Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-11-11

of its power was that the House deemed
II necessary to adjourn without taking
vote in order to give the astonished men,
bers time to collect their reason and re-
cover from the dazzling enchantment and
excitement they had undergone. We
have the testimony Of many who were
present that he seemed to hold the House
in the hollow of his hand He sent thrill
after thrill of sentiment and emotion
vibrating and pulsating to the sensibili-
ties Of his hearers, as if their very heart
strings were held in the grasp of his
trembling fingers, and his audience fol-
lowed him as the mighty ocean tide
follows the pathway of the moon. In
the very front rank of the many
brilliant orators whom Ireland has pro-
duced, stands
HENRY GRATrAN.
mo British orator." says Mr.. Lecky,
Except Chatham, had an equal power of
firing an educated audience with intense
enthusiasm, or of animating and inspir-
ing nation" His element was grand
eur, there was life in his very touch.
Brilliant, impassioned ardor pre-eminent-
ly distinguished the oratory of Grattan,
and impressed the reader of his speeches
even more perhaps than his profound
knowledge, his consummate art, beautiful
imagery, and his exquisite diction. The
k1o-o eo.,f1ftrv o,.1 s,onnfroffnr1 IF his
oratory struck all who heard him. He
poured out his arguments like shower
of arrows, but they were arrows tipped
with fire. He was superb in crushing
infective, in terse, luminous statement,
in severe argument and biting sarcasm.
What an amount of feeling is conveyed
in that sentence in which he speaks of
his efforts to establish freedom of the
Irish Parliament: ~ watched by its
cradle, followed its hearse." What can
be finer than the close of his great speech
in 1880 on moving declaration of Irish
rights az have no ambition unless II
be to break your chain and to contem-
plate your glory. will never be salts
fed so long as the meenest cottager in
Ireland has a link Of the British chain
clanking to his rags. He may be naked,
he shall not be in irons, and / do see the
time is at hand, the spirit has gone
forth; the declaration of right is planted
and though great men should fall off, YET
the cause shall live; and though the
public speaker should die, yet the inn
mortal fire shall outlast the humble organ
who conveys it, and the breath of liberty
like the word of a prophet, will not die
with him, but survive him." The speech
from which this peroration is taken is
perhaps the finest effort of Grattan's
genius. Nothing equal to it had ever
been heard in Ireland. Other speeches
on this same subject may have matched
it in argument, but in startling energy
and splendor of style and diction it sur
passed them all.
In his speech on the downfall of Bona
parte, he denounces the tyranny Of Napo
leon as can experiment to universalizs
throughout Europe the dominion Of the
sword; to relax all moral and religious
influences to set heaven and earth sdrif
from one another, and make Coz
Almighty a tolerated alien in his owl
creation"
One of his most electric speeches wa
delivered when he was feeble from ag
and disease. In il occurs this memorable
passage: "Yet / do not give up m,
country. see her in a swoon, but she |
no, dead. Though in her tomb she lie
helpless and motionless, still there is Of
her lips the spirit Of life, and on he
cheek a glow Of beauty" Among tn
popular orators Of Europe II would not b
possible to name another who ruled til
stormy passions Of the mob with SO absc
lutte sway as was exercised by that gian
and athlete Of the tribunal,
DANIRL o'coNNELI.
> He was first a great lawyer. and ur
hvaled in his tact, shrewdness, ptesenc
Of mind aud understanding of bushes
affairs. His mind was strong and fer
rather than polished and delicate. II
had one OF the most yenomousiy sarcasti
. tongues ever put into the head Of mau
lie could oyeruhelm an antagonist wit
denuncialion. riddle him with inveclly
and roast him allve with The Gre Of sal
/. casm. In his alteration with Dlsfael
/. 0'connell declared he was one "who,
4 he esnealogy could be traced. would :
. found 10 be- the lineal defendant and lFa
/ hrir,ai.lan of the lmpenllent thief VIII
aioncd fog hls crime upon the cross.
4 Ne said a Peel, uhoae nncilous mann'
4 o,lsndrd hlu, that he had . smile "lli
! lhe silver plate upon . conin." loi'
Randolph, Kba hsafd him often, pn
nonnoed o'cannfil lhr hr1l ofsiof d
fmope. livery chord u me harp a
!. lhaussnd Hlllngf lay oplH " hls lohc
4 and hs ils}fa upon Il ei,h ulalisI ban
n|slafll ssld thai W. volse va lhF hnf
fsu heafA ~ fslllsnonl, dsfp. npnefoe
a Alll|nfl aad nsslhlf lle haa w. lllola
/. lfaI lNfisIf, ~ nflsI alifnIasa - NIss
|. snnss|laa Il|p hsls's ~ l,se,l'se ~
7. l|lI1a s,|s| Freshness an1 H1aa|afe1
.A|.A 81 "a ~ |n'|l1sI "I1s 'I.|I
49, 44.I "a I44|4 'i40.N4A alone