The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-02-06

| ltlCul16u. u O6SCIlpGlOu WHICH, III
gave to an Ohio member led to his ex
pulsion from the House in 1846. The lu
dicrous scene and the prominence giver
to it by the foolish action OF the mem.
bers led to its reproduction in Europe
with caricatures in the London and Ber.
lin illustrated; newspapers and on the
first day of the following session he was
by almost unanimous vote of the House,
restored to his seat.
| During his stay in Washington he cor
responded with the Richmond Wing, the
Boston Atlas, the Louisville Journal and
other prominent newspapers. He also
contributed to the New York Herald and
various literary journals of the East.
Afterward Mr.. Greeley offered him one
eighth of the Tribune for $500, but he
did not see bis way clear to raising the
money and declined the offer.
Mr. Robinson was at different times
editor-in-chief of the Buffalo Express,
the Newark Mercury, the People (which
he started with Thomas D. Reilly and
John McClanahan), the Irish World and
the New Haven Daily Courier, In 1851
he delivered an address on 'The Celt and
Saxon" which was published in full III
all editions of the Tribune, was criticised
in the London Quarterly was quoted in
the House of Lords, and reviewed in the
Liberal newspapers Of Great Britain and
the Continent.
Three years later "Richelieu" Robin
son was admitted TO the bar, and prac-
tised law 10 New York City with much
success In 1859 he revisited Ireland
and delivered & most eloquent Fourth OF
July Grafton. He went 10 Kings County
the same year, making his home first in
Bath. T.. I. Three years later he removed
to Brooklyn, whore ne has since resided.
Soon atterward he was appointed, by
President Lincoln's own nomination, AS
SCISSOR of Internal Revenue for the Third
Congressional District, an Office then of
great Importance. This was bis first
public office. In 1866 he van for Collec-
torspf Taxes and was defeated. One, year
later he was elected to the 4Oth Congress,
from the Second District of Kings Coun-
| ty, ON the Democratic ticket, by 1000
majority over Simeon B. Chittenden.
BY his persistent and able efforts he sue
ceeded in getting passed the bill by
| which the rights Of expatriation and
naturalization were fully secured and
England compelled to abandon it's arro-
CANT claim once subject always sub
ject.
It WAS on his motion that the Brook
iyn Bridge bill was passed in 1869. He
also rendered valuable aid in the passage
of several excellent bills of local charac-
ter
From 1869 to 1880, though several
times proposed for different positions, as
State Senator, Mayor, etc, he was not on
the winning side, sometimes from party
| factions and sometimes from his reluc.
tanc6 to engage iii violent partisan cam
paigns. In 1880 he was elected to the
47th Congress by large majority. He
! Immediately introduced the bill, which
became law, insisting that foreign ma
tions give American citizens on arrest an
immediate hearing or discharge. He
was reelected to Congress in 1882. Dur
ing this term he became the earliest and
most active champion Of the reduction
of postage on letters. He wanted che
postage reduced to cent, but had to be
contented with reduction to two cents.
He worked for the letter carriers de-
mands for An eight hour day. When the
old hall of the House of Representatives,
was abandoned, Hon. George Shea,
Chief Justice of the New York Marine
Court, procured the chair which had
been occupied by John Quincy Adams,
presented it to Mr. Robinson, Horace
Greeley making the presentation speech.
His devotion to the cause of his native
land was his marked characteristic, TAX
ing the form very frequently Of hostility
to England. He organized a movement
for the relief of Ireland in 1847, and se-
cured the authorization from Congress
for sending the United States frigate
Macedonian with provisions for that
country. When the Land League was
organized Mr.. Robinson became an ac-
tive member OF that body. he, however,
contended that force alone would bring
the British Government to terms in the
grand effort for the freedom of Ireland.
In his stalwart advocacy Of the cause of
the imprisoned Irish-American Fenian
prisoners he earned the title of Pat
Molloy" Robinson. His course was
marked by vigorous Independence and
sturdy purity Of purpose which did not
quail before criticism, however hostile.
In his Willingness to do whatever lay
IN his power for the cause OF Ireland or
Irishmen, Robinson sacrificed much
personal comfort as we'll as money. So