The Irish standard., 1898-06-18
ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIANCE.
They May Be Consulted Anent the
Proposed Union.
ITS. FATE in THEIR HANDS.
So Says an American Writer in
Leslie's Weekly.

Among the statesmen of Irish descent
now IN a position, singularly enough,
to WELD powerful influence against the
Anglo-American alliance suggested by
MI. Joseph Chamberlain, in recent
speech at Birmingham with a serious
ness which electrified the world-none is
more influential than Count Taafe, says
Leslie's Weekly. Edward Francis
Joseph, 11th Viscount Taafe, and Bally-
mote of the county of Sligo, is chamber
lain and privy counselor to the Emperor
OF Austria. The unfortunate Austrian
princess who became Queen Christina OF
Spain, and who has fervently suppli-
Gated in behalf of her tottering dynasty
the powerful aid of the emperor Francis
Joseph. is well aware of the friendly
feeling entertained towards her adopt sd
county by Count Taafe, and many other
lrlshmen. The black eyed, dark skinned
Irish of Galway bear witness to the
Spanish settlement on the cost Of Ire
land, and the relations between The two
countries have in other ways been closer
than one might suppose. The migra-
ton of the Taafes from Ireland to Aus
tria, Catholic country, was probably
due to their religious convictions. The
family now figures simultaneously in
the peerage of Ireland and of Austria
Hungary.
Leopold O'Donnell, lineal descendant
OF the Irish family who left their ma
tive land after the battle of the Boyne.
is more powerful still to aid the Spanish
dynasty against the United States, and
to oppose any alliance between America
the home of so many Irish born people
and Great Britain, the land which is
at times denounced as their oppressor
For this poor exile OF Erin has become
prime minister of Spain under Canoyas.
succeeded his father, Leopold, as Duke
of Tetuan, and his grandfather, Henry
Joseph, Count of La Bisbal, scions Of
the Red Hugh O'Donnell, who fled
when England conquered Ulster. The
Duke OF Tetuan recently declared in the
Spanish senate that the Conservative
party, to which he belongs, "absolutely
approved all the acts of Weyler." This
is highly calculated to impair the emf
nent Irish-Spaniard's popularity in the
United States.
General O'Brutscheff, chief of the gen-
eral staff of the Russian army, need be
no whit behind Taafe and Tetuan in
speaking up as an Irishman on the al
lance between Great Britain and Amer
lea. For O'Brutscheff is simply O'3ry-
an Russianized. and there is no Irish
man more powerful than he anywhere.
O'Brutscheff is member of the military
household of the emperor, and an aide
de-camp general. There is decidedly
Milesian cast in the upper half of his
grizzled face, and the orders on his
bosom show what the Car of all the
Russias thinks of him.
France, as we'll as Austria, Russia and
Spain, has had a powerful infusion OF
Irish blood and Milesian influences The
Neils, Macdonalds, and MacMahons are
among the sturdiest Irish stock trans
planted to the congenial soil of Gaul
For centuries the MacMahons were dis
tinguished at home, and Count Maurice
risked his all for the last of the Stu
art kings before transferring his family
to France. His descendants have flour
ished as generals, marshals, and even at
tanned to the presidency of the repub-
lie of their adoption, and they can but
feel bound by ties of religion at least to
the Catholic dynasty now making a last
desperate stand against Anglo-American
civilization.
Justin Mccarthy is the Irish historian
and journalist residing in London who
would most fifty chronicle the achieve
ments of an Anglo-American entente.
For McCarthy's History of Our Own
Times is already book of reference,
and it's hale and hearty editor seems
quite capable Of adding another volume
to it, should it be necessary Mr.. Nc
Carthy writes the imperial" editorials
in the Daily News, the great Liberal or
gan, and few Irishmen exert more
powerful influence. 1t is interesting to
await his position on what may be the
most momentous topic of Our Own
Times"
But there are Irishmen whose infu-
ence would be more effectual against an
entente between Great Britain and the
United States than any yet named, did
they chose to exert it. Sir Garnet Joseph
Wolseley, who was born in the county
Of Dublin, June 4, 1888, is commander
ln-chief of the armies of Great Britain.
Since he was made Viscount Wolseley
In 1883. honors have been heaped upon