The Irish standard., 1894-09-08

title OF captain commandant,' and the
phrase of armed Orangemen,' puzzles me.
I hear it said that this association has
the direct protection Of government.
There may or may not be truth in this;
but surely those who wish to support
government ought to be let 80 far into
the secret as may enable them to
regulate their own conduct at least.
What I limited in my last of counter as
socistion was, ( find, well founded. But
it will not extend itself so rapidly nor so
openly as the other, for reasons which
your lordship will readily conceive. In
the meantime, rancor and animosity pre-
vail to an astonishing degree. Papers
have been put up with the old inscrip-
tion, TO hell or Connaught.' These
each party attributes to the other, and
it is hard to say which is right. Is it not
hard that our good fortune against for
eign enemies must be alloyed with the
noise of civil discord, even in the moment
of our joy?'
How unlike their forefathers of one
hun dred years ago are the Irish nobility.
of our time. No class in the country
was more bitterly opposed to the union
of force and fraud than the high-spirited
resident aristocracy. Lord Strangford,
writing to Charlemont on Feb. %, 1899,
expresses the general sentiments of his
class: -. "
My conduct was, believe, on the first
night of the session perfectly consonant
to that of other noblemen, who, though
wishing from respect to our sovereign to
let the address go to the throne unal
tered, nevertheless did not conceive
themselves acting as supporters to the
union of the two countries. can aver
on my sacred honor to you, my dear lord,
and wish the world knew it, that let the
measure of union ever be attempted, it
ever was, and ever shall be, my fixed de-
termination to oppose it. feel myself
intruding on your lordship's time, but 60
often indulged in that respect, ] thought
it but honorable and a. justice to my
character to be thus explicit to You, my
dear lord. I have not, alas. the abilities
or powers Of rhetoric to publicly speak
my sentiments, but this / shall assert
thaS whenever the measure is proposed
Of union, the vote shall give in oppos.
ing it arises from perfect conviction on
| my own mind of the impoliey of the act
and not from any soreness arising from
deprivation. God forbid that ] shoulo
ever act with any systematic examina
tion to oppose his majesty's government
Whenever'I think his ministers are righ
| shall support them; whenever 30 gross
ly wronged as in the present instance,
shall to the last moment of my life oppos,
them"
How strongly the populace must ha7,
felt on the subject will appear from
letter of D. Hartley to the second Ear
:, Charlemont, dated Aug. 10. 1899, from
which we take this extract:
"Ireland is kingdom, not province
a distinct island kingdom of the grea
world. By Gods eternal creation i
stands on self.existent soil. 'Sursur
corda.' A proud day for Ireland may ye
arrive. These were the hopes and sent
ments of your most worthy parent. Fl
> has not lived to see that day, which fro,
his expressions to me, he did not fnall
despair of. Lam sensible that my ow
personal and first duties, as Britis
=. subject, are owing to the community an
y y soil of which I am native. But ever
British subject has an interest in tt
!. dignity and prosperity and independent
of Ireland. No Briton can look upo
the late miserable and convulsed state
:. that kingdom with unfseling indifference
The great stake in Ireland called unio
is challenged to compulsive decision
Upon the cast of that die the fate of II
three kingdoms is set. incorporate
= :. u Mon is monster of insult and impo
sibilitt. It leaves no alternative to Ir
land but republican independence und
the auspices OF France, or savage deEa
! tation throughout the whole countl
: and the universal dissolution of all q
bonds Of the society and peaceful o
istence. Such convulsions in Irelar
: would shake the whole empire to i
: foundations. These were likewise Il
: sentiments of your most worthy parent
Such sentiments will therefore ever I
: : main the preserving objects OF vigilal
attention to his friends. He was Il
= prudent, vlrtuous, benevolent, and ma
unanimous friend to his country. M,
. the redemption Of Ireland from all i
" miseries, dangers and disquietndes b
: come the blessed tribute If gratitude
: his memory and virtues"
III We shall finish with q letter Of Nc
! "a, 1899, from Halliday to the secol
!, Earl of Charlemont. It refers to t
= question which must then have agitat
!. all Irishmen's minds That the vie