The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-03-26

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declared under the new policy in 1879.
when 100000 of Irish Catholics entered
The English Parliament in the person of
Daniel O'Connell. From that date down
Il. the present time, except whom the
voice of the Irieh people was silenced by
the presence of famine, the Irish Ques-
bon has occupied a leading position IN
English politics, pushing Wings and
tories a ike from the seat OF power.
About dozen years ago another leader
in the service of his country.
Young and unknown, he asked an oppor-
tunity to revive the Irish nation, sunk as
1t was in the depths of social and politi-
cal oppression. Her people had oeen tiy-
ing from their homes for two centuries.
He demanded that they remain.
His policy was the creation of public
sentiment at home and abroad, peaceful
agitation appealing to the intellect and
the heart.
He entered the British parliament almost
unknown to Ireland, unknown to Eng
land aud the rest of our cililized world.
Ten years ago there was no Irish na-
tional party in the British parliament.
O'Connell fought the English opposition
less than century ago with only four
lieutenants. The new leader to whom l
refer was surrounded by grand galaxy
of lieutenants like Healey and Sexton,
MCCARTHY ana Dillon, O'Brien and the
father of the land league, Michael Davitt.
They contended, as of old, for Ireland's
rights; they constituted as noble band
of reformers as ever attracted the atten-
ton of the civilized world In their
midst stood this new leader, their chief
tain for almost ten years, the embodl-
ment of loyalty, che greatest statesman
of his time, Charles Stewart Parnell, the
eclipse of whose life is the saddest chap
ter in Irish biography. This galaxy OF
statesmen, with eloquence and tact,
pleaded the cause of the Irish people not
in the English parliament alone, but
through the fundamentally OF the press
to the world at large. They defed Eng
lish calumny and purchased perjury.
Year after year they have secured greater
rights for the people whom they repre-
sent. They have forced the Irish ques-
ton into the English parliament, and
frequently placed it as an obstacle to the
transaction Of all Legislation in the Bri-
fish parliament. They enlisted 10000
coo of people with Irish blood and SYM
pathy, most of whom are potential ele-
ments in all the great countries which
control the future destinies of the Bri-
fish Empire. They have enlisted the
contempt of all people who believe in
law and love justice for that Government
which was compelled to seek it's support
in the detestable and cowardly conspi-
racy of the "London Times" We all re-
member that famous trial to which the
eyes of the world were directed, and It's
dramatic ending. That trial demon
strated beyond doubt or question that
the English government is unfit to rule
! the Irish people. With one foul blow
the powers of the English government
sought to strike down a. nations leader.
Coercion and oppression, murder and
lawlessness, evictions of thousands, the
| burning of homes, the ruination of the
entire population that could not sustain
the English government against the ire
mendous pressure of public sentiment
created by Parnell and his lieutenants
In order to avert it's force, the English
government was forced to resort to such
Infamous agents as the London Times,
LIE Caron, the purchased spy, and Pigott,
the purchased perjurer. The resort OF
the English government to such agencies
| as these is confession of guilt, which
always precedes the pronouncing of SEN
tence. This agitation has aroused not
only the Irish people everywhere about
the globe, but it has enlisted the s.. m.
pathies OF the ablest thinkers, the most
forcible writer's, the most eloquent speak
ers of all nations and Of all hationalities
Even the grand old man of England has
seen the error of his former ways, and
to-day leads the procession of Ireland't
progress.
! The Irish people the world over are
ready to forget the former cruelties o.
Gladstone because of his..present immor
tai struggles for their kindred. They
can also we'll afford to forget the one
great weakness of their own leader who
now slumbers in his quiet and peaceful
grave. Let the good that he has done
the battles that he has fought, the vic
tories that he has won be long remem
bered. Let his weakness be buried with
bis bones. Because of the great gooe
that he accomplished in the former WI
can we'll afford to draw the mantle o.
charity across the latter. Parnell has
gone, but the battle which he fough1
still goes on. He is dead, but the prin-
cinles for which he contended will live