The Irish standard., 1898-02-05
O'CONNELL OPPOSES THE UNION AT
THE AGE OF ~.
The POLITICAL MURDER OF IRELAND.
MAJOR SIRR WITH HIS MILITARY
AT THE MEETING.
ARREST OF THE LlsERA1GR IN I843.
HE AND OTHERS PROSECUTED BY
THE GOVERNMENT.

Foremost among the Catholic people
in opposition to the union Was Daniel
OConnell, says the Dublin Frecman's $
Journal. He manifested this, opposition
I in the midst of danger. The readers of
this paper know how the public meetings
were dispersed by the militia and they
, know what it meant to resist. In spite
of the danger, the citizens of Dublin held
| meeting on Jan. 13, 1900, to petition
against this measure AT the meeting,
O'Connell, then but "a years of age. at
| tended and delivered what may be called
his public maiden speech. The follow
Ing are a few passages taken from it:
Sir: 1t is my settled sentiment, and
| am satisfied 1t is the sentiment not
only of every man who now ncars me,
hut of the Catholic people of ireland, that
If our opposition to this injurious. in
sulting, ruinous and hated measure were
to draw upon us the revival of the whce
penal code, In its most satanic form, we
| could boldly, cheerfuly and unanimously
endure it, sooner than withhold that op-
position, and sooner throw ourselves
once more on the kindness of our Prot
cstant brethren, than give our assent for
one moment to the political murder Of
our country. Yes, | know, although ca
elusive advantages may be and are held
out to the Irish Catholic to scducr him
from the duty he owes his country, that
"a Nnt hal <,F Irn1
they have country, and that they will
never accept any advantage as a. sect
which would debasc them and their Prot.
estant countrymcn as n people"
This speech was followed by peals Of
appreciation While he Mls speaking
Major SIR, with a file OF military, en-
tered the meeting, grounded their arms
with Il mighty crash, but did not intiln-
idato the bravery of that heart whcl,
never yet knew fear The major de-
mandcd to see the resolutions. which bc-
ing accedcd to he did not think proper
to interfere.
O'Connell may we'll be proud of having
put those sentiments on record when he
was just emerging from lUyhoo1 and
that, too, In the presence of n military
forco paradcd around the meeting hail
for the purpose of intimidation ireland
may we'll be proud, also, of this prot est
on behalf of her Catholic millions II
rcscucs their character from the gno-
miny of having, for the sake of some see
tartan privilege, surrendered the glorious
independence of their native land
This noble stand thus early taken by
OConnell marked him to the people ;.s
young man of great promise. 'Ihn
gloom of Emmct's unsuccessful effort
hung for a few years round the prustrate
people of Ireland. Emmct's execution
took place In the fall of 1903, and from
that time until the accession of :ha
Wings to office in 1906 ireland was
ruled by martial law. The habcas cor.
pls act and the trial by jury were sus-
pended and the jails and transport ships
were crowded with the victims Of military
caprice or magistcrial vengeance. No
man burst utter his thoughts during
lHlS reign Ol terror.
O'Conncll, during all this period Of
gloom. betOok himself to intense study.
He seemed to have a sort of prcsrn.!-
mcnt that the time would yet come, al;
it did when those professional acuuisi-
tions which he thought would be Of
signal service to himself and to his conn-
try.
Tho unexpected popular agitation
aroused by the great libcrator of Ire
land in his famous monster meetings IN
1843, demanding the repeal Of the i'll
famous act of union, is well known to
readers of Ireland's history The fol-
lowing graphic description of one Yf
those meetings is told by Bulwcr in III"
following lines:
Once to my sight the giant thus vas
given,
Walled by wide air and rooted by bound
less Heaven;
Beneath his feet the human ocean lay.
And wave on wave flowed into space,
away.
Mcthought no clarion could have sent It's
sound
Zen to the center of the hosts around:
And, as ! thought, rose the sonorou;;
swell,
AS from some church tower swings he
sivcry bell;
Aloft and clear from airy tide to tide,
1t glidcd easy, as a bird may glide
To the last verge of that vast audience
sent,
1t played with each wild passion as t
Wcnt
Now stirred the uproar-now the mur-
murs stilled,
And sobs Of laughter answered as il
Wllcd.
Then did know what spells of infinite
choice
To rouse or lull has the sweet human
voice.
Then did learn to seize the sudden clue