The Irish standard., 1898-11-12

even domestic; that it was enacted in
defiance of a treaty which had g,laran-
teed to Catholics freedom from any
further persecution on account of their
religion, it may justly be regarded as
one of the blacklist pages in the history
of persecution Such was the condi-
tlon OF this people while she was strug-
Cling for life. In the long and horrible
annals of barbarity, in all the sickening
history Of mans inhumanity to man,
there is nothing that approaches it. The
prosecutions Of the pagan emperors
were equalled and surpassed; Nero and
Diocletian, Alva and Wallinstein are
angels Of mercy compared to Cromwell
and other English leaders in this un-
happy country.
After the session of 1886 the United
lrishmen. having lost all hope of JUS
tice, resolved on armed resistance They
began to manufacture pixies and to hide
arms. They did not intend, however,
simply to make targets of themselves
by going into the revolution unaided,
and therefore looked for foreign aid,
having the example of America in mind.
Now, the government increased the
fierceness of the persecution. Houses
We're burned, people were tortured, put
to the rack, scourged to death, hanged
until unconscious, taken down and
hanged again and again. The pitch-capc
that improvement on the Hcalping knife
| of the red Indian, was a favorite amuse-
ment OF the soldiers. All this was done
under the prcteXt of collecting arms and
eXtorting confessions. Lord Carhamp-
ton, the Communicated chief, resigned,
would not be partner to such atroc-
lties Sir Ralph Abercrombie did the
same, protesting that the soldiers were
guilty of every crime that Cossacks or
Calmucks could commit. Lord Fitz
William was sent over with distinct
understanding that he would begin par
llamentary reform aud Catholic reform,
AS soon as he set about this work he
| was recalled.
Then Castlereagh conceived a hide
GUS thing. OF all the nations of the
earth,' says Mr.. Stead, the Irish are
pre-eminent for their love of stainless
chastity No extreme OF poverty, no
abject want, no condition of crowded
cabin or dark tenement has taken nway
from them the love Of that supreme vir-
tue In the cottage. in the cabin of the
ri c1,
sister of the Madonna, and whether
maid or matron shares In the mystic
glory of the Mother of God. Irishmen
will bear any suffering, any loss, any
prlVatlon when it concerns themselves,
but touch their women and then, at amy
cost, without counting costs, the Cclt
will strike back
"Castlereagh knew this, and he ORDER
ed $4,000 ruf1lans to be received at
what he called free quarters into Irish
homes. He knew what would follow
he calculated on it. The Irish We're un-
armed, they We're completely at the
| mercy Of these ruffians. No victims
were ever more completely in the power
of their prosecutors They were obliged
! to take those men to bed and board.
1.-The country shuddercd with horror.
This act gives Castlcreagh the highest
niche in the temple of infamy 1t is
| what William r. Stead calls the su-
prcmc crime Of history All other means
had failed to produce insurrcction.
! in view, sent 1000 rufIians to outrage
| the women of Ireland, and the country
| flew into maddenci revolt.
During all the long and bitter days
! of the struggle. though they had been
| tortured into rebellion. the irish were
never guilty Of one single outrage upon
women, many Of them were in their
| possession; those men who had been so
| treated by the enemy gathered together
| the wives and daughters of their
enemies in the towns they took and pro-
tcctcd them from wrong. and Hay ana
| PloWden and GordCn and Nh,sgravc and
i.ecky and every historian who has
| ever written on the subject draws at
| tention to the fact that The mon of '9S
! never forgot that honor and that rev.
! erancc for woman which has always
| been so clear to the Irish race.
But the rebellion was over. Pitt and
Castcreagh could now carry the union.
1t was effected by this supreme crime
of history and the loss of probably TO-
600 lives. What did that matter? Never
theless the Irish race lives. and is still
| a power in the world, for Sir Charles
Dixie said the other day that there
was no hope OF an Anglo-Saxon alliance
until justice had been done to Ireland.
Stead says no Englishman Ougst to
mention Ireland before the civilized
world until he has put on sackcloth and
ashes The cause of Ireland is the cause
of right, of liberty, OF nationality, Of
freedom, of conscience, of justice, and
it must prevail"
Henry Norman succeeds the late Har-