The Irish standard., 1886-09-11
SIR CHARLES GAYA DUFFY.
A Short Sketch of the Chequered Career OF
this Gentleman, Who, in Days Gone
by, Did Ysoman Service
IN THE CAUSE OF IRELAND.

With Some Extracts from His lately Pub
lishs1 Book Entitled, 'The League
Of the North and South. "
Sir Charles Gavan Duffy has jus
published another work titled The
League Of North and South, F" which, ii
cable account of it be true, is the most
valuable addition TO the political his
tory of ireland produced in recent
years. TO many Irishmen the work OF
Gayau Duffy may be looked at through
the spectacles Of prejudice because
there is a knight]y prefix to his name
but it should be remembered that his
title OF nobility was not earned at the
expense uf the cause which: to use his
own words, he imagined he had left as
"a corpse. on the djssecting table, y
when he took his departure from Ire
land. There is no man better qualified
for the task he undertook. He was
the leader of new movement and one
that was the first step taken iii thu
right direction to reach the goal of Ire
lands legislative independence. Ire
land had her martyrs and her patriots
and her poets long before Gayan Duffy S
time. and, indeed, Gayan Duffy will be
known in Irish history more for the en-
thusiasm he inspired among the talent
ed band that surrounded him than for
the active part he heotherwise took in Ma
tional matters. The education OF The
people was his one grand aim. He
was "a professor Of the tactics identified
with political warfare, SO 10 speak, and
he had the power TO make his scholars
generals. He possessed the happy fac
ulty OF infusing into their latent tai
ents the fire of his martial dreams and
Of sustaining those talents with the
hope that felt it's being in their hearts
at the moment he announced it. lie
discovered Davis was poet before
Davis knew it himself. "A elfedncated
man, he knew what was possible for
mind to accomplish, and once lie found
the intellect he set about to mine The
ore that lay beneath the surface. Tbe
poets OF the Young Ireland" era were
made by him, and the history of that
period lie created. He ought then to bs
acquainted with its events, and his
well-known abilities guarantee that
they will be presented in {itt1ng dress.
Sir Charles Gavan Duffy is the son OF
Monaghan farmer, and was born in
1916. He was ambitious in his earliest
years. and whatever education he re-
ceived was acquired by an industrious
habit of reading in his idle hours. He
went to Dublin in his 18th year, friend !
less and penniless. and secured posi-
tion on o newspaper in that city. lie
was quick to learn. and his keen per
ception soon made him familiar with
the many details that make journalism
a mystery to the uninitiated. lie made
his way to Belfast a few years later ,and
edited with signal ability one ct the
leading journals in that city, but be re-
turned to Dublin in 1641 and became
connected with the Mountain, g. paper /
iater known as a staunch and fearless
advocate of the principles preached by
OConnell. He left this paper to found
The Nation, and that event was truly
;he turning point in career destined
% be recorded in the chronicles OF Irish
history. He started out ''to create and
,oster public opinion and make it racy
II the soil,'' and in five years he gath
,red about him a following OF men
whose names are dear to every Irish
nan. and who live in words that burn
ong after the bodies have assimilated
With the clay-not in ali instances
he clay Of their native shores,
,ut the soil Of another land where
heir unsatisiied ambitions led them.
[ust here quotation from the preface
# Duffy's new book, which IS dedicated
o Justin Mccarthy, the elder. is Of Pc
;uliar interest: ''lt used to be the habit
# the Irish Nationalists, Of that school;
It any rate, with which / was con-
lected, and where you matriculated, to
!uard the reputation OF their predeces-
ors as a priceless possession Of the
irish race. I do not think this spirit
prevails Universally at present. But
Iuch spirit is not only just and gener-
JUS, but on lower grounds prudent.
Z GU in your turn will have successors
,on1e day. / remember a story heard
IL nv mothers knee, which I have
1ever forgotten, and which commend
@ you as sample Of wisdom Of your
ancestors I'm a famine Year, so the
egend rap, "a comfortable farmer was
persuaded by his wife to send out his
aged father to beg. The old man was
equipped with a staff, a bag and half
blanket, and was turned on to the high
way. After he was gone his frugal !
inquired what had be-
come Of the second half Of the blanket?
After a long search twas found under