The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-02-13

be attracted by settled ministry, of whom
there was but one. In early days he
thought emancipation certain and imme-
date long before it came; further on he
was not less confident about repeal.
In 1885 the tories were down "for-
ever" In 1910 the tories never
will regain power" In the same year
the Duke of Wellington twill be speedily
extinct as political man." This power
OF believing what he wished was probably
a remedial provision in his nature, and
may have added on the whole to his vast
but heavily taxed working superiority. If,
as some saw, he was dictatorial, it was
from a resistless consciousness OF superb
ority. No man could be more profoundly
deferential and humble for public pur-
pose, but for personal or private object
he never cringed. His tact and self-cOn-
troll in the interest of his
clients were as those of 0dys-
seus. But like Odysseus he was
tempted on occasion; and once, in court,
he was about to waste on an interruption
of the opposing council point which was
invaluable for reply, when Blackburn,
who was employed with him in the case,
pulled him down by his gown. Irascible
without doubt he was, and highly irasci-
BILE; but he was placable In a not less
eminent degree. From Richmond Bride
we'll he writes 20 She'll, who had joined
the wings, and expostulates with him on
his conduct. But mark his closing para
graph:
Adieu, my dear She'll God bless you! Be
assured of my friendship and personal regard.
| am sorry, sincerely sorry, we are apart IN
politics, but am ever alive to the many claims
you have on my gratitude as a private friend
and a public man.
In all the separate phases of his life and
action, which were numerous beyond the
common, O'Connel was remarkable, but
their combination into a whole and the
character he presents to us as human
being are more worthy than any among
his separate gifts, brilliant as they were,
of study and of admiration. In many
famous persons the acted life seems to be
detached from the inner man. These be-
long to the category OF responsible beings,
but it is hard to say how lar that response
biiity was conscious and applied-how far,
nay, how much further, dormant and for
gotten. Their life is not woven into con-
tiguity by a solid and persistent purpose.
Such was not the case with this great
child of nature. Nothing in him was lit
tie, nothing was detached or hetero-
geneous. In the assemblage of all
his properties and powers he was
one, indivisible and deeply cut.
No day of his life could be severed from
the rest without touching the essence and
demolishing the whole If he ever seemed
to wander into violence, these were the
wanderings of a moment; his boomerang
soon came home. Next to his religion,
and indeed under the direct inspiration OF
his religion, his country was for him all
in all. He had room for other genuine
interests in his large and sympathetic
nature, but these revolved around his
patriotism like the satellites about a
mighty planet. Few indeed, as 1 think,
OF those who give a careful perusal TO these
pages will withhold their assent from the
double assertion that he was great man
and that he was a good man. Upon this
issue the volumes now before us will enable
us to try him, and in trying him TO try
ourselves. For who can any longer doubt
that some debt is still due to him; that
he was, to say the least, both overcen-
sured and undervalued? BY many he
was taken to be unquestionably rufiian,
probably public swindler OF his country
men. Beside being great and q good,
he was also a disappointed man. The
sight of his promised land was not given
TO his longing eyes. But as a prophet of
a coming time he fulfilled his mission. 1t
seems safe to say that few indeed have
gone to their account with a shorter cata-
logue of mistaken aims or of wasted OPP
portunities, and not only that he did
much but that he could have done more