The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-01-13
The Gren, Wen of ireland.

The arrival of Mr.. Parnell and his
colleague in this country has attracted
the attention of thousands of our coun-
trymen to the present condition of Ire
land. And, whatever may be the re-
suit of the present agitation, n contem-
plation of Ireland and the Irish people,
their history, condition, and character,
will prove of mutual benefit to the citi-
zens of the United States and of the
prospective republic of Erin.
An but popular impress
sion prevails in this country to the
effect that the Irish are an inferior race;
that it has produced but few men emil
nent in any department in life. Var
ious causes have contributed t%oproduce
this impression, which in the present
brief article we will not mention. But
in nearly, if not all, the walks of life,
the som of Ireland have been pre-emi-
nent. The man whom general consent
places at the head of the list of British
military heroes was of Irish birth.
Edwin Burke was as eminent in states
manship and literature as Wellington
was in war, and like Wellington he
was an Irishman. The finest lyrical
poet of Il own, or, perhaps, any Ian
guage, was Thomas Moore. Whoever
reads Lalla Rookh and the Irish melo-
dies will never deny tho genius of the
great Irish poet.
Burke has already been mentioned.
lie was the best informed and most
philosophical statesman ever in par
lament. Although the ablest, he was
only one in that constellation of brilliant
minds, composed of the statesmen and
orators of Ireland. Grattan, Shea,
O'Connell, Plunkett, Curran, Phillips
and numerous others crowd upon the
memory. Among so many it is diff
cult to select one or two to the exclu-
sion of others.
For purity of mind, steadfastness of
purpose and unsullied integrity, Henry
Grattan has never been excelled among
the statesmen of Great Britain, and
has been equalled by but few in intel
lectual endowments. For his extraor-
binary servicesin her behalf, his grateful
country offered him the sum of e100,-
600 pounds. In consideration of the
poverty of the nation, Grattan would
accept only one-half of the amount so
freely rendered.
Curran was the most eminent lawyer
Ireland has ever produced. He was
not particularly learned in the law, but
possessed wonderful ability to conduct
n case. In wit and brilliancy he was
not inferior to Erskine, his great Eng
lish contemporary. 1t is lamentable to
consider that the wonderful talents of
this illustrious advocate were in nearly
every instance eXerted in vain in the
cause of the political offenders of his
day. Logic, wit, reason, and too often
the justice of their cause were of no
avail. Accusation was followed by II
speedy trial and the trial by almost i'm
mediate execution. As Curran and
Grattan were retiring from public life,
another great luminary was introduced.
1t has been said that in his power over
the minds of the people, Daniel O'Con-
nell has been unequalled since the days
of D~emosthenes. Crowds of farm ten
ants to sixty thousand people were fire.
q~uently assembled to hear him, in
different localities of Ireland. He in
augurated through the medium of these
monster mass meetings that system of
passive resistance to English tyranny
which now promises to bear early and
abundant fruit.
Curran, Grattan and O'Connell.
An illustlious trio of which any nation
might well be proud. Whatever be
the future of Ireland, she never will,
she never can forget their services, or
neglect their names. Should she rise to
an eminent position among the nations
of the earth, and future orators pro-
claim her glory, and future bards sing
her praise, a grateful nation will cherish
the memory of those who labored so
earnestly in the cause of their country,
and deserved the gratitude of all future