New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-12
THE GREAT IRISH AGITATOR.
LECTURE OF WENDELL PHILLIPS ON DA

LECTURE OF WENDELL PHILLIPS ON DANIEL
O'CONNELL.
Wendell Phillips delivered last evening, in
the Thrtyfourth Street Reformed Church. his lecture
on Daniel O'COnneu, the Irish patriot He said he chose
10 speak Of OConne because he represented more than
any other man Of the century the. role Of
the agitator. The great merit of O'COnnell, said
the speaker, IN his work OF fedeeming Ireland
was his maxim that nothing is politically right which IS
morally wrong In Orderto ylndieate the claim that l
make for OConnel OF being great statesman must
20 back moment and give you page from the early
history of ireland.
When Elizabeth supposed she had conquered Ireland,
there came existence the Irish Code. tbad two
objects take from every Catholic in Ireland
every acre OF land secondly, England barred the
schools TO the Catholic. She condemned him to ignor-
ance and laudessness No Catholic could sit In Parlia-
Jury or bring case IN court He was In the condition
OF negro in South Carolina before the war. Catholic
couldn't marry If he married IIotestaht 'he Issue
was legitmate if he married Catholic he needed
priest and priest dared set his foot on Ilsh SOL
You don't imagine that people Win Dioou me qu T
silver sat down mildly under sHch opp esSl0h Tue
history of, Ireland hsS eTsr saw m Texas
equals the darkness of the night that fell uP0n ireland
that O'Connel then young lawyer, flung himself IN
front OF the people and claimed new right II was ~
lie had neither press wealth. but he sald, with the
instinct of genius. 81 will forge out OF the
to annihiate the power of 400 years of
oppression" He began with infinite faith going nom
After many years this wearsome TOLL he said TO some
friends II ten men will meet tomorrow IN Dublin
inn will begin the work of emancipation" Very little
attention was paid to the meeting But the work went on
When he began collect contributions from the irish
then he attracted attention his speeches were repOted
the meetings grew larger and England became terrified
as the agitation went When the orders came to put
down tue rebellion then O'COnne showed his power.
He said to his followers, Send me to the House Of
Commons" and In 1923 he was elected to Parliament.
II was an awful struggle Every tenant knew the terri
hle danger in which he cast vote for OCOnnell.
Thirty thousand of them, cast out from their homes,
crowded into Dublin after bread and he fed them
In May, 1929, O'COnncl entered Parliament. When
he refused take the oaths they sent him back 10 the
bar and voted 100 to go that he had no rights But be-
fore OCOnnell had gone back to Dublin wellington had
swept from statute books every Vesuge OF the lsh
. Code except one. - ,,,,.,
He had a wonderful presence. Ahttle 0'COnnel, Womu
have been no OCOnnen. Every attitude was beauty
every gesture grace. There was magnetism tha a
melted every will into his. The itch compass OF DIS
voice was beyond all description his Wit never
failed him. He carried his purpose as much Dy
the wit Of his nation by his logic. But the
reason OCOnnen was eloquent was because there
was man behind the speech. There stood OConnell,
without Office before aroused people lie said 10
them, He that breaks the law helps the oppressor,
and he kept them quiet 49, -,
There was no single reform TO which he did not
give his adhesion. When left him he stood between
the Whig and the Tory parties. holding them Ill MS
power and deciding to which he would give the govern
ment Of the Realm.