The Irish standard., 1894-03-03
A TRUE PATRIOT.
-Napper Tandy, a Veteran of Many
Conflicts and Brave Sol
dier of Irish Liberty.
AN lLIi)*.!s .Js FRESHMAN.
He Tried to Sepe1SaS .SsS SsSTSsapr From
England and Elsss zs@.
Irish Repubh> ~

he lT16Q 10 0epEI itsfsa .St:sSasDr trOm
England and Hss5 s>,s,. D y.
Irish Republ>,
Napper Tandy was one of those whole
souled patriots who have sacrificed
everything man holds dear to the cause
of his country, says Eugene Davis in the
Boston Republic. Born and reared in
the Protestant church, he was one Of the
most enthusiastic champions of Catholic
emancipation years before OConnell
took up that problem. Tandy gave up
home and fortune for Ireland. He could
have been one of the wealthlest of men
If he had crawled up Cork Hill and
donned the livery of castle funkey; but
he preferred to serve his country instead,
and suffer many tortures in her service.
He was ono of the Volunteer chiefs O.
1852, and it was at his suggestion that
the motto,"A Free Parliament er else-!'
was labelled over the mouth of their
cannon drawn up in College Green. Tan
.dy's significant threat hastened Grattan's
triumph. Tandy was then a captain Of
q company of the Dublin Independent
Volunteers, and represented tue Radical
element in that association. Subse-
squently he joined the United Irishmen,
whose original programme included only
the reform of Parliament and the estab-
lishment of Catholic emancipation.
When it was found impossible to reform
the Legislature; or to strike the chains
from Catholic limbs by constitutional
agitation, the United Iriehmen deter
mined to have recourse TO other methods
to attain these ends, and in doing SO en-
larged their original scope OF operations
their chief object now being the total
separation of Ireland from England and
the establishment of an Irish Republic.
The latter project was chiefly inspired by
the success that had attended the revo-
lutionlsts Of Paris in overthrowing the
Bourbon monarchy. Republicanism was
in the air. It's spirit pervaded the mas
ses. Kings and kingehips began to be
regarded in the light of SO many fossils
fit only for the shelves of an historical
museum. Napper Tandy, who had al
ways been republican by conviction,
threw himself with his usual energy and
enthusiasm into the new crusade for the
complete emancipation OF the people
from royal thraldom, and became one of
the most active agents Of the .. I or
ganization. which had spread it's ramifi
cations throughout Ulster. and various
parts of Leinster. Tandy's propaganda
having aroused the suspicious OF the
Dublin Castle authorities, he was forced
to make himself scarce, and eventually
had to give up his business in Dublin
and escape for his life to France, where,
however, he continued to relax no effort
on behalf OF the body to the advance
ment of whose interest he had pledged
himself heart and soul. Possessed, as he
was, of much military skill, he had no
difficulty in securing the commission of
brigadier-general in the French army,
and thus qualifying himself for one of
the leading posts in any armed expedi.
tion that might be organized by France
for the invasion of Ireland.
Finding himself by an untoward acci.
dent too late to join Humbert in his trip
to Kilalla, Tandy succeeded in inducing
the French authorities to hand him over
q man of war, the Anacreon, on board Of
which he placed large quantities of artil-
lery; and with crew of trusty sailors
and few companies OF French regi-
ment of the line he set sail for the Irish
coast with the view Of assisting Hum
bert in his contemplated deliverance of
Ireland from British rule. The Ana
creen dropped anchor in Iifford bay off
the shores Of Donegal. On landing,
Tandy Immediately discovered that
Humbert's campaign, although successful
at first, had eventually collapsed, and
that the insurreotion had been complete
ly suppressed. Seeing that it would be
the height of folly for him to dream OF
winning with hie mere handful Of follow
ers what Humbert with al his battal-
ions failed to effect, Tandy returned on
board the Anacreon and set sail for the
open sea. Before he bad lost sight OF
the Irish coast, however, his ship had to
run the gauntlet OF q British orusier that
was speeding fast on ito track. The
Irish chief, prepared for any eventualty,
loaded his pockets With several pounds
Of shot, and was resolved to jump over.
board and perish in the waves rather.
than surrender to the English tars. He
vas not. however, compelled g have re-I =
course 10 snchS "a extreme measure, Tor
Anacrson Was ga,e of the sRifftsstt