St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-02
A REVERENo ROASTED,
An Irish Physician Takes Excep.

An Irish Physician Takes Excep'
ton to a Recent Lecture.
To the Editor Of the Globe
1t was only this morning that my at
tention was directed To a lecture which
was delivered at the Plymouth church
on Tuesday evening by Rev. Mr.. Nc
Laren on "lreland and the irish"
lie treated nation rightly strug.
gil ng to be Free" as MIR. Gladstone once
expressed 1t, in very unfair and un-
generous manner, and therefore |
should feel Obliged. If you would kindly
give me space, to reply to him.
Mr. McLaren spent only few weeks
in Ireland, and accordingly | do not
blame him for the utter ignorance which
he displays of the state Of the country;
but at the same time he has fallen into
so many gross and paIpable mistakes
that 1t is difficult to acquit him of big
otry aud deliberate misrepresentation.
Mr.. McLaren led his hearers to
INFER that Belfast is prosperous
because its faith Is PreSby-
terrain. That is a fallacy. In the
penal days the English government
stamped out manufactures of all kinds
Ill Ireland, with the exception of the
northern counties, where English and
Scotch settlers resided. Hence the
linen and wooden manufactures of Bel
fast to-day, and hence its prosperity.
MIR. McLaren must have known this
if he has read Irish history, and DELHI
erately falsified facts. If he has not
read Irish history, why does he presume
to speak on Irish matters?
Again, MIR. McLaren says: "'rhe IN
temperance of the land was simply
dreadful" Ii the reverend gentleman
had consulted statistics on this point,
and were not blinded by his own innate
bigOtrY, he would have learned that the
amount of alcohol consumed per head
in Ireland is considerably less than that
consumed either in England or Scot
land.
Mr.. McLaren is a minister of religion,
and therefore supposed to be animated
with Christian charity. and yet he takes
occasion to sheer at the poor people of
Ireland, who have been for centuries
grooming under the worst kind of OPP
preston. He gOOd-naturedly thinks
that they deserve more to be eXterml-
mated than the snakes and toads.
There are reptiles in Ireland to-day
worse than any st. Patrick expelled.
They are the sensual and plundering
landlords, who grind their tenants and
cXtOrt the last farthing in order that
they may squander it in the gambling
saloons and brOthelS of London and of
Paris. 1t was of these John Bright, the
great tribune, once said, that if Ireland
were removed 1000 instead of 200 miles
from England they would be cast into
the Atlantic in twenty-fOur hours, and
they would richly deserve their fate.
don't think it is necessary to follow
Mr.. McLaren any further. His whole
lecture was tissue OF SneerS and mis-
representations. The supDreSsiO veri
ct suggeStiO talsi was patent through
out. Is it becoming in Presbyterian
clergyman to so far forget his sacred
calling as to use his abilities for the
purpose of defaning and miSrepresent-
ing nation that has been from time
immemOral remarkable alike for its
bravery, its virtue and its hospitality,
even though the proceeds of the lecture
were for the purpose Of purchasing an
organ for the First Presbyterian church?
1t is we'll known fact that the Eng
llsh government has subsidized news
papers in this country and in Europe
for the purpose of backening the char
acter OF the Irish race. hope it has
not also utilized tine peculiar talents of
Rev. Mr.. Mcl4areu and DR.. Ames for
similar purpose in the Northwest.
L would suggest to both gentlemen
that if they wish to retain the regard
and esteem of honest men they will
cOnfne themselves to the duties Of
their respective professions and cease
to throw dirt at people who are in
hnitely superior to themselves.
THOMAS CALVIN, NJ. ID.