han .ed long age" There is another cles5 of
Ieishmsn in England TO whom refereuce must
be made-tbe Irish political prisoners incsr-
ce7ated in English dungt ous, whS receive the
sympathy of Irlsbmen CT every ehade of poll
tics. This is the first time that England has
dared to degrade political prisoners to the rank
of common criminals, enta;linG upon them the
cruelties that have recently been disclosed
but no such degradatiops will have any other
effect in this country thsu to render more
sacred the canse for which they suffered, and
to enhance their claims upon the gratitude and
affection of our generous people Throughout
co1ntrynen came ont of prison to die, come
days ago, renders any reference TO this subject
of the most painful kind. But these British
dungeons are sacred places in the estimation
of every true Irishmau. We regard them with
reverence aud deem them holy; Byron said
of Chillon-"Chillon, thy prison is Q holy
altars, indeed, do the irish regard these dun
geons-altars upon which men of high patriot
ism and pure motives are inundated and sacrl-
feed, but whose names will be- enshrined in the
martyroiogy OF Trish patriots. Returning 30
nv general subject, must state tha: in my
experience I have obeerved with pride ard
pleasure that the deep and undying love of
country forms prominent feature in the char
aoter of the great masses of our people in
Eav!and wbsm have observed, aud as q rule,
so far from beng extiDguished, it is intensified
by -tke-hoalile- elements by which they fad
themselves surrounded IN England. Not only
docs the ohivalrous devotion and natural 10y
atty of the Irish character thus exhibit itself
bat it affords an outlet for th at national spirit