The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-30
OUBRANt THE IRISH ORATOR.

ThetImes, and oven tho face of our clviliza-
ton, aro much changed since tho days OF
Cluran Yet Ireand's great struggle against
her Ignorance and Inadcauacy within, md her
political despotism without, goes ON still
with fewer anu less important signs Of pro-
grcss than tho American people would llke TO
Sec # all the eoquenGe and genius OF her
gifted sons In times past could be minted into
money, OF forged into arms for her arsenhls,
the hymn or her deliveranGe might be chanted
any day. But that imprisoned fervor In
Irish character which makes her people the
most melodious and eloquent OF the human
race whore 1T liz luminous with the Prone
thean fire OF intellect, Is an obdurate and Inn
) practicable element to leaven in the populous
; spaces where that fire Is wanting.
It Is century since Curran and the great
Ersknepasged, like winged centaurs, through
: tho Irish and English polpcal skies. At
this day the memory of the great Irish
man has far more vitality in mems minds
than that OF his great rival and contempt
rary. Not that Curran was the superior
man; In polish and elegance Of dction, and
In erudition. Erskine far exceled him. But
the stirring events OF Irish history OF which
he was a part, the character OF bis eloquenCe
which defled all intellectual rules and struck
straight for tho human heart; his fiery In
ysotive before which mon and measures
alike went down; the powerful pathos that,
sudden as o. flash. would melt an audience
into tears. the perpetual presence OF his
overriding national sentiment. his unrivaled
wit that would light with It's brilIianca the
object which 1t struck dead with It's lightning,
and above, or rather below, all his under
growth Of coarse humanity these were tho
elements which gave Curran power and re-
nown while he lived and to which the great
heart Of tho civilized world responds to-day
and will ever respond In pulsing vibrations
while memory and fame endure To his per-
sonaI endowments Curran was not indebted
| for any part Of his success. He was short In
stature, not agreeable In look, tlmid and I'M
graceful In manner when not aroused, his
person slim and boyish In appearance. his
voice thin and shrll. But his powerful and
sonorous dctlon. his Intense feeling and pas
slonate appeals TO the hosrt, and his love Of
ireland. which changed tho forum of every
| forensic argument and converted 1t into
national Grafton, left out Of memory all deh-
cencles of person and voice. Even In the
socmnity Of d court scene, in defiance OF the
austere dignity or despotic rule. he was often
Interrupted by popular applause.
Curran was born In l75O In Cork, came to
the Irish bar In 1775, and was made Kings
counsel and soated In the Irish Parliament In
1881 His parliamentary record was less con-
splcuous for brilliancy and success than his
forensic one, which has commonly been
ascribed to the pressure OF his professional
duties This Is probably an error, and has
naturally arisen from not comprehendlng
Y Justly the elements OF his character Had
n Curran devoted himself exclusively to his du-
ties In the irish House of Commons he would
probably not have attained the full height OF
his renown. The loose conflicts OF debate
reekng with the common passions OF vulgar
lntellects then prevalent In both parliaments
would not have brought out his strength.
There was too much expanse too much
license too much privilege common to all. In
} stead OF the strict rules of the professional
forum which secured him from disagreeable
contact These were, besides Indispensable
to him that like the circus rider through his
paper hoop, he might leap through them at
} full speed mounted on the bareback of his
mighty courser-that genius which finds so
J few riders III the worlds arena. He loved
the practice, not the law. The profession
was a means, not an end-for his legal reudi-
tion, through his own indifference was far
from profound. It placed him upon ros-
| trum which Parliament did not supply, from
which to make those grand appeals to the
feelings OF men Ia which he had no equal.
! Then, too, the courts We're more attractive to
the people than their parlaments. given
| number OF pounds seated any upstart In Par
lament, whose plnchbeck glitter Of speech
} attracted no public attention, and awakened
among accidental hearers only disgust. His
, y,isi prius privileges Curran sadly missed In
J his career la Parliament HIS great courage,
his ready eloquence, his habit Of brilliant and
{ crushing retort led him-unproteeted by any
rules, as of court from the common herd Of
, members 49, into endless controversies and
, through several duels.
J In 1888 he urged with all his unfilnching
, courage and enthusiasm the formation OF the
Irish Volunteers. Constantly he admoniShed
the government that 1t must change Its Irish
policy or look for rebellion. In 1879 the re-
, bellion came. When 1t collapsed, young
Emmett having fallen into the remorseless
, grip OF the government, Curran, to whose
, daughter Emmett was attached, was drawn
, into suspicion. He was, however, speedily
/ relieved by the Prlvy Council from the charge
, OF completely with the rebellion In Its overt
! acts. From the depression incident to the
, failure and its calamlties he found his sure
refuge Ii the great theatre OF his renown.
where were daily beheld by the civilized worle
; those national battles wased with ever-in,
. creasng ascerbittes, enmitie5 and iiery
anathama In the great State trials Of Rowan
Finnerty, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Tone ane
, many others, which commenced In 1854 ami
, continued till 1893, and In which all his mag
tery traits OF courage and intrepiilty, his
, Intense national sentiment, as we'll as his
great forensic powers were developed and
! displayed.
] Curran died In 1917. and 1t became the