Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-12
DR.. GEORGE ON IRELAND.
Tirc Centenary DIyiUC, in e Popular
lecture. Reviews che History Of Ire
land. and Treats ofthe Land League.

Chicago Inter rcoun, Dccen,blS.
! DR.. y. {. George delivered 4 lecture last
! evening in Centenary Methodist Episcopal
| Church to large and apprcciativc audi
! CnCc. taking for. his subject the Irish
| Question DIR. George Preiaccl his re-
| marks with Il SuCCinct, statistical dcs"rip-
! ton OF ircland's geographical location, her
| climate, her soil, her size in tilluble land
! as compared with those Of the different
/ States OF the Union, the destiny Of her pop
/ ulaitUu (which he considered an important
/ factor in the solution OF her land trOublcs)
and the relative proportion Of pure CcitS
! Oh the island 10 miSCyseuatcd and
angli,iZCd CcltS and SaNOns. The Doctor
then reviewed the early history OF Ireland
, both political AMI topical, to The death of
| King RoderiCk and then down to the rcGO-
luton OF lI!H. The wrongs suffered by the
Irish people at the hands of the British
Government from the beginning Of Queen
Elizabeth reign to the close OF William
HIS rule could never be defended, the bar
harOu> measures against the Roman CalhO-
lies, the violent. degrading acts of the one
strong government to the other weak aud
dependent one could never be explained
away. The history Of the revolution Of
lTSS. said DR.. George. va, one Ui c0ntiSca-
ton, spoilation. pillagc. carnage, cIntiagra-
lion, and desOlation aS well in Ireland rs i'm
France.
The past century has seen the educational
laws improved, full religious liberties a.
lowed. governmental disabilities removed,
representatives, in Parliament increased.
the manufacturing interests OF Ireland
made equal with those OF England, and the
land act OF 1869 restricting greatly the
power of landlords to cvict tenants; yet all
Jailed to win over the Irish people to Eng
lish rule. The recent land act was perhaps
the most liberal ever devised, and yet from
the fact that the position OF the truantry in
Ireland has been-and is so very different
from the tcnantry in England the cry in
Ireland is still how to pay the rent
DR.. George then described, in n few words,
the relative positions Of the tenant farmers
before and since the late land act, absctec-
ism, and the Land League The latter the
Doctor characterized Is u secret Organiza-
ton with which he, in common with most
other intelligent citizens. had thoroughly
synpathizcd until it had adopted ti.e "a"
rent policy, which >cvnru 10 MN
IHC SfupCndORS Mistake
OF men with their own selfish objects 10
advance before the vital. living breathing
interests Of their country. Nothing hut
misery to Ireland could be the result Of
the late action taken by this misled coun-
try, and she would have the Land League
to thank for that. The Land League, he
,
the most liberal government that Ireland
has ever enjoyed, and has stigmatzcd the
Land Act, which is most reformatory and
beneficial in its intent, as defective lcgiSla-
ton. The Land League was clearly per-
verified power. The good Doctor then
criticized pretty severely some OF the
speeches made and the resolutions
passed in the late Land League Convention
in this city, dwelling particularly on the
words of Father Sheehy, the idol Of the
convention, which he did not read like the
Sermon on the Mount. Words were spoke at
this convention which meant rank COM
munism and melted to crusade OF hatred
and revenge. Or. George thought the needs
of Ireland were education, temperance, fru-
gality and emigration of surplus popula-
ton. Dr. George then reverted to lrcland'S
mighty contributions i'll the past To art,
commercial industry, literature, statesman
ship, etc, paid Il most graceful tribute to
her many and great heroes, and concluded
with many bright hopes and wishes for the
poor, downtrodden and oppressed nation.