National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-02-04
THE O'HOWES OF CORK
CLAIMING ONE OF OUR STATESMEN.
An Incident OF the Postmaster Generals Recent
Visit to Ireland-The Asiniue Corkonians
and General Grant-ApOlogizing to
"the Old Mans Shadow"

Returning home from the International None
tary COnvention-the Silver Commission, as 1t was
sometimes called-at Paris last summer, Posmas-
ter General Howe had occasion to lay over in
Queenstown harbor, the Cove of Cork for several
hours, while the steamer on which he was a pas.
senIer awaited the arrival of the american
mail via Dublin and the North Wall. In pheasant
weather this interruption the homeward voyage,
sixteen hours after having sailed from Liverpool,
Is generally awaited of by American travellers TO
go ashore for brief riparian inspection, so TO
speak, of the Green Isle. This inspection is what
Judge Howe was attempting when the incident
herein related befell him. Among the first specific
objects of his investigation the United States
consulate, occupied by one of the Judges former
constituents, Mr.. L. p. Brooks wel-known in
Washington and to the readers of THE REPUBLICAN,
1t is related that Brooks tried
TO MAKE IT PLEASANT
for the Judge, and, among other things, introduced
him as IL visiting member at the Royal Cork Yacht
Club one of the Oldest clubs in the world Its royal
charter being dated as far back as 1920 The ex-
Senator's distinguished appearance attracted no
little attention, and 1t soon became noised about
throughout the club that an american swell"
was ashore, The word "swell" be 1t known, in
the parance of that section of the world does not
signify dandy or q fop, as 1t does here; on the
contrary II Is slang for a distinguished man or
prominent leader, In this sense Mr., Gladstone is
SVEN over lnerei also oscar Nllue. however,
the good people of Queenstown, and the members
of the X. q, v c, in particular, very curious
TO know who the Judge was, and accordingly the
visitors book At the club was searched. with the
object of discovering his name. There the record
was found, simply and plainly, as written by Con-
sui Brooks, " Hon. Timothy o. Howe, U. S. of A."
Not few Of those who read this legend
KNEW THE JUDGE by REPUTATION
but one old gentleman instantly assumed to know
m I'm 10 haun ia Las haEN
him, and in tnct to have been his schoolmate
This assumption being doubted, disputed in fact
on the ground that the Judge was nm American,
the old gentleman proceeded to substantiate his
claim by asserting that the distinguished visitor
was an Irish. American. Taking up his pen, he in
serted in the visitors book aforesaid an apostrophe
between the and the Howe in the Judges name,
and then, pointing triumphantly at the altered
page, exclaimed; There didn't tell you so /?
Tim o'Howcl He's Of the o'Howes of Cork, sir I;
or my names not Beamish None Of your CTom-
wellian lrishmon is hc but one of the real old
line, with an o before this name you drive four.
in-hand through % This was conclusive, and twas
perhaps fortunate thRt the Judge had gone on
board the steamer before this startling genealogi-
cal discovery bad been made or his klnsfolk In
Cork might have claimed him, and the +. o. D.-not
o'D.-might have been deprived of IFS present
efficient head.
'USDER THE OLD MANS SHADOW"
During General Grants tour around the world
among the few cities of importance he did not
visit was Cork, Ireland, 1t Is quite probable that
he had no desire to do So for the steamer on which
he sailed passed Queenstown the port OF Cork, and
went directly 10 Liverpool, carrying the mails
across the channel instead Of dischaTglng them
i9r transportation by rail However lhls may DC
the CorkOnans worked themselves into great
fever ofeNcitement over proposition not ~"
ceiye" him, That's TO say hey took the pains TO
declare finally that they wouldn't tender The hos
FATALITIES Of the city To The distinguished traveller
| long Ie1Ore there Was-if there ever MHs-uny
probability of his putting himself In the way Of
accepting them. The reasons for this hot headed,
| untimely, aud unseemly action were lwolold-
| FIRST, Cork Is q mbid Fenian centre, ana General
! Grant as President had refused 70 receive a Fe'
nian delegation composed Of subjects o. Her Maj
esty unless they came to him through the proper
( mediation Of the British Minister Sir Edward
| Thornton. lie certainly would have received
| them at the Executive Mansion individually as
he habitually did other foreigners hut when they
assumed TO come 70 him as o delegation, IN rep
TesentauYe capacity, from the far'oh shores or