Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-01-27
THE REVOLUTION OF '98.

Ttishmen Here aud Abroad Preparing to
Celebrate tho Centennial Anniversary of
Noted Event.l
The celebration Of the Tooth ami.
versary Of the Irish Rebellion, or. us
it is more commonly called, the Up
rising OF 1T0S, promises 10 assume
large proportions. Throughout the
civilized world, wherever m lFishman
or the descendants of lrishmeu are, the
event will be observed in greater or las
degree, but il is especially in Ireland
and America that the centenary ccla-
bration will be of considerable purport.
The chief celebration OF the event will
consist Of pilgrimage TO the famous
battletields OF the rebellion. 1t is esti.
mated that 1000 men and women will
go to Ireland to celebrate the event
from America alone. Centennial assn
Citations have been or are NOW being
formed in all parts of the country under
the auspiuoa OF tho '9S Centennial AS
suciation Of America, With headQuar-
tiers 10 New York. This central naso-
citation has been at work for some time
arranging plans for the pilgrimage and
the celebration Of the event. Sumo of
the best known men 10 New York are
at the head Of the movement and a
feature Of the celebration in Ireland
will he the centennial address, which
is to be delivered by the eloquent W.
Bourke Cochran. MIR. Cochran is now
preparing this address, aud it is snid
it will he the effort Of HE life.
In speaking Of the revolution Of 1893,
Mr.. John L. Redmond, NJ. r., who ia
now in this country, says: 1.-The his
tory Of the struggle of IS in ireland is
not properly undnrstnnd. 10 few
words what happened was this;
1.-The spirit nf revolution aud OF re-
publicanism was abroad throughout the
world. thad led to tho establishment
of the freedom Of America. II had
also broken out in France, and Irish
patriots, seeing what wGs happening
| elsewhere throughout the world, be-
came fired by the exaTpe thus sci
| them, and formed tho scheme of free.
ing Ireland by force ana by tho aiu Of
other nations hoOtie to England. This
scheme eventually miecarried, but ii
was nearer to success than anybody
realizes, and was very far, indeed, from
being the rash and reckless underlak-
ing that some people suppose.
THE French Directory and Napoleon
| uAu6fIQOk 10 give 10 lTelHuu HutUClbu9
aid to throw oil the yoke OF England,
aud, as a matter of fact, if the first
French army which was sout to ireland
by Napoleon had succeeded in landing,
and bad not been prevented from &C
doing by tempestuous weather, tine 70.
volution would nave been completely
successful within a month.
"The second thing that is misunder-
stood about the revolution is its ahso.
lutely non -gectarian character Wolfe,
Tone, Emmet, Lord Edward Fitzgerald,
DIR. Nelson, Gen. Harvsy--in fact,
almost all the leaders--were ProteHtRnts
and gentlemen Of large estates and
fortunes. The statement that it wus q
Catholic rebellion against the Protest
ants OF Ireland is calumny, of Eng
land, and 1t is absolutely untrue.
lrishmen of all craetls to-day have
reason to be proud of the memories oil
'9S, and hence it is that tho coming
celebration ia Ireland will be shured il
by many men who differ in their views
as to the politics of the present day.