The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-03-08
HON. JOSEPH C. BlcCARDEAD

The Great Irish Obstructionist Suddenly
] Passes Away at His Home in
Chaplain, London Suburb.
J HE is DEAD, BUT UNFORG0TTEN
, The Member for. Uavan, How He Livad and
Worked and His AppearancessN. /
~ %s On the Floor.
\. @
( Joseph Gillis Biggar, member OF Par
lament for Cavan, w. d., died at his
home IN Clapham, asuburb Of London,
on the 10Th uit. His death was due TO
4 Iheart disease.
MIR. Biggar was born in Belfast. Ire
land, Aug. 10, 1928. his father being a
dealer in meat and provisions in that
city. The family we1e in sufficiently
1 comfortable circumstances to give the
boy good education at Belfast aca
DENY. In 1850 he went into the prOvi
sion business on his own account, and
succeeded fairly we'll. although rauch OF
his time WAS given to politics, for
which he early manifested a decided
predilectiOn. He was man Of intense
feeling, and was devotedly attached to
his native land, which early made him
conspicuous as determined champion
of her rights. This made him very
popular with the people, and he was
chosen bv them to fill various munich
pal offices.
| After holding number of minor
positions, Mr.. Biggar became in 1859
chairman of the Belfast water com
mission. serving for four years. resign
| ing to accept the Office OF town coun.
cillor. In 1872 he was nominated for
Parliament from the Tory city of Lon
donderrY and was defeated. but two
years later
HE STOOD FOR CAvAN COUNTY j,
and was successful. He represented
the county continuously until 1885,
when he was elected for Cavan, W.. n,
for which division he sat up to The timfhrse
of his death, l..
He was one of the most peculiar char
acters of the century. In personal ap
pearance he was anything but pleasing,
being a hunchback. with an abnormally
large head. His voice was harsh and
grating, but he was a powerful debater,
master of sarcasm and a keen sighted
politician One of his colleagues aptly
likened him 10 pearl within the she'll
Of an oyster. He was probably more
feared and better hated by the Tories
than any man on the Irish benches.
He was the hero Of many parliamentary
battles and came out Of all unscathed.
Devoted. heart and soul, to the cause of
home rule, his. death at the moment
when Erin's day is breaking, and self
government for Ireland seems bat a
question Of weeks, is particularly sad,
and the loss to his party cannot be es-
timated.
When Mr.. Parnell entered Parliament
B!ggar's, and both began in concert
that career Of obstruction which cul- |
minated in the secession from the
moderate leadership of Mr.. Butt, and
the formation Of an active Irish party
with Mr.. Parnell as leader aud Mr..
Biggar as its first lieutenant.
"The policy of obstruction, in itself
Objectionable, is the right OF small
minorities. who have no other way Of
making themselves felt. It was quite
effectual with the Irish party, and, if it
is not Oftener resOrted to by them now
it is because the necessity has almost
disappeared; the House is now willing
to listen to men who, it knows, have
the power to insist upon being heard,
whether it likes or not. Joe Biggar, as !
he is Familiarity called by his friends, is
ONE OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE
- HOUSE.
In reality a man of great shrewdness
and breath OF mind and Of the warmest
of honest Irish hearts. he adds to an in
tense hatred of England and all Things
English-which is his master passion
a humor of 4 quaint and even elin char
acter. He is a hunchb sck. and his ap
pearance adds to the effect Of his style.
70 see Mr.. Blggar on his glorY il should
be on one Of those occasions when, en-
tering with an armful of blue books, he
makes the Commons of England fee
before him like panic-strickeL enemy,
or yell in their dismay. It is Mr..
Biggar's delight to talk to empty
benches or amid the bellowings Of Brit
ish rage. On Wednesday evenings,
for instance, the debate must summariIy
close at 6 CLOCK, and the member who
has been speaking continues the debate
next day. Mr.. Biggar wants to Oh
lstruct measure, ana he enters smiling
with his pile Of books. The moment
he rises there is CONSERVATION for the|
faithful Commons know that Mr.