The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-16

ment, although no trouble is anticipated
on that score.
1t is difficult for any one not inoculated
with Irish blood To appreciate the sort OK
feeling the people Of that race have for the
events and the men this movement Is in
tended to commemorate. That year of 1898
was the one year of all years since the days
when the soldiers of England's Henry III
first invaded the island that Ireland was
closest TO independence.
In that year the ever old, ever new
dream of an Irish republic became half
fulfilled promise The movement failed,
but il was so near success that Irishmen
the world over have ever since treasured its
history as a gospel Of hope in the future.
Theobald Wolfe Tone, who gave his life for
the failure of the project his genius set on
foot, has been ever since the patron saint
of Irish patriots.
Tones name is written even In the his
tory penned by Englishmen as that OF q
great man. He was the first Irishman who
ever transmitted every Irish revolutionist's
hope-foreign intervention-into hard
fact. He did in 1895 enlist the aid of the
French in Irelands behalf. Napoleon
placed formidable feet and large land
force at Tones disposal. The wind and
the sea wrecked many Of the ships and
scattered the rest.
A few reached Bantry bay, but their ON.
GERS refused TO land after the disaster that
had overtaken the expedition as whole.
The Judgment of modern history Is that,
had not the elements favored Britain then
as in the days of the Spanish armada, that
nation would have been dealt deadly
blow.
r. Iak< oh
torians now say, that the Emperor Napo-
leon himself contemplated descent on
England by way of Ireland. His plans
were changed, and instead OF Ireland ne
chose Egypt. On this point again historic
ans observe that had the original plan
been followed the history of Europe might
have been different. Napoleon might never
have found Waterloo and Ireland might
have been free.
But the indomitable pluck Of Tone was
never conquered. He saw a second expe-
dition, fitted out on the coast Of what Is
now Belgium, scattered by storms. A
third landed, but il was composed OF few
rotten ships and carried only force OF
| 1000 or ., 900 French troops under General
Hoch. But the English were ready. Lord
Edward Fitzgerald who was expected to
lead the rising at home, was jailed before
n blow was struck. The French and the
few Irish auxiliaries were met on the land
ing at Killala and defeated. The men or
Wicklow made stand at Vinegar Hill and
were swept out of existence.
Tone died in the Killala Jail. He was to
bave been hanged, but he held commis-
sion in the French service, and he was
saved from that fate by Napoleon's threat
of retaliative massacre of English prison
ers. Anyhow, he died. The English say
| he committed suicide by opening an artery
| in his arm. The Irish say he was assassi-
mated by his jailers. The English admit
| his genius. The Irish venerate his name
| as that of martyr of martyrs.
BY birth he was an aristocrat of ancient
| lineage-an owner of vast estates. His
| patriotism swept aside personal considera-
tions, and his genius brought national In
| dependence almost within reach OF his
| country He failed, but he failed like
patriot and paid the forfeit with his blood.
| Chicago Times Herald.