The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-10
[west Cork qreland) Eagle.

UnO0O l. Jul Cbl4ll OOJO0ec10lOs
All over the civilized world to-day grief
deep and heartfelt-is shown for the death of
the chivalrous Garfield, the noble and high
souled victim of q raseally assassin. In the
land of the free and the brave, an illustrious
chief has been basely murdered by the hand of
hair-brained and place-hunting fanaticl 1t
is a tragic event terrible to contemplate, and
one that has naturally produced much
universal pain and eommiseration. Furnish
ing, as we do elsewhere, the fullest details of
the blameless and heroic life of the gallant and
lion-hearted President, We think it but right to
say here, that in no country is the dreadful
catastrophe more sincerely regretted than In
ever grateful Ireland. Weeping Erin, with
ilial love d tenderness laments keenly the
overwhelmi G affliction that has befallen her
ever faithf and bounteous benefactor. This
is as it shou be- for were it otherwise, one Of
Ireland's honored and tradi tional characteris-
tics would be shamefully abandoned. Who,
we ask, stood to her in the never-to- be-forgot-
ten years of '46 and AT, when the grim mon
ster of famine swept away thousands Of the
best and bravest of her sons? America. Who
extended to them the hand of succour in that
nOuT VI QIcot uCONJ dhN WIZ oAOAeCAON3 SOA
soled and comforted them in that hour of Bit
terest agony aud helplessness? America. Who
received millions of our unfortunate fellow
countrymen with open arms when they fled
from the horrors that beset them in the place
of their nativity? America. Who. later on,
few short years ago-came forward with the
same philanthropie spirit, when our people
were again plunged in the trough OF suffering
and misery and when our so-called paternal
Government not only failed to assist starving
multitudes but actually discredited the har-
rowing narratives OF the baleful poverty that
prevailed? America. In fact, who still sup
ports and sustains the unhappy Irish people in
meeting oppression and warding Off the wolf
OF hunger2 America. In the extreme OF Ire
land IS destitution a citizen OF America sub
scribed the munihcent sum OF twenty thousand
pounds and in season and out OF season there
has been kthe amplest evidence OF strong,
generous and devoted sympathy on her part
Tor the island of saints, and OF scholars, and OF
martyrs. Is it any wonder then that Ireland
to-day should deeply mourn the awful calami-
ty that afflicts her best and stauchest supporter
especially when it is remembered that larger
Ireland has sprung up within the dominions OF
that powerful frienda of the oppressed?
West Cork, possessing as 1t does SO many mon
uments of the deSolatlon caused by dec1mat-
ing famine, and participating largely as 1t did
in the bounty which has come from that feel-
ing and generous land, sympathizes earnestly
and will, we feel certain, otter It's
coincidence in beftting manner. From
what We have feebiy given utter
ance to it will be understood why we use the
symbolic dark lines, and assume the mourning
garb in our publication of to-day. We pay
this humble tribute in grateful recognition for
favors conferred on our people, and out OF re-
specl to the illustrious dead, and his respected
family in their heavy bereavement. From the
hunblest position the great man now sleeping
the sleep that knows no waking IN this vale OF
a. AFr af N
mightiest nations in the world. Well has It
been said that such thing would be impossible
in this country. 1t is only within the last few
years that we have found constituencies sut1-
ciently intelligent and sufficiently independent
10 send working men of ability to Parliament;
and as for a working man, however able or
however brilliant, becoming the Prime Minis
ter of England at the present time IS out st the
question. 1t is only within very recent years
that Commoner, however able, without pow
erful aristocratic connections, could become
Prize Minister of England. 1t is different in
America. There they have saying that every
male child born is in sense heir to the Presi-
Dental chair And this is the chief cause,
next TO the vastness and the fertility OF the
soil of the United States, which has contributed
to the amazing growth and power OF that
country. The consciousness that boy may
by work, by worth, and by the requisite abill-
ty carve his way to the most distinguished
post in the land-a post that any statesman or
King or Emperor of the world might envy
this cons ciousness nerves the aim, evokes am
bition, aud sustains the mind in its conflict
against difficulty, and enables it to struggle and
to triumph. Poor Garfield has joined the COM
pany OF the great patriots and martyrs OF his
history, and his name vii he Immortality as
sociated with the discontinue of selfish fac
ton and the publication of the sources of pow
en- in America. President Garfield, alike in
his life and his death, in his struggles, his tri-
nmph and his sufferings, has left behind MIN
rich and unfading example for the innumer-
able sons of men who will come after in all the
continents of the World.