Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1889-04-02

The Hagerstown Nal gives the fol-
lowing complimentary notice of the
recent lecture of Hon. d. B. Lucas
in that place:
st. Johns Parish House was packed Monday
evening as full as it could bepacked by theuu-
diencG which assembled there to hear tire Hon.
Dan'l b Lucas lecture on Daniel O'Connell.-
Included in the audience were many of the
most Intelligent of the people of tue tOwIl-tlIe
leading working men and their families, cler-
gymen. merchants. lawyers and physicians. and
the usual large contingent of Indies, who are
always the most attentive and appreciative lis
thncrSto these lectures. DIR. Mitchell. who had
Charge of the music, labored under unusual
disadvantages. After the music had been pre-
pared and practiced two of the singers became
disabled and their places had to be supplied and
all the prncticlng done over again ON Monday
attGrnoOn. The quartettG was composed this
time uf DIR. Mitchell. buss. Miss Baird. soprano.
Mrs. Bennett, alto. and Mr. Marshall. tenor
Miss WitIenbacher. with her constant kindness,
playing the Accomplishments. The music was
delightful and greatly enjoyed. Mr. Lucas
lecture w:ts remarkable in many rcspncts.=
Daniel O'COnucll is his hero. as being in. his
time the great ndvncate of complete religious
freedom. Although MIR. Lucus is most pro-
nOunccd protestant. as a broad-minded states
man Represented the wrongs doue to Catholics
in ireland in former years with an clOQuCncc
which WAS almost sublime In tile preparation
Oh IllS lecture. winch mas lcI ftellVGre several
times. Mr.. Lucas expended Incredible labor.
reading. as he informed us. twelve thousand
pages of the History of O'Connell. of Ireland
and of tile struggle IOrGiSsOlution of legislative
mion.s,u spoke nucntly. imprrssiVelY and
logically for AN iIoilr md a quarter. without
ever referring to mote except onct. or twice to
read n quotation. Now and then lie INDUCED
in flights of thrilling clOquence. The condition.
of Irish Catholics. ltthe close of the last culi-
fury. was expiained-how they were slut out
from all participation in u!l:cc- prohibited
pay tithCs for the support Of the established
church which numbered among its members
only small minority of the people; how tiIcg
were socially isolated aud put out into the
outer darkness These wrongs O'COnnpll set
himself to right by peaceful agitation. His ell
oIucnce drew Together the people by the hun
drctls of thousands to the monster meetings to
hear him. In nearly tho whole of his career
the people were behind him. He was tic COM
mander-in-chief. No effort was left untricd by
the government to silence him. Coercion was
wis tried aud finally a
bribe-thc offer of high official position. and
this was scnrnfully rejected. He was imcor-
rGptible. The lecturer coutendcd that many
Instances of boosted religious liberation were
not entitled 10 bc considered. That the first
to comprehend and Ia cnouiIce the great prin-
ciplc of federation which should include not
only Catholic and Protestant. hut jew and Gem
tile. Turks and lntidels. was Thomas jefferson
and that O'COnnell was in the same line with
him. He was known rs an "agitator." but he
was stern in maintaining peace aud the sIi-
prenIucy of the law and true in his LOYALTY to
the British Constitution because it rests ON the
will of the people. But ii is useless to attempt
in so short space, to give even an idea of this
brilliant lecture.