The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-12-01
FELT HIS DEFEAT.
The Hurried Departure of James
Anthony Froude from America
in 1873 Recalled.
HOW FATHER TOM BURKE,
The Great Dominican, Defeated the
Schemes Of This Slanderer Of
the Irish Race.

SCu0l10S OL ILLS 0ldlu6I0I Ol
the Irish Race.
OF all the men who have been an
honor to the Irish race Father Tom
Burke, the great Dominican orator, &C.
cupies conspicuous position. He was
the one who defended his race and his
religion when they were attacked in this
country by an Englishman whose mis-
sion to the United States WAS to make
the American people hate everything
Irish This slanderer of the Irish was
an alleged, historian, who believed be
could accomplish his purpose 10y per
verting history. William d. Kelly, in
the New World, tells how Father Burke
defeated the schemes Of this man.
Twenty-Five years ago last month, when
the Irish movement, which few years
subsequently assumed such gigantic
proportions, was forecasting its shadows
across the vista Of British politics, and
the event Of the general election that
took place in 1874 was clearly foreseen
and dreaded by both British parties,
there appeared on the platform of the
Academy Of Music, 10 New York, an
English lecturer, who publicly announ-
ced that he had come over to this coun-
try for the purpose of dealing with
England and the Irish quetion, and with
the hope that his presentation OF Eng
lands case W" uld arrest the already large
and growing sympathy which the
American people were even then exhib~
iting toward the Irish nationalist move
mont. That lecturer was the English
historian whose death has recently been
announced, James Anthony Froude, and
the way in which, his coming to this
country then was viewed by the maj >rl-
ty of people here was we'll stated by
Father Tom Burke, in the opening reply
that great Dominican made to his
addresses. when tue eloquent son Of St.
Dominic said that it was generally be-
lieved that Mr.. Froude Was an emlssary
of the English Government, who had
been sent hither because England was
beginning to be afraid Of the rising
power of lrish-Americans, whose sympa-
thy and assistance she knew would not
only be extended to the Irish nAtiona
lists, but would also enlist in their behalf
the good will and co operation of all
liberty loving people.
Mr.. F'roude opened his Americas
mission on the evening of November II,
1872, when he delivered his first address
at the New York Academy of Mas1c, and
he followed This first public utterance Of
his here with others wherein he pervert-
ed history in such palpable and shame
less fashion, in order to cast odium upon
Ireland and prejudice American opinion
against the Home Rule cause, that gen
eral demand was made by Irish -Ameri
cans for some one to answer and refuts
his calumnies.
Fortunately for the cause of truth and
the Irish National cause, there happened
to be in New York at the time that Mr..
Froude began his yituperation of Ireland,
that prince ofs pulpit orators, whose
memory is still lovingly cherished here,
as his death was death deplored, the
Very Rev Thomas N. Burke, 0. P. Father
Burke had come to this country in Oct
ober, 1871 in the capacity of visitor gen.
eral of the American houses of his order;
and in the twelve months that had elaps-
ed before Mr. Froude appeared upon the
scene, he had by his sermons and lectures,
won the reputation of being one Of the
Rrandest orators that ever addressed an
audience. Possessed of magnificent
baritone voice, splendid delivery and
an incompatible action, he welded, fur
thermors, a marvellous dramatic power.
framed his well-rounded periods from an
apparently inexhaustible vocabulary,
and III addition to being profound
theologian, was thoroughly conversant
With every page OF the history OF his
native land. To him, naturally, the
Irish American people turned, therefore,
when they were searching for some one
to reply to the charges which the Eng-
lieh historian had publicly made against
Ireland and her inhabi ants. When the
request wss first brought to Father
Burke, that he.ehould take the platform
against Mr.. Ffoude, he endeavored, with
that modesty which was always charac-
teristic of him, to decline the RESPONSE
.bility and the honor that were offered
him He pleat1ed that his library was in
Ireland, and argued that some Irish
American ecclssiastic OF layman could
md sEtake tlae task Of answering MI.
onles nth prospects of success