National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-24
Irelnnd and knrI Mind.


Ireland and Karl Blind.
Most people know something about Ire
land, as, however small that tranquil island
may be In physique, It has made as much
noise in the world as II It were full-sized
continent. II is now, therefore, unneces-
sary to introduce It to the public. But the
same considerations do not exist In the case
Of Kerl Blind, and indeed we should not
have gone TO the trouble Of mentioning that
gentleman's name at all IL itwere not that
some cable dispatcher in London consid-
cred his opinion about the present
Irish crisis Of sufficient importance to
hang an item upon It yesterday The dis
patch runs as follows; "Karl Blind writes
that the whole fortune OF England is at
stake In the present crisis. lie declares
that the handing OF the government Of Ire
land to the men whom Mr.. Gladstone de.
scribed as sworn enemies Of England means
danger TO England and ruin to Ireland. lie
considers the policy Of Mr.. Bright aud Lord
Harrington aud their followers alone con-
sistent with tile safety Of the nation" Now
II Mr.. Karl Blind we're an ordinary German
gentleman residing in England one can
readily understand how the associations OF
Kaiser Wilhelm and his trusty chancellor
should influence the average Teuton. But
Karl Blind is not the average Teuton or the
ordinary German gentleman. On the con-
trary, he IS an extraordinary man for Ger
many to produce. lie is best known as the
| president Of the International Society,
which was by no means OF the Sunday
school order of organizations. He was for
many years the most daring, II not sue
| cessful, leader Of the widest revolution
ary spirits in Germany. Before his Goth
year ne was good jurist and at his univer-
stiles Of Heidelberg and Bonn was recog-
nized as man Of solid scholarship and Of
| profound philosophical capacity. In his
2lst year he was imprisoned in Rhenish Ba-
yaria for high treason against King Ludwig.
He escaped, and In another outbreak
he was badly wounded in the streets OF
Frankfort while aiding the populace against
| the authorities. In 1SiS he led the second
republican revolution in the Black forest.
At the storming of Staufen he fought on
the barricade, being among the last who
left the town. In 1s49, when liberated by
the people while being transported to the
fortress Of Mainz, he put himself immedi-
ately at the head Of hastlly.formed corps
and entered the capital Of Baden. Ban
ished from Germany, Louis Napoleon ban
ished him from France, when he at once
started for London, from which city he has
since carried on a democratic and national
German propaganda. He was the speaker
Of the London Germans upon the entry OF
Garibaldl into the English metropolis.
In all the great European movements he
has been on the side Of those fighting for
liberty. Fighting for, and talking so much
about that subject one would think that Karl
Blind should understand something about
liberty. Even rational people might easily
believe that after Blind wrote the biogra-
phies Of those master-minds of revol ution,
Francis DeaB and LedruR Rollin, he would
have absorbed and assimlated some of their
spirit and sympathized with people of an
other race struggling for that same freedom
which seemed to him such an invaluable
adjunct to manhood. But, as children and
facetious persons say, he evidently sis not
that sort of q man" There are darker spots
in the seudo.humanitaran' life than the
mere taking part in popular risings or lead
ing petty Instructions.
The present writer attended one Sunday
evening in London the reception OF prom
inent and brilliant literary lady. Glancing
over an album which contained many in
teresting foreign portraits, one photograph
attracted particular attention. On being
asked If she knew the original OF that
portrait, the lady replied that she had
known him well. and loved him very much
"IIe was my brother,n she said, with tears
in her eyes, "and 1t is a very sad story, but
will tell 1t to you. About the year 1856
my father, as you know, published pam
phlet justifying tyrannicide. My younger
brother, who was very highly.organlzed, ant
susceptible to all impressions about popu
lar liberty, was so much Influenced by thu
political tract that he silently resolved to g
over to Berlin and shoot Bismarck. II,
made some excuse for leaving London, ant
on May Z, 1866, while Bismarck was drivinl
In easy triumph through the German capi
tai, my poor brother walked up TO his car
riage, leveled his revolver, and pulled tn,
trigger. But the weapon missed fire and Bis
marck calmy threw up the pistol and caugh
my brother by the arm. The boy was immedI
ately taken to prison and was found dead II
his cell the following day. 1t is believed
that he had concealed dagger In his Ions
flaxen hair, as from papers found in hi
possession he had made up his mind that
whether he killed Bismarck or not, 1t wa
his duty to take his own life on some con
fused notion OF the Christian principle O
an eye for an eye"
The man who wrote that pamphlet wa
Karl Blind; the lady who told the stor
was his daughter, and the boy who died Il
the cell was Karl Blinds son. And this 1
the lover OF liberty who cannot see VIII
Ireland should be allowed to manape he