Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-15
HERO WORSHIP.

A hero is not to be measured by the
conventional standards of morality. 1t
is certain that there are thousands of
Irishmen who reprobate the act which
led to Parnell's downfall. yet think
none the less of him and shrink none
the more from his leadership. The
clergy, which in ireland has domi-
mating influence among The people,
could find no excuse for his moral
laches, and shut him out. He defied
them, and they joined his enemies.
An active campaign was waged by the
church against him, and it was this
power, more than any other, probably,
that overthrow him. So rancorous was
the opposition of the priests that it was
alleged land made the basis of contest
of the seat of Sir John Pope Hennessy,
the successful opposition candidate, on
the ground of undue infiuence') that
the confessional was put to the use Of
electioneering. Under such an array
of opposition-the Catholic clergy Of
an intensely Catholic people combining
TO defeat Protestant candidate, who,
it must be owned, had given more than
sufficient grounds for the charges made
against hint was an evidence OF the
extraordinary strength of his hold upon
the popular affection that he made so
stout fight as to put his enemies to
their utmost to defeat him.
1t all lay in this, that to the Irish
people Parnell was hero. who should
not be judg by the rules OF common
conduct. Thus men have looked upon
their heroes in all times-and well that
it is so, for heroes appear to have al
ways stood in need of exemption from
the laws that regulate the ordinary
mortal in his social relations. The
Hellenic gods were none the less
thought OF for the debaucheries of the
Olympian court. Why should Jupiter
be god if he could not be such a god
as he chose to be? And the demigods
and heroes, patterning after him, were
as little models of virtue as he, and by
the people were as little expected to
be Influenced by any bought of moral
ity. Homer's warriors, in struggle
that arose out of the stealing of mans
wife by his guest and friend, were cele-
brated as warriors who broke the laws
of morality when it suited them TO do
So Archilles' wrath was thought to
have fit provocation because Agamem-
non would not let him keep both Briseis
and Chriseis for his own enjoyment,
because he had taken them in war.
And that feeling, that hero must be
judged as hero and not as man. has
run down through the current OF years
until we find it among US to-day, and
we respect it. Nelson's liaison with
Lady Hamilton gave no check to the
idolatry of the English men and women
for the hero of Trafalgar, though they
would have sent to Jail tor such conduct
any man of lesser note, and ducked the
woman in mill-pond. And we are no
better. for we have but to turn back the
pages of history few short years-so
few that they may be told on the fin
gers of the hands-and we shall see
that the high-minded and virtuous
American people arrayed themselves
under the opposing banners of two
chiefs, neither of whose private lives
would line with the upright standard
of moral rectitude.
Parnell's faults will be forgotten. He
will be thought of only as the man who
almost achieved the liberation OF Ire
land, and in time he will be named
with Emmett and O'Connell-his public
record shining and his private bem-
ishes covered up in merciful oblivion.
Then he will be hero and we shall
judge him as hero, not as the de-
spOiler of friends honor.