The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-03-26
tant question moro solemnly put; never
has it been more riumphantly and clear

As IL O0on more uAlpAAssAoAJ e.sA>A -
= answered.
The question: Were the Irish people,
[isheartened and discordant as they
yere, really tore-unite in defense of their
lltars to close with the mighty prosecut-
no power Of England and fight tor the
,ause os religion? Solemnly aud delib-
,rately did Ireland take up the gage OF |
,attle and accept the challenge.
The world with bated breath beheld
he gigantic contest. Upon the one hand
J mighty power, united and equipped,
determine to crush peoples hope en-
bodied in their religion. Upon the other
hand nation of warning factions. Such
were the contending forces; such the
principles at stalk. For 800 years the
contest lasted. Ieland's most fertile
districts were devastated and laid waste
time and time again. The land was
filled with the cries of the dying and sor-
row for the dead, but the mighty perse-
cutting power of England was oyerthrown
on the cause of Ireland's nationality was
again revived in the victory which
crowned her wonderful and glorious bat
tie for her faith. Failing in mortal COM
bat to destroy the spirit Of Irish national
ity, and finding it insep trably connected
with Irish faith, the English government
began an elaborate 81 stem of legislation
carefully contrived to degrade and I'M
poverish the Irish people. 1t began the
enactment of it's Infamous penal laws.
No description of mine could do adequate
Justice to these enactmeuts; neither
would my description of these laws bring
convictions to those here tonight born
of different paren tage from ourselves l
will therefore call attention to the prln-
cipal features of these laws as stated by
a distinguished historian and Protestant
in religion, who cannat be charged with
partiality. I refer to W. E. Leckey. In
his work entitled, LEADERS of Public
Opinion in Ireland" he describes these
laWS illus. \lscdA Pe1Ho law
In the annals of civilization Or semi
barbarism a no more carefully prepared
system of laws can be found for the pur-
pose of degrading people. These laws
were intended to suppress everything
noble in the Irish character-tidellty OF
husband and wife, love and honor due
from children to parents, and obedience
to law. They we're intended to develop
the worst elements Of our nature; they
provided honor and rewards for the In
former and the spy. They rewarded the
faithless wife and mother who abandon
ed children husband and home; they re-
warded the undutiful son who demon
strated his lack of manhood and merit
by entering into Il legal conspiracy to rob
his good old father. Coupled with these
rewards, it provided the severest penalty
for copstancy in religion, fidelity to mar
rage vows and honest discharge of &C.
,clesiastical duties. ~...
These are some of the laws enacted by
the loving kindness of the English gov
eminent for the subsection of liberty"
loving and valorous race.
The Irish people were censured from
some quarters because they were rebel
lious-censured because thew refused to
quietly submit to these outrages.
T ask any American here tonight how
long would you submit to system OF
laws which robbed you of your property,
and then kindly murdered you because
of your poverty? How long would you
submit to laws which hunted and de-
stroyed education as a common telon;
robbed you of your alphabet and sneered
At Won in the worlds presence because OF
your Ignorance! .s:. ..
You will agree with me that govern
ment which enacted and enforced such
laws was not fit to govern race OF slaves
much less people filled with aspirations
of intellectual advancement, with IN
etincts Of liberty and freedom.
Is IL surprising tIleo oho o<>A0o
enforcement of the law for threequarters
of a century should have so reduced
the people that Wendell Phillips, the
great American orator, in glancing up
the highway of history, should have de-
scribed the Irish people and their lead
ers as follows: He said: can island
soaked with the blood OF countless re-
bellions; oppression such as would turn
towards into heroes; race whose valor
had been proved on almost every battle
field of Europe, end whose reckless dar'
ing lifted it any time in arms against
Europe with hope or without. Dean
Swift in defense of the Irish people had
twice faced England in her angriest mood
and by his mastery pen subdued her
Flood. sagacious and eloquent; Grattan
with all the courage, and more than the
eloouence of his race; Fox in the House
of Commons; Emmett in the field; Sheri
dan in the senate, and Curran at the bar
All Of these gave their lives to Ireland,
L l. u