The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-11-20
THE IRISH NATIONAL SPIRIT.

In the address recently delivered in
South Tyrone by T. w. Russell, NJ P,
there is much food for reflection for
Irish Nationalist. Coming from Tory
member of the Salisbury regime who
represents an Irish constituency in the
British parliament his utterances de-
serve attention. Besides giving that
portion of his speech relating to tho
establishment of Catholic university
in Ireland on an equality with Trinity
college we take the following extract,
which is worthy of statesman:
"A time of peace is the very time
which ought to be gladly seized for
Fighting wrongs. For I do not belong
to the class who imagine that we have
heard the last of home rule. think It
is dead for time. But we have had
these breathing spaces before and we
neglected them. After the '4S movement
there was lull. The fiery spirits of
Irish disaffection disappeared. Sadlier
and keogh had their innings. Thank
God, there is nothing of this kind today,
and the worst enemies of the Irish party
would not accuse them in this respect.
But the storm burst, and the Fenian ris-
Ing disillusioned the English people. It
will be so again. The national spirit is
there, it is ineradicable, 1t will assert
itself. The business Of the governors
of the Countrywide business of those
representatives Of the people who are
not Nationalist ought surely be to de-
rrive their opponents of those grievances
which have made case against us at
the bar Of English public opinion If
we cannot do this the account between
the two countries will have to be settled
with interest in the not distant future"
Though the speaker Is Scotchman
he has read the history of Ireland to ad-
vantage when he says to the Presbyter-
ians of the North that the Irish national
spirit is not dead but sleeping; that it is
ineradicable and will assert itself in tie
near future if wrongs are not redressei
and Justice is not granted to an op-
pressed race. Yes, the national spirit
is tEeradicable. 1t may be all quiet on
the Shannon now, but the day is sure to
come, as certain as there is a God in
Israel, when the British empire will be
made to totter to its rotten foundations
by the wrath OF a long-suffering people
eager to free themselves from a CALLING
yoke.
Every student of Irish history recog-
nizes the undeniable fact that the fixed
policy OF England for centuries has been
to wipe out the Celtic race, root and
branch, in Ireland; but 1t has not vet
succeeded in its nefarious scheme and
never will. The Scotch and English set
tiers who got the conflscated lands of
Ulster from royal robber have become
more or less Irish In national feeling,
and that feeling will become intensified
as time goes on. 1t will be remembered
that the Norman settlers in course Of
time became more Irish than the Irish
themselves" The offspring of Crom-
wellian settlers, like the late Mr.. Par.
nell, gradually developed into Irish pa
triots. The men of '9S, who rose in
Wexford against English cruelty and
wrong were descendants of Danes, Nor
mans and Celts blended together by
ties of consanguinity. In by-gone times
the Danes and Normans fought the
Celts on many a bloody field, but they
became amalgamated and their offspring
hundred years ago took the hills
against the British troops and slaughter
ed some $4,000 OF them in few months.
We therefore say that it matters little
of what races the Irish people are COM
posed, for they will not yield submits
sively to oppression. They will natural
ly rebel, and when exasperated beyond
endurance, they will rise in their might