The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-03-25

ernment the hero and herald of radical
principles aud radical reforms, unique
picture in modern history.
His occasional ''change of front" on
some of the leading questions of his time
needs no apology; he has always been too
great statesman to let one lost oppor-
tunity prove the precedent for another,
or to excuse loss Of time in the past by
losing more time in the present.
His determination when convinced and
the absolute honesty of his convictions,
are not less marked than the scores of
brilliant acts Of craftsmanship and pa
triotism that stand out in his long and
useful career as epochs in the progress of
civilization during the last half of the
nineteenth century. and I cannot count
it less than base desertion from the sa-
cred duties of nationality on the part of
that modicum of the Irish race who op-
pose his home rule measures and cast
upon him the shameful epithet grand
old spider" because Of his unhinching at
titude on the question of Irish au-
tonomy.
Neither the astute politician. John
Bright, the profound philosopher, John
Stuart Mill, or the sublime poet, Swim
burne, in all their gratefully remembered
appeals for mercy for the Manchester
martyrs, exceeded our hero in his desire
to give justice to Ireland of his appre-
citation of the inevitable when country
is in a state of latent rebellion and in
termittent revolution, nor in determina-
tion to devise substantial means for ter
minating forever the hideous record of
blundering tyranny and misgovernment
under which Ireland has lapguished for
generations.
The agitation of the home rule ques-
tion in Great Britain and Ireland during
the last decade is a matter of history so
recent that need scarcely refer to the
turbulent and often bloody incidents of
that period; must, however, call your
attention to the contrast between the
grand old man pleading that remedy
for coercion must be found and Lord
Salisbury, of the opposition, advocating q
settlement of the question by twenty
years of reso}ute government" If his
lordship had said "twenty years of abso-
lutte coercion" am inclined to the belief
it would have better expressed his senti-
ments and that of his colleagues.
After an interval of seven years seven
years of struggle and endurance and of
that proud patience which the gods are
said to love-that bright and noble light
stands on the pinacle of civilization,
cleaning with the highest form of in
tellect, devoted loyalty and unselfish pa
triotism that ever actuated or controlled
human sympathy and has resumed the
task he then laid down with heavy heart
because of political per6dy and has taken
up once more the mighty burden of con-
stitutional redress, supplicating his race
and people to end the centuries of pain
and passion and of degradation worse
than death of unconquered Ireland.
Not day older, the correspondent who
witnessed the scene tells me-only GER
tam loss of that once clear ringing tone
of voice marks the flight of seven years
staked against an old mans life and
lost.
When the speaker called, Mr.. Gladstone
the old man eloquent, rose pale as ashes;
his followers, his colleagues and the Irish
brigade rose with him in their enthusiasm
and cheers again and again went out as
if from assurance that triumph was now
won over that ignoble policy which in
my Judgment to all intents and purposes
it is at this very moment. Such scenes
have seldom if ever been witnessed in the
history Of civilized nations as when that
gray haired hero who has now given to
public veal and welfare a period of his
life equal to the allotted days of man
rose to the magnificent p}eading-clear
statement Of fact and lofty fight of SEN
i oA44AOAAV OA4Ot Vu6 O00O w III u06p Auu
respectful silence for two hours aud a
half by the most Representative body Of
the British nation that has ever Assem-
|bled in the house of commons, filling as
it did every nook and corner of the
floors, gallery, stairways and gangways.
Baffled and defeated in 1885, his ma
iorities torn from him and some of his
ablest lieutenants turned into his bitter
est enemies, and they by no means his
most honorable foes, there our hero stood
again prime minister, his extreme old age
fortified by victory that he might have
gloried IN at prime Of life; destined we
all sincerely trust, to see the restoration
| Of peace and good will in his native
islands ere through fight of spirit his en-
trancestoi that other world shall com
mand the halleluiahs Of that glorious
CON pany above, whose everlasting song is
.Peace on earth and good will to all
mankind 4
|!s With no apology to offer for the iusti-