The Irish standard., 1896-12-26
not be surprised to learn that God has
blessed the Devlin family by calling one

of its members to the holy priesthood, ir
the person of the Rev. O. v. Devlin, oil
the Society of Jesus, a young priest OF
great learning and majestic oratorica
power. Oratory, indeed, seems to be q
special gift of the Devlin family. The
Rev. Father Devlins uncle, the late Ber-
nard Devlin, O. c., M. P, of Montreal
was, in his lifetime, one of the most dis
tinguished orators that have ever
adorned the bar and parliament Of Can
i ada. So deep and lasting an impression
did the late Mr. Bernard Devlin's speech
leave on the parliament of Canada, that
when in 1891, his nephew, MI. c. r. Dew
! lin, thirteen years after the member fol
! Center Montreal had retired from public
| life, entered the legislative halls Of the
Dominion Of Canada, great things were
of him expected, not alone by his party
! by by his friends. The election Of SO
young man, in a strongly Conservative
constituency, against Il strong candidate,
backed by all the power and prestige OF
the government of the late Sir John Mac
donald, betokened political strength. rare
and remarkable. The county of Ottawa
had been, for eight and twenty years,
represented by the late Alonzo Wright, q
yeritable political giant, familiarly
known as the King of the Gatineau.' .
Again and again, had the Liberal party
put up it's very strongest men against Mr..
AlonZo Wright; but the latter in every
contest, trium phed sometimes by tnajori-
ties that were simply stupendous, always
by majorities that were substantial. Un-
der his influence the county of Ottawa
had become very citadel of Conser-
vatisn. This was the constituency in
which young Mr.. Devlin ventured, in
truly herculean, but the brilliant and in
defatigable young aspirant proved equal
to it's accomplishment, for when after q
contest of unparalleled severity, the bal
lots were counted. it was found that the
poll stood: For Deylin, 1898; for Nc
Dougall, 2,579.
The session of 1891 is one of the most
memorable in Canadian annals. The ex-
posure of the McGreevy and other scan
daIs and above all the death, in it's midst,
OF the late Sir John A. Macdonald, lenG
it an interest without precedent In our
history. Mr.. Devlin was, from the very
beginning, called to play an important
role on the parliamentary stage. His
perfect command of the two parliamen-
tary languages, French and English, his
complete and thorough education, his
splendid gifts of oratory at once won him
foremost place in the parliament Of
Canada Addressing the writer, then far
away from Ottawa, in the summer of
1891, the late James Armstrong, NJ. F.
for South Middlesex, as noble a soul and
genuine patriot as ever sat in any leg
is]ature, stated: "Do you know young
Irishman, named Devlin, member for OF
tawa county. He is very bright and we
expect great things from him" And
great things has Mr.. Devlin already Civ
en- his country, but greater things are yet
to come More OF a patriot than parti-
san, MIR. Devlin has never yet failed, on
any Of the leading topics of parliamen-
tary discussion, to rise to the true level
of the situation.
The late Henry Ward Beecher once
very truly put 1t that many men build
as cathedrals were built, the part near
est the ground finished; but that part
which scars toward heaven, the turrets
and the spires, forever incomplete" Mr..
Devlin is not of this description of man.
Die loves completion, thoroughness, per-
lection. When he builds, he lays a sure
and solid foundation nor does he rest till
every final upon every turret and pima
Gle is safely in place. His speeches, be-
ginning with clear cut propositions, go
on. in ready and regular process, till the
inevitable conclusion is duly and logical
ly reached.
On the Manitoba school question, Mr..
Devlin displayed, not only rarest orator
ical gifts and grac4s, inviting compli~
mentary references from such political
veterans as Sir Charles Tupper, Bart,
but also his native broadmindedne no.
bilitv of soul and hatred of oppression.
TO him applies the line:
Who knows nothing base,
Fears nothing known.
A deep sense of conscientious duty is
ever before and guides all Mr.. Deylin's
legislative actions. To him and for him
the sentiments of the great Bossuet ever
have applicability. He feels and knows
as Christian statesman, that this young
country must deal out even-handed JUS
tice to all, whether minorities or majori-
ties, and there must be true liberty Of
conscience, truly free franchise and an
unterrifed, untainted ballot box, to Sc
cure and perpetuate the peoples ]iber-
ties, No empty meaning for Mr.. Deylin
haye the words of the prince OF pulpit
orators: "God, from the highest heav-
ems. holds the reins of all the kingdoms
of the earth; he hath all hearts in his
hands; sometimes he restrains the pas
sions, sometimes he looses them, and
thereby moveth all mankind. Does he
mean to make conquerors! He causes
terror to march before them, and inspires
u, 49, =: SySyS NJ