The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-12-31

~ Aoio nc "d5 WltuoSS III b1l0 Cplo-
brated "O'Keefe ca e" tried at the Wick
low Summer ssAssizes of that year. The
ecclesiastical witnesses examined on that
occasion, as experts in canon law, we're
his Emineuce Cardinal Cullen, DR.. Nc
Cabe, who was then then the Cardinal g
Vicar General, and DR.. Walsh. In his
evidence on that occasion, which was
subsequently, published at the sugges-
ton of Cardinal Cullen, DR.. Walsh, in
addition to explaining the actual provi-
sions Of Canon Law which bore upon the
case, laid special stress on its resemblance
in many essential points to the cores
ponding provisions Of the Common Law,
The presiding judge, Baron Dowse, in
his charge to the jury, made specil refer
enoe to DR.. Walsh's evidence, as, for in.
stance, in the following passage:
"With reference to DR.. McCabe's evil
dence, and to that of DR.. Walsh, I must
say that never heard evidence given
more clearly and distinctly in court Of
justice. These gentlemen appeared to be
eminently masters Of their subjects. It
is matter of sincere pleasure to me to
see my own countrymen excel in any
position or walk of life; and when hear
people say there are not as good MEN
now as there were forty years ago, my
answer is that every generation brings
it's own men to suit the circumstances Of
the time. If Msynooth, in former days,
was distinguished for it's scholars and
no one can doubt that it has been-and
If Rev. DR.. Walsh is a specimen of
those Of the present day, all I can say is
the glory of the present will not be over
shadowed by that of the past.
The result of this trial-at which the
Judge who. presided, and large major
lty Of the jury were Protestants-
was q verdict fully upholding the legal
ity of the canonical proceedings which
had been taken by Father O'Keefe's &C.
cleslastical supe1iors.
In the same year was held the synod
of Maynooth, and on the nomination of
Cardinal Cullen, who presided as Apos-
tolic Delegate, DR.. Walsh was appointed
to the confidential position of Secretary
to the Synod. This brought him into
the most intimate relations with the
Irish Bishops in all the proceedings Of
the Synod, It is generally known that
some of the more important chapters of
it's DEGREES were drawn up by him.
In 1878, after eleven years IN the Pro-
fessorship of Theology, he was appointed
Vicar President of the College of May
nooth, retaining, however, for time his
chair as Professoa. His position, though
nominally that of Vice. President, was
practically that of President, in conse-
quenee of the sad accident which pre-
vented DR.. Russell from discharging any
of the duties Of his Office, and which ter
minated his life after few months lin
gering illness. Then the unanimous
choice Of the Irish Bishops confded to
DR.. Walsh the presidency of their great
National Ecclesiastical College.
While dischargiag the weighty and re-
sponsible duties of the high Offices of
Vics-P President and President Of May
nooth, to which he was elected by the
unanimous voice of the Irish hierarchy,
DR.. Walsh was still occupied in utilizing
his great ability for the benefit of his
fellow-men, for the welfare of the coun-
try, and especially for the advantage Of
the tenant farmers of Ireland. Almost
Immediately following his appointment
to the presidency, a circumstance closely
affecting his interests made it his duty
to appear as witness before the Bessbor-
ough Commission, then sitting to exam
inc the Irish land question, and make
suggestions with view to subsequent
legislation. DR.. Walsh's evidence had
reference to case which thus assumed
great prominence, the evictions of the
Irish Bishops Tin their capacities Of trus-
tees in Maynooth Collegel from farm
adjoining the college, which they had
held as tenants under the Duke OF Lein-
ster. The Land Act of 1870, while pro-
tecting to certain extent, the interest Of
tenants, left rather large loop-hole, by
means of which landlord wishing to
deprive his tenant Of the protection at
forded by the Act, was enabled to do so
for power was left to tenants to con-
tract themselves out of the Act. With
the sole alternative of eviction from
ther holdings, the Duke Of LeinsteI in
sisted on all his tenants accepting form
of lease embodying such contract. The
BISHOPS Of Ireland, who, in this instance,
fortunately for the Irish tenant farmers,
held the college farm as tenants, felt
that they were called upon to make a
stand. They refused to sign the "I.eins-
a. lease.'' The result was an unsparing
exercise of the power OF eviction, then
u. vested without control in the hands OF
tha landlords. The eviction OF the