The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-05-15
JUSTIN MCCARTHY, N. P,
A TIMELY SKETCH OF THE NOTED
PATRIOT AND WRITER.
!. NATIVE or the CITY Of CORK
HIS BRILLIANT CAREER AS AN AU-
THOR AND POLITICIAN.
Ex-LEADza OF the IRISH PARTY

Ex-LEADEa OF the IRISH PARTY
HIGH LITERARY ATTAINMENTs AND
GENIAL PERSONALITY.
It will be 67 years the coming Novem-
ber that Justin Mccarthy first saw the
light of day in rebel Cork, says writer
in the Boston Republic. His father.
from whom his son would seem to have
inherited his literary tastes, was
splendid classical scholar, but in that he
could claim no special distinction over
his fellow-townsmen, for Cork has al
ways had reputation for erudite sons.
The future parliamentarian followed in
his fathers footsteps, and when he
quilted the famous classical school Of
Master Goulding he could read Greek at
sight and had the old Latin authors on
the tip of his tongue. Like many an
other Irishman, young Mccarthy in
clined to journalism, and as the road to
that avocation opened through the door
of a reporters room, he studied short
hand, in order to better qualify him
self for reportorial work. Then he Sc
cured a place on the Cork Examiner.
One of the first assignments was to re-
port the proceedings at the trial of
Smith O'Brien and his colleagues. Two
other important incidents in his early
journalistic career were his presence,
says T. P. O'Connor, "at the meeting in
Cork at which the late Judge Keogh
swore that oath which played so tragic
q part in Irish history; and he was also
present at the famous dinner at which
the present Lord Fitzgerald, then a ris-
ing young lawyer, in the ardor and
yirulence of his patriotism, bearded q
lord lieutenant and scandalized an au.
dience OF Cork's choicest Wings. . * - = =
Those who know Justin Mccarthy only
from his latter days may have con-
cluded that he would never have been
found among those Irishmen who advo-
Gated the use of heroic measures against
England for Irish rights and indepen-
dence; but it is none the less fact that
he was one of the warmest sympathiz-
ers with the '48 movement, and that he
then dreamed of freeing his native land
by the employment Of the sword and
rifle against her oppressors. When that
dream with the bright hopes it gave
birth to passed, young Mccarthy went
to London-that Mecca of Irish literary
toilers-and sought to secure employ
ment there. He was not successful,
however, and had to go back to Cork.
While acting as official shorthand re-
porter there to a royal commission, the
excellence of his work attracted the at
tention of one of the members of the
commission; and that individual gave
him letters of Introduction to influential
Londoners. Through these letters Mr..
Mccarthy, in 1852 obtained an appoint
ment in the Northern Times, a new
daily that was then started at Liverpool,
with which he remained connected until
it's death eight years later. Then, al
though several other Liverpool papers
wanted him, he went to London, and Sc
cured a place on the Morning Star as
parliamentary reporter. Once estab-
lished in London, McCarthy's abilities
and industry speedily won him promo
tion. In few months he was made the
Stars foreign editor, and in 1865, he
became it's editor-in-chief, and retained
that position for the three years follow
ing.
OF this period of his life Mr.. O'Connor,
a competent authority, says: "Those
who remember the journal and the
times in which it lived will know what
splendid service It did to the cause of
Ireland, which at that time seemed ter
ribly hopeless indeed; and it's tone of
energetic and even fierce advocacy of
Irish national claims was, of course,
largely due to the inspiration of the ar
dent Irishman who was then at it's head.
It was while he was in this position that
Mr.. Mccarthy became intimately ac-
quainted with Mr.. John Bright. In those
days the ex-minister was still the great
tribune in the eyes of his admirers, and
the mere blatant demagogue in the
mouths of his opponents. He was fond
of spending some hours in the Office of
the Star, in which his sister-the widow
of Samuel Lucas, who was brother Of
Frederick Lucas Of Irish history-had
some shares; and many an hour did the
editor and the politician spend together
in discussing the oratorical exploits of
Mr.. Gladstone, the thing that did duty
for conscience in Mr.. Dfsraeli, or the
comparative merits of Shakespeare and
Milton" When Mr.. Bright sold out bis
interest in the Star, Mr.. Mccarthy sew.
erred his connection with it, and then.
may be said to have begun q new period
I'm his literary life. and one which, while
1T entailed q large amount Of labor upon;
/ him, brought ts recompense, though
the money which Mr.. McCarthy's pen.
.uf0aeht him and he vas alMaYs after