The Irish standard., 1898-04-09


been shocked and painfully surprised
when Cooke, the castle under-secrctary,
visited him at Klmainham on the morn
Ing OF March 18th, and recited the
greater part of the contents of a memoir
prepared for the French minister by the
| prisoner, and actually dispatched to
France MacNevin managed to put
| several members of the society on their
guard, and as consequence the docu-
ment was safely conveyed to it's destna-
tion. But the man who was in po-
sition to divulgc its contents to the gov
ernment must have enjoyed the con-
fldence Of the members of the popular
organization to a very considerable
| extent.
William James MacNevin was one of
tho witnesses examined before the Sc
cret committee" of the house of lords and
mousse Of commons during tho August Of
@S. His answer to the questions put
| 10 MIN show that he was no mere rcvou-
tionary for rcvolution'a sake, but a
thoughtful and patriotic statesman.
The lord chancellor askcd-"Was not
your object separation from England""
ut certainly became our object when
we wcro convinced that liberty was not
| otherwise attanahc," replied MacNryin.
Our reasons for this determination are
given in the memoir; ii is a measure we
wcro forced into, inasmucll as say now
and always havo been of opinion. that
IT we were an independent republic, and
britain ceased to bo formidable to us. our
interests would require an intimate con-
| ncction With her"
AT Il subsequent sitting tho sneaker of
'ho mousse OF commons asked-"l'ruy, sir,
| what do you think ocsasIoncd the in
| surrcction?"
MacNcvin did not minco words In re-
| ply-"That insurrcction was occnsiounl
oS tho house -hurnings, tho whippings to
cxtort confessions, tho torture of varl-
GUS kinds, the free quarters, and the
| murders committed upon the people by
tho magistrates and the army"
|
on unimpcachablo contemporary evil
| dcncc. And ii is even worse to contcm-
plat" when wc recall the hidcous fact
that tho tOrturcS and murders were no
mere outbreaks OF unhrdlcd lust for
blood and horror, but part and parcel of
u diabolica conspiracy deliberately
| Matched by the rulers of Il civilized coun-
try against the lifo ana liberty of a
| historic nation.
EmmGt and MacNovin wcrc among
those who decided to 1.-Two under tho
stars and stripes when the Irish pris-
oncrs were released from Fort George.
He won hcnor and wealth and distinction
In the great republic; but his heart was
over with Ireland. and no man did moro
to render the lot of her cXilcd children
moro cndurablp amidst strange surround
ings than he did during his long and use
full career as u free citizen of the United
States Nor was his influence unfclt in
Irish homo politics. DR.. MacNcvIn was
ono OF those who first perceived the Dos
\
ton settled In America n factor for the
advancement of tho cause OF the mother
country. lio spoke and worked and
organized meetings and COLLECTED money
! to help those who kept on the fight at
home; while all the time the cxiled Irish
Catholics had no moro powerful cham
pion than tho brave and loyal patriot
who had faced ruin, imprisonment, and
death itself that lrishmcn might be the
citizens OF free and prosperous Ire
land.
"The most striking feature in Mac
Ncvins character" writes Dr. Madden.
was an iupcrturbablc cooncss and eclf-
possession. combined with tho most re-
markahlc simplicity of min. and single
ness of purpose; ho was totally devoid
of fear in The maintenance Of his prin-
cipci. and of every species of affcc,ntion
in the exhibition of Il very high degree
Gf moral courage, and Il chivalros sense
of duty to the interests Of humanity and
Justice" What splendid materials for
administration ireland possessed i'm the
leaders Of tho '3S movement, had their
efforts to free the island been successful,
But IT. was fatcd otherwise. William
James MacNcvin died at the house of his
scn-in-lnw, Thomas ICmmct, about tho
middle OF July, l84l. All New York
mOlIrncd him, and tho Irishmcn of the
states knew that in him they lost a
friend whose like would not again arise
MacNevins memory will be honOrcl this
year, and C0nnaught, as his birthplace
could have claimed Il brave share in tho
glory attaching to 1898. even had there
never been Races" at Castlcbar
|
LincOIn'S First Book.