The Indianapolis journal., 1885-03-16

work of st. Patrickg Why is it that in land ca
pabe of plenty there has been such utter desola-
tionl A people proverbial for their hospitality,
generosity, why have they been dealt with so
pitilesslyi England is to blame, Rome is TO
blame, and thirdly, Ireland herself is TO blame.
Everybody ought to know that Ireland was not
always held in subsection to either England or
Rome. 1t was an English king and an English
pope who conspired together and succeeded in
bringing Ireland under the sway of both England
and Rome. Henry Ill and Adrian Nv should
be held responsible for almost all the woes of
Ireland The pope then, as now, regarded him
self as entitled TO universal sovereignty. Henry
wanted possession of ireland, and did not be-
ieve mis- title good unless indorsed by the pope.
And Adrian ~, known also as Nicholas Break
speare, was quite willing to crafty Henry on
condition that he would bring the Irish church
into subsection to Rome, and that lone penny
should be paid from each house as yearly
penance to st. Peter" So that in fact Ireland
sold to an English king by an English pope,
the only English pope ws ever had for Peters
;sence-the annual fee of one penny for every
mouse in Ireland.
| think it should he conceded that in those
days, at least, the pope was not infallible. Had
the pope not acted so unwisely, Ireland would
doubtless have remained independent of Eng
land to this day, and world have been prosper
Gus and happy From that day to this enmity
has existed between England ard Ireland. The
land in which Christianity had made such rapid
progress, the land noted for its learning, its in
dustry. its brotherly love, became a land of mis-
cry and barbarism or as OConnell says, land
OF internal war, rapine and massacre" What
may be said of England relative to Ireland
before the reformation, since that time she has
treated her as cruelty as ever tyrant master
treated a faithful slave. She has bought her,
sold her, whipped her. tortured her, and then
wondered that Ireland did not love her. She
confscated her lands, robbed her of her Ian
guage, destroyed her commerce, prosecuted
her on account of her religion. She enacted her
barbarous penal laws, winked at the cruelties of
absentee landlords, treated her as vassal. If
the Irish had all been saints, like Patrick, they
might, perhaps have loved their enemies. They
were of the same flesh and blood that we are, and
struck back with vigor.
1t is true that in recent years England has
been making some restitution to Ireland for the
cruel wrongs she inflicted upon her. She has re-
pealed the penal laws, granted Catholic emanci-
patton, and recently enacted land laws which
embody substantial justice. She is showing a
disposition to treat Ireland no longer as foreign
foe. 1t would have been better if these reforms
had been granted voluntarily and from sense
of justice. but they have all been coming from
her unwilling hands.
For the sad condition of Ireland both past and
present Ireland herself is largely to blame. In
the first place. she abandoned the religion of ST.
Patrick and embraced another, which, whatever
its spiritual advantages. has helped to keep the
masses in ignorance and poverty. 1t has helped
TO foster factious spirit which has not been
promotive of brotherly love. She has suffered
by factious leaders; she has been divided when
she should have been united. In order to gain
rightful ends some of her people have resorted
to unlawful and unchrStian methods. Not only
did they destroy much valuable property but
they did not hesitate to commit murders foul
and shocking. | think it probable she has been
injured more by Irish whisky even than by the
English government. Her sons have celebrated
Patrck's day far too often by drowning the
shamrock. Some reform in this has been eff
fected by faithful priests.
Perhaps miseries of Ireland in recent years
are more attributable TO the Irish in America
than to any other one cause Boyc0tting and
agrariansm, the murder of landlords, and the
use of dynamite would scarcely have been heard
of if the Irish III this country had not given to
their friends at home aid and comfort. Not
that they sent their money with the knowledge it
would be put to so bad use, but it was
soused by few selfish demagogues who called
themselves patriots, and who were very careful
not to expose themselves to peril These are
lrelands greatest enemies, and those who love
Ireland best have furnished these men with
weapons whereby they have inflicted upon her
irreparable injuries.
What is the cure for Ireland? AS a remedy
for her religious wrongs she must return to the
religion of St Patrick. She must embrace that
old gospel in the preaching of which he spent
his life. She must abandon her mummeries and
her false ideas of Gods worship, and of Gods
service, and teach the people that God requires
an intelligent, reasonable, scrptural, spiritual
service. But you say st. Patrick was Roman
Catholic. / think not. If he were | wish there
were thousands such. He was Catholic after
my own heart, and thank God there are many
in that old fold who are sterling sons Of God.
Ireland needs all of them she has and many more,
whether they come from the ranks of Romanism
or the ranks of Protestanism, before she can
come into the glorious light and liberty of the
gospel.
AS remedy for her political wrongs Ireland
must not cease to agitate by all lawful means
until England rights her every political wrong.
She has been crushed and ground into the dust
| long enough. In every lawful attempt she
makes to secure justice she will have the sym
pathy of every one who loves the right Ireland
| can never be coerced. Six centuries of British
| misrule speak to England on that subject with
| clarion voice. England can never win the love
| of Ireland nor the respect of humanity by play
ing the part of tyrart. Ireland can forgive the
past; she has great heart but she must care
| for the present and look out for the future. 1t
behooves England to deal tenderly with Ireland
and redress al her just grievances. | believe
the day is coming when all her wrongs, civil
and religious. will be righted, and
| when peace shall be within her walls
and prosperity within her palaces. Then Will
| come the time of yore when the wilderness
| and solitary places shall be made glad by her
| presence, and when at her smile the desert shall
| rejoice and blossom as the rose. Such Ireland
| was in the days of St Patrick and st. Columbia
| and such shall she be again. Then to her sons
and her lovers she will appear once more
Great glorious and free
First flower of the earth,
And first gem of the sea-"
l