, 1889-01-26
DANIEL o'coNNELL
Two Important Episodes In the Life Of
the Irish LIberator.

80 -NN ~
the Irish LIberator.
Daniel O'Connell was born in 17T5,
and was sent TO France 10 be educated,
as was the custom at the time among
Catholic Irish families. AT the age OF
20 he wrote to n relative concerning
his future plans: II have now two
objects TO pursue-the ono the attain
ment of knowledge; the-other the nc
QUESTION of all those qualities which
constitute the polite gentleman. ! am
convinced that the former, besides the
immediate pleasure which it yields, fs
calculated TO raise me to honors, rank
and fortune, and l know that the
latter serves as n general pass
port or first recommendation; and
as for the motives of ambition
which you suggest, / assure you that no
man car possess more of it than / do.
l have, indeed, a glowing and, if !
may use tho expression, an enthusi-
astic ambition, which converts every
toll into a pleasure and every study
into IN amusement Though nature
may have given me subordinate tai
ents, l never will be satisfied with q
subordinate situation in my profession.
Nc mar is able, | am aware, to supply
the total deficiency of abilities, but
everybody is capable of improving and
charging a stock, however small, and
in its beginning, contemplate. II is
this reflection that affords me most
consolation. If | do not rise Mt the
bar / Will not have TO meet the re
proaches Of my own conscience"
The young man understood himself
well. His success as n lawyer was eN-
t%raordinary. Before he had been prac-
ticing five years he had within his
reach n law business that would have
brought him an income of $4,000 or
500, 900 n year. But he had not fore
seer that he was n born political gladi-
ator, and that the oppression of Irish
men and the miseries of Ireland would
constitute the one great cause of his
career.
When O'Connell took up the Irish
question many Of his fellow Irishmen,
like himself, were under a religious
and Legislative yoke. They were for
hidden sven TO hold real property.
The agitator lived to see some of the
worst disabilities removed, and this
largely through his own incessant
efforts. His parliamentary tactics were
much the same as Parnell's-he may
DO said to have invented them. He
was elected 10 Parliament in 1928, and
was the first Catholic Irish member
after tho revolution. Tho emancipa-
ton act received the royal signature
in 1929.
Parliament voted to admit O'Con-
nell if he would take the oath obliga-
tory with all members at the time.
His first appearance in tho house of
commons is thus described: The ex-
element was intense; breathless
silence prevailed in that crowded as
sembly when O'Connell was intro
duced by Sir E. Burdett and Lord
Duncannon. The speaker then in
formed him of tho resolution of the
house on tho previous night-that he
could not take his seat unless he took
tho oath prescribed at tho time he was
elected. Tho liberator then said:
May l ask TO see tho oath7" The
clerk was directed TO hand him the
oath, which was printed on u large
card. OConnell put on his spectacles
and perused the oath with deepest at
tention. Ono would suppose he had
never seen the oath before; during the
few minutes he was so perusing it tho
smallest pin could DO heard drop.
liz tleI Sllus L sec III tDlS Oatn one
assertion as to n matter of feet which
l know to DO false, / sec in it another
assertion as TO n matter of opinion
which l believe to be untrue. l there
fore refuse to take that oath" and,
with an expression Of the most pro
found contempt, he flung the card
from him on the table of tho house.
The house was literally struck of a
heap. No other phrase that l know of
but that quaint, old fashioned one can
accurately describe the feeling of
amazement that pervaded parliament
for some minutes after tho card was
thus contemptuously flung on the
table. Tho speaker then said: THE
honorable and learned gentleman
having refused to take the oath, will
please retire below the bar" and the
Liberator, again leaning on Burdett
and Duncannon, came below tho bar
and sat near me under the gallery. In
the debate that ensued the speakers on
all sides paid him tho highest compli-
ments, but it ended in the issuing of q
new writ for Clare.-Detroit Free
prpca