The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-05-14

Davis. The commence III the tF!umpI
of right and the scorn of base methods
to attain even lofty ends rings through
them all. Take the verse which he
writes of the great Irish leader, Over
Roe O'Neill, who died just as Cromwell
landed his exterminating army in Ire.
land:
Oh, to have lived dear Owens life-to live fol
| q solemn end;
To strive for the ruling strength and skill
Gods saints to the chosen send;
And at length with that holy strength, the
bondage Of fraud to rend,
And pour the lights of God freedom in where
tyrants and slaves were denned.
And to bear the brand
With an equal hand,
Like a soldier OF Truth and Right,
And, O Saints, to die
While our flag flew high,
Nor to look on it's fall or fight.
Duffy, as proprietor of the Nation, was
made co-defendant with OConnell in
the states trial of 1874, when the English
Government attempted to crush the
growing Repeal movement by imprlson-
ing it's chief. He shared that latter's
imprisonment in Dublin and also in his
triumphant release when the verdict Of
the Irish Courts was quashed by the
House of Lords. Worse troubles, how
ever, were at hand. Davis died as we
are told, in 1916, and at the most critical
period the Young Ireland party was left
without leader. Duffy worked hard to
continue the task begun by Davis, and
the "Library of Ireland" e. collection of
works, historical, poetical and magma
tive, was issued steadily from the Nation
office. Many were masterpieces, and
Duffys own collection of "Irish Songs
and Ballads" which was one of tx en-,
has lorg ago exhausted 40 editions and
still continues favorite IN Irish house
holds everywhere. In the following year,
however, scourge worse than anything
that has been dreamed Of by friend or foe
fell on the hapless land Of his birth in
the awful famine. The eight millions of
stalwart peasants on whom O'Connell
had been won't to rely as the force which
had wrung EmanclDation from the con-
queror of Waterloo. and which would
win the freedom of the land from his
successors melted away before starva-
tion on a scale unknown in modern his
tory.
The great Tribune himself sickened
and died, and the more fiery of the
Young Ireland writer's called for an ap
peal to arms, even with an unframed and
nnproyided population, rather than let
the people lie down and die in helpless
misery. Lord John Russell, the grand
father of the nobleman who has lately
figured as the English Prime Minister,
and he met the Irish agitation with re-
morseless coercion. The Nation was
suppressed by the police. Most of the
prominent Young Irelanders were ar
rested and tried on various charges, and
Duffy among the number. John Mitchell
and John Martin. with Meagher, O'Doh-
erty, O'Donoghue, Smith O'Brien and
others were transported to the Austria
lian penal settlements. Dillon, O'Gor-
man and Devin Reilly escaped to this
country, and finally when all attempts at
resistance were over. Duffy was released
after four trials in which the juries,
though carefully packed, refused to con-
vict.
Duffy made no effort to stay, by political
action, the destruction OF the Irish popu-
lation, and in 1852 he joined hands with
Frederick Lucas andSherman Crawford,
Presbyterian member Of Parliament,
in founding party to obtain deliverance
for the Irish tenants from the absolute
sway of the landlords. He was returned
to Parliament from New Ross and proved
himself good speaker and honest politi-
cal guide, but the movement in which
he had engaged was unable to effect any
thing owing to the strength Of English
opposition and the treachery of some
Irish politician who took an active part
in the agitation, and urged wild mea-
sures of retaliation only to sell them
selves, for places under the government.
Duffy lost heart after the death of Lucas,
and with his family emigrated to Aus
tralia, where he took up his abode in
Melbourne and began life anew as law
yer. In Australia the career of public
honors was at once opened for him. He
became Minister of Public Works for
Victoria the year after his arrival, and in
1871 he rose to the control of the Colonial
Government as Prime Minister This
1ottar most ha did not retain LONG, bnt he
subsequently, was elected speaker of the
Legislative Assembly in 1876, and con-
tributed his full share to the develop
ment of the colony under self-eovern-
mont. Duffy again revisited Ireland
about the beginning Of the Home Rule
movement, in which he took lively in
terest, as might be expected. He fit'ally
returned to Europe about IL years ago,
and has since devoted himself in his old
age exclusively to literature. ss=