The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-30
HAS 1RELAND's OPPORTUNITY COME !?


from resorting to physical force; and
to emphasize his address he quoted
the lines Of Byron, "Who would be
free, themselves must strike the
blow" But with that inconsistency
for which he was remarkable, when
the Young Irelandcrs resolved to OK
ecute his threat, he Indignantly de-
nounced them and declared that Glib
erty is not worth the shedding of Il
drop of human blood" or words to
that effect. 1t was then that Thomas
Francis Meagher delivered that soul
stirring speech on the sword, and the
young men of Ireland, who were then
million strong, followed no more the
eloquent tribune known as the LIB
orator." He was arrested himself on
Il charge of constructive treason and
cast into prison, and after his release
he no more hurled defiance at Eng
land, but appealed in vain to her sense
of Justice to redress the wrongs of his
country. He left Ireland broken
hearted and died at Genoa, "the cradle
of Columbus"
The Young Irelanders rose, but for
lack of arms and organization, they
lamentably failed. The leading men
among them were arrested, and after
being tried by partisan judges and
packed juries, they were transported
beyond the seas. After their abortive
rising, the spirit of independence fed,
and to use the words of Gavan Duffy,
ireland lay like n corpse on the dis
secting table" But Ireland was not
dead, but sleeping. In less than
twenty years the Fenians sprang into
existence and assumed such fOrmid-
able proportions that England became
alarmed and abolished the odious
church establishment which had been
an incubus on Ireland for many gen.
cratons. The Fenians allowed the
spirit of dissension to enter their
ranks and as Il consequence the great
organization split in twain and col
lapsed.
The parliamentarians under Parnell
again united the Irish people, and
once more the British government rec
ognized their strength. The greatest
English statesman CT the century took
up their cause and succeeded in pass
ing Il Home Rule bill, satisfactory to
the Irish people, through the House
of Commons. 1t was rejected by the
Lords, but, nevertheless, it was a
glorious victory for Ireland. The pas
sage of it by the elected representa-
tivcs of the people of the United King
united Irish people could not be re-
sisted in claiming sclf-government.
But again the Irish people allowed
their ranks to be broken by dissen-
sion, and today they are tossed about
in stormy sea without compass or
ruddcr and the ship of state stands
without captain and is wrecked on
the rocks.
This is a deplorable condition for
Ireland to be in when England is in
a difficulty, as she assuredly is in
South Africa. Has Ireland's oppor-
tunty come? We opine not. The
people can take no united action on
anything. Their parliamentary repre-
scntatives have utterly spoiled hetu,
and until they are driven from pubic
life, the Irish people can accomplish
nothing. The young men Of Ireland
have fled in disgust to foreign shores
ard those they left behind will ha"l-
ly fight for their freedom. The spirit
of patriotism has fed from the isle,
and Ilcland today is almost a WGsN
Britain.
The only patriotic organization III
Ireland today which defies Dublin
Castle is the United Irish League. II
is not revolutionary but constitution
al, and yet the British government is
throwing it's leaders into prison with
out fear Of retaliation. The shree me1
back of it are O'Bricn, Dillon and
Davitt, and they, too may be soor
consigned to "durance vile" The or
gan of the movement is VIM. O'Brien's
Irish People," which says:
''N[r Gerald BalCour and his advis
ers have decided to crush the United
Irish League. The old and broker
weapons Of coercion are being actively
refurbished in the Castle, and tho
stern resolution that national organ
izaticn shall not be reconstructed OF
the ruins of faction and dissension has
been arrived at by our rulers, theil
satellites, and their co-conspirators
But the opportunity for carrying on
that policy with even Il chance of sue
cess had passed away before the
Castle dragomans showed their hand
The organization is there-ready tt
face all comers-confident in it!
strength-flushed with it's successes
founded firmly as the island itself OF
the affections of the people whose in
terests it guards-dominant, defian
and invincible. The government hal
s