The Irish standard., 1886-05-29
RAYS TEA S 7 OR e

r q VS.
charge his allotted task Davis was the
man TO take his place. He was fore
most in ali the educational schemes OF
the 'Y oung Ireland" party. He edited
reprints of the Irish orators, took part
in the transactions of the Celtic socie-
ty; superintendent the publication of the
ssEarly Annals" !" the 'sRise and Fall Of
the Irish .Nation.' MacGeoghan's His
tory, 1.-The -Four Masters and many
other such books. all instructive, inter
teresting, very much needed at the time
in Iselana, he was chairman OF q COM
naittee for the encouragement OF Irish
art, by which prizes were given for
paintings and drawings on Irish sub
.iects. BE inspired all who approached
him with the earnestness and enthus-
iasm that burned in his own heart; nor
were the efforts Of the earnest toiler
without the success they SO we'll de-
served. Speaking Of Thomas Davis
and his feIlow-lab ,rers Of this period,
Father Burke says: Gle and the men
OF the Nation did what this world has
seen in the space OF time by
THE SHEER POWER OF IRISH GENIUS:
by the sheer strength Of Young Ire
lands intellect. The Nation Of '43
created a national poetry, q national
literature, which no other country can
equal. Under the magic voices and
pens OF these men every ancient glory
Of Ireland stood forth again." III truth,
as has been said, "a new soul came
into Ireland. - One Of the most gratify-
ing facts connected with the early years
OF Young Ire]and's existence wfss It's
devoted loyalty to O'UonnelI. Through
the closing years Of '4i anh IA it never
wayered in its support OF the popular
leader. Old and 7 oung Ireland worked
hand in hand for repeal. OfConnell
thundered from the platform Che sane
teachings that were sent to the hnn-
dren thousand Irish homes in the COL
umns OF the Nation. The spirit Of the
country was reused to iJs very depths.
The genius aud strategy OF O'Connell
had baftiad all the ingenuity Of the gov
ernment. His movement was prohibi~
ted under one form, only to arise, more
powerful and more terrible, under an
other. Hundreds Of thousands tbrongeG
to his master meetings. Repeal seemed
a certainty. Such O:Connel thought
it; and III an u}alucky moment he ma(lo
a promise to the Irish people that IL
they remained faithful to his guidance,
in six months The Irish Parliament
should be sitting in College Green.
This promise was made the instrument
Of his downfall. ''Let us only said
the government, ''lnake void
HIS PROMISE 70 THE PEOPLE
and MS influence over them is forever
at an end. And that promise they did
make void by flinging into a. conyict's
prison one Of the most peace-ioviugan and
law-abiding subjects that ever obeyed
an earthly sovereign. will not pause
upon the nockery Of his trial Or the in
Ijustice OF his imprisonment. do not
wish to rouss ''your blood to mutiny
and rage" No wonder that the oung
Irelanders went little too far: 10 worl-
der that, Il few years later, when O'Con-
nell and Davis were dead, and tho gaunt
monster Of famine stalked over the land
and ruthless tyranny stamped it's heel
upon the gasping form of Irish nation"
ality; no wonder, I say. that the Young
ireland leaders were swept into "that
one disastrous event Of their political
career"--the outbreak Of 1913. From
the time of it's publication, Davis wrote
constantly for the Nation, Very often,
in consequence of the frequent and pro
tracted absence Of Gavan, Duffy, the
whole work and responsibility Of the
paper deyolved upon himself alone.
But he guided his course with mas
ter's hand, and won each day for Young 9
Ireland the esteem and admiration of
many who had been at first it's enemies
From it's first appearance as distinct
party in Irish politics. Young Ireland
had been more or less disagree&,ole to
O'Connell. After he had proved him
self in the emancipation campaign he
always possessed, as he deserved to DO.
supreme dominion over the affection
and confidence Of the Irish people, and
from that time until
THE ADVENT OF THE NEW PARTY
his will has been absolute-he had
been sole dictator in politics
''As who's hould shy, i am Sir Oracle,
When Iope my lips let no dog bark"
/ 1t is not, therefore, to be wondered
at if he was at first a little piqued at
finding among his supporters men who
Yentured to hold opinions which lie
had not enunciated. Time, however,
proxed to him how faithful and how
worthy were his new allies. But he
came forth from prisOna a stricken man