The Irish standard., 1886-05-29
MINNEAPOLIS AND PAUL, SATURDAY, MAY %,

Of knowledge which afterwards stood
him in such stead during the few event.
full years OF his political career. He
took a medal in ethics; became lead
ing member of the College Historical
Society; wrote q pamphlet on the House
Of Lords-which it is interesting to-
know he considered an unlnitigated
nuisance-and was called to the bar in
1885. In short time unmistakabIe su-
periority OF talent, energy Of character
and varied knowledge gave certain
hope Of a brilliant professional career.
Fearful connections We're at hand. 1t
was not the time for a true patriot to
hesitate, and in the storm of agitation
Davis appeared in the political arena.
His accession to the Repeal ranks i'll
1S41 Influenced the whole current Of his
after life, and brought before the world
the hidden beauty of his generous and
unselGsh nature. The repeal move
nent was set on foot by O'Connell in
1910. AS we all are aware, the native
legislature was torn from Ireland by
Pitt in 1900; and it is we'll known that
the repeal Of that iniquitous act was
considered by O'Connell Of more import
ance than even emafcipation itself,
His first political speech in 1872 was
directed against the union. BY the adj
vice of friends, however, lie was in.
ducao to take up the emancipation
question first. The ever memorable
year Of 1929 came, and the fetters in
which she had writ]nea for centuries
fell fSom the limbs Of Catholic Ireland
at the voice Of her "great liberator.' y
Ten years Of comparative inactivity fol~
lowed; then out from the gathering
gloom strobe the "mighty tribune OF
the people, and six million hearts
leaped up at the sound of his clarion
voice. But there was more difficulties
to be overcome than even O'ConneiI
had anticipated. In the emancipation
campaign he had received the support
not only OF the more respectable por~
tion of the Protestant aristoc1acy in
ireland, but also OF all the advanced
members OF the English House of Com
mons. Without the co-operation Of
these political factors O'Connell could
scarcely hope for the success OF bis re-
peal movement, but they turned from
him now and grow!ed resistance to The
death against 'sthat horrid
IIs.dE,lBEH1fE.NT OF raE E,MprnB.'
Nothing daunted, O7Connelllahored on
Two causes contributed much to retard
his progress at this period. The worth
lessness and insincerity Of many Of his
confederates, and the appearance Of
sectarianism attaching to his move
ment. Among those who surrounded ,
him there were, besides many genuine
patriots, many genuine humbugS who
had joined the repeal agitation simply
because they expected it would pay.
and who were only to ready to sell tbelr
country and their leader in the hope
of personal aggrandizement. Up TO-
this time the Catholics and Protestants
of Ireland had never thoroughly united
in common cause. Even the enlan~
cipation had not extingujshed tnei,:
tendency to sectarian strife; and be-
sides, O'Connell's character was not at
all calculated to ailay the old feelings OF
mutual hatred and distrust. lie was
justly looked upon as the champion OF
Catholicism in Ireland. The Repeal
Association was entirely under his
control, and, though it's aims were
purely political it came to be regarded
by the Proiestants Of the country as an
exclusive Catholic organization. The
cooperation Of his Protestant country
men, if not altogether Indispensable,
was at least Of paramount Importance
to the success of O'Connell's movement,
and that cooperation was, in great
part, secured by the accession to his
ranks Of Protestant gentleman whose.
unquestionable sincerity, high moral
character and social standing precluded
the possibility Of interested motives.
His name was Thomas Dayis. The im-
portance of his accession cannot be
overrated. He was man IF profound
learning, Of independent thought. It
could not, therefore, be supposed that
he would league himself with a cause
unworthy of
A GREAT AND ENLIGHTENED MIND
After all there must be something in
repeal. SO the Protestants Of the coun-
try veered round, and the Catholics.
growing ashamed Of their apathy rallied
round their immortal leader. liz lS40
Davis was appointed auditor Of the
College Historical Society, in which he
had lately distinguished himself as a;
debater. About the same time also hes
contributed largely to two Duhlin
papers. the Citizen and Register. He
wrote much on the question Of land
tenure, but the subjects to which he
directed his most serious attention., and
which became in time the leading idea
of his political programme, was ssthe