The Irish standard., 1891-01-03
GLADs TONES BIRTHDAY.

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Last Monday was the 8lst birthday Of
Gladstone and the event was celebrated
with quiet rejoiclrgs at Hawarden CAS-
tie, the county seat VI the aged states
man. Oongratulatory messages were
received from all pars OF Geeat Brian
and several from America, but there is
no mention OF any from ireland. A
special feature Of the occasion was the
nnyeil,ng of memorial fountain erected
by his admiring friends aud neighbors
to commemorate his golden wedding
At the unwilling of the fountain the
Grand Old Man made a speech, in the
course of which he said that after fifty
wears resldeuce in HaWarden be was
greatly attached to the place and would
reside there far the rest Of his life, Not
word had he to say about Home Rule;
aud though we are told that his health
was excellent it is evident that he was
depressed in spirits aud much discour-
aged or he would have touched on his
favorite theme. We are of the number
who have always believed that Gladstone
intended to grant self government to
Ireland in tho event of the SUCCESS OF
his party III The approaching general
realizes that it is extremely doubtful
whether he could get into power at the
next election by any further advocacy OF
Home Rule for ireland. The friends of
Home Rule on the British Islands have
been completely demorahzod within the
past few weeks. Parnell, we fear. has
gwen Home Rule buckset in this gen.
GRAFTON. 1t will take many long day
before the friends Of ireland in America
will contribute as in the past to help
the Irish party. They are utterly dis
gusted and dintenrtsucd, and they will
become more so ii Irish d,Asouion con-
tinue They have begnn to lose faith
in the patriotism OF the Irish party.
That party hud nu business to re-nlect
Parncil as their leader, Af or beng thor
nughly acquainted with his misconduct,
and then depose l,m few days after
wards whoa EugIishmen objected to
him on the score Of immortality. AS
soon AS they were convinced OF his dis.
g.aco they ought to have requested his
gnntion as leader instead OF paying
HIM exalted compliments which he did
mol deserve.
They ought to remember that there 10
a virtuous Irish race that would not
sustain them III their action. The very
meu who landed PArnell 10 the skies a:
the Dublin meeting were tho first to
demand his reslgnaiiun after the appear
ance of GludstoDe's letter.
linn Heuly has alcGrd the most incon-
sistent OF all, and no wonder he was
roughly used at tile hands OF Il Dublin
mob. WHAT surprises us, too, rs that
the Protestant members OF the Irish
party objected more strongly against
lis cont,uuance than tue Gu thulio mem.
bers, uild that during lhe Kilkenny cleo
tiOn Catholic member furnished che
American press with the most scurrllous
abuse Of the Catholic clergy who worked
,gulust Parnoil's candldale. Tim Hur-
llugtou went back from thls country al d
told the KILKENNY electors that America
was solldiy tor Parneil. He then got
himself interviewed und Condemned the
action OF the priests III exercising thelr
t,gnts. He dad not object to Fathers
Ryan AMI Fancy making spe. ches fox
Purnell. Such men As Harrington are
not fit to represent Ireland III tho Brit
ISL parliament or anywhere else. No
wonder Gladstone nude no reference TO
Ireland on the occasion Of the annlver-
say Of his birthday. AS u correspond.
ent of the New York aernld says: "It
is ull up with the Old MAn, any way.
There will be no more /. ish alliances in
our time. Purneli has smashed tho mt
chine"