The New York herald., 1879-07-07
AN ILLUSTRIOUS IRIsHMAN.
MONUMENT TO SIR JOHN GRAY UNVEILED IN
pUBLIN-A PUBLIC pENEFAcToR

MONUMENT TO SIR JOHN GRAY UNVEILED IN
DUBLIN-A PUBLIC DENEFAcroR.
DUBLIN June "a. 1879.
To-day Sackville street and the neghborhood were
the theatre of great popular display. which was
pleasing contrast to the scenes that have been SO
often enacted there Of late years when Fenian
funerals thronged the thoroughfares of Dublin. To-
day it was the unveiing of statue and the inaugu
ration OF monument to civic benefactor, the late
Sir John Gray. He is generally known outside Dub
lin the proprietor of the Freenidn's Journal q
newspaper which he brought to high measure Of
efficiency and financial success. But among the cit-
zens Of Dublin he is much more generally remem-
bered for excellent achievement in q different
line. In the teeth of INSCRIPTIONS and obstinate
opposition and in spite of the efforts OF ring Of
selfish monopolists. he secured for this city the
surrounding district abundant supply Of pure
water. 1t will hardly be credited that there was any
difficulty about such q matter. After violent
battle. fought out during two years in Parliament
the interests OF the people triumphed. Dublin
acquired an unlimited supply of the purest water.
brought from distance of twenty miles. and SO
managed that by its high pressure it can be en-
ployed almost instantaneous extnguisher Of
fires. 1t chiefly in memory of his services in
this business that the monument naugurated to-day
was erected to Sir John Gray. But it quite
plain to intelligent observer to-day that much at
least OF the interest of the ceremonial from the
fact that the statue to be unveiled by the Most
Rev. John MacHale. Archbishop Of Tuam. He
interferes rarely in public affairs he appears
so seldom on any public platform. that the younger
men to whom he is little more than name must
have been surprised at the warmth and enthusiastic
veneration with which he was greeted to-day. He
had invited take the chief place in the
mony because of the special connection which united
himself and the former editor
oRAy's LABoRs IRELAND.
Gray came to Dublin young man about the
period of Catholic emancipation. now half century
ago. He was Presby terian family with political
leaninRs toward liberalism. but strong bias
against Popery He set himself to study medicine.
and his political tendencies and love Of discussion
soon brought him within the sphere of OConnel's
attraction. His development was rapid He
quickly showed himself possessed OF valuable quail
ties organizer, and by the time he was thirty
years OF age he was one OF O'Connelrs most useful
ical degree but he had given up the profession for
Journalism becoming part proprietor OF the Dublin
Freendns Journal, OF which he soon became the sole
Early i'll 1S43 great mass meeting held
at Cliiden in the county of Galway. at which OCon-
Eell inaugurated the repeal campaign OF monster
meetings." by which he hoped terrify the British
government into granting important concessions.
Several bishops were present and among them Arch
bishop MacHale to whom the young editor Gray
was introduced. The next few months u
period of intense political excitement in Ireland
seldom equaled, never surpassed. 1t eliminated ON
that last Sunday OF October at Clontarf. where
OConnell proposed to hold the last meeting of the
year on the spot where King Brian vanauished the
Danish invader. The government issued proclams-
ton forbidding the meeting. but at late hour
that it impossible the prohibition could become
who would have left home to attend this crowning
demonstration. Thousands Of troops-horse. foot
and artilery-were Massed along tho roads leading
to the intended rendezvous. 1t was generally be.
ieved at the time that the whole thing was planned
with the expectation that collision would have
taken place between the people and the soldery and
the repeal movement would be extinguished in
blood. But O'Connell was equal. ever. to the
emergency. Mounted messengers despatched
all directions, staying the advance Of the people.
and the collision with the troops was aver,ed.
CHAMPION OF IRELANDs GRIEVANCES.
Then the government arrested O'Connell and
eral Others charge of sedtious piracy to
up disturbances and overawe the deliberations of
Parliament. Gray was one of the prisoners
two priests. 1t stated the government deliberaed
about arresting bishop. DR.. O'Higgins. OF Ardagh,
before packed jury and most prejudiced Judge the
prisoners convicted and sentenced to mprison-
ment This sentence was afterward reversed. but
the prisoners were confined for three months. The
intiipacy which sprang up at the beginning OF this
period between Gray and Archbishop MacHale
ripened years went Gray always adhered
to OConnell's principles and did not join the
seceders OF the Young Ireland movement, which cul-
minated in the disaster of 1s4s. He was always
for constitutional agitation the proper means
for procuring the redress OF grievances He was
most sincere supporter Of thorough reform Of the
peasant The SOIL" and he lived q great
stride in advance in legislation this subject He
WAS the first public man to raise the banner OF
"Disestablishment" OF the Protestant Church in
Ireland and he lived to the cry taken up by
Gladstone and the measure enacted into law by
triumphant Parliamentary majority. In all this
Gray and the Fteemdn's Journal were in thorough
accord with Archbishop MacHse. to whom. indeed.
he looked up eloquent and faithful exponent
of OConnells Evolutionary policy. 1t was most
fitting, therefore, that the venerable preate should
be asked to crown his friendship by inaugurating
la mi men ed n lnp nf bta arfa
friend.
THE CEREMONIES
The platform was crowded by representative
men of all professions and creeds-tories and lib
erals. wings and natonslists. barrsters and DOCTORS
Protestant aud Catholic clergymen, traders, depu-
tations from provincial corporations and the whole
municipal body OF Dublin there. Great anxiety
was manifested TO see the venerable Archbishop.
but he asceLded the staircase which led to the plat
form with firD step and he looked around him
with clear. bright eye. twinkling with humor ana
II hard indeed to believe that nnot one win
ters have rolled that grand head which has pre-
served rare abundance OF hoary locks. Later
by his looks and gestures how thoroughly he fol-
lowed all the otner speeches. 1t Is unnecessary to
recount these other discour es. which were neces-
sarily in a certain stereotyped FORM The Arc H.
bishop, who cheered most enthusiastically for
several minutes. said ia conclusion
"a great many years have passed since became
acquainted for the first time with Sir.John During
that long period OF time highly important measures,
interesting no less to the welfare of our beloved
country than to our holy religion. trampled under
foot for centuries in this Catholic land by the
less cruelty aud bigotry of the dom inaut race be-
yond the British Channel. engaged the attention of
all, both friendly and adverse classes. In the dis
cussion OF all those varied topics the genu me
patriotism OF Sir John Gray was never for
N moment doubtful or coniroverted but was
always more respected IN variety of useful
projects Some Of the questions then discussed
have been since decided, owing In great measure
To the honest aud perscvering influence OF Sir John
Gray and others have still remained unsettled to
test the fidelity aud earnestness ot the members
sent from ireland to the alien British Parliament.
1t Is not. however, by immoral or illegal combma-
ton that the manifest and manifold evils of our
country be redressed. II is by constitutional
agitation. of which the great and stul
the late illustrious Libcrator that the inordi
nato disorders OF the country can be removed
abated. or this wholesome agitation there
be no apprehension of having too
much until conviction grows the
minds of Englishnen that Ireland il TO