The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-01-26

The Dublin Irish People of Jan. 5,
1901, edited by William O'Bricn, Nj. F.,
addresses the following bold challenge
to Chief Secretary Wyndham under
the caption of "A Hundred Years after
Castlercagh":
Bravo, Mr.. Wyndham! We salute
you. sir, at the very opening OF the
ycar-and We cordially promise you
that, as you have begun the century
50 well, you will be indulgcd to the
top of your bent until you are sur
fcited by the dclirious joys of pro
claiming, batoning, imprisoning,
trampling law anl right and Justice
underfoot, and generally carrying on
the gallant work which was left so
sadly incomplete by all your prcdcccs-
cessors-including your great -grandfa-
thcr's murderer, Castlercagh.
1t was good thought OF your
friend, Gerald Balfour, to take upon
himself the responsibility for that
proclamation" of the Bnrndnrrig
meeting which cOncidcd with your ad-
vent to our shore. For he thus enabled
you to make still more dramatic
opening of your career as a cocrcionist.
On the first of January. 1901, the Union
was proclaimed in Dublin and in Lon
don. On the first of January, 1901,
three hundred armed pOlcemell--suc-
cessors of the "Yc0s" and "Srr's myr-
midOns' of Il hundred years ago led
by a band of ohccrs--modcrn types of
SIR and Swan and Sandys-w were
posted in and around n little town in
the county OF Mayo to prevent by brute
force one of the most distinguished
members of that 'impcrial parliament
created by the Act of Union from ad-
dressing the constituents who returned
him according to the provisions of the
British constitution.
The voice Of the Irish parliament was
stifled in 1900.
The voice of the Irish people will
be hushcd at the point of the bayonct
| ciV Al; y,
so much
Perhaps you know nothing Of tho
history of the Act Of Union. We may
recall some facts so that you may ap
prcciatc curious parallel.
Castlercngh, your predecessor, prom
iscd Catholic emancipation as the prize,
Of the Irish parliament. Before til,
Union was many months old Irish leg
islation was introduced-n0t emnncipa
tion, but coercion.
You went to the West of Irclant
with honcyed words on your lips, ant
you promised the people blessings un
der British rule as chcerfully as die
| Niiu fou lllt
twentieth century by ordering the sue
cessors Of Major Srr and of til,
"Yeos' OF nincty-cight to batoh and tt
shoot these same people did they dare
to exercise the most ordinary constitu
tiOnal right ever claimed by men in {:
civilized country.
Castlcrcagh failed to crush the Irisl
people. He died the shameful hidcous
death of a traitor to his country anG
his nation. You, sir have said you arc
an lrishman. Do you seriously near
to adopt the methods of Castcreagh:
Mr.. Wyndham, you are ambitious
self-confidcnt. and comparatively
young. Your only idea is to make youl
office as chief secretary for ireland
the center Of political attcntiOn-tht
theme Of discussion and speculation
You are envious Of Joseph Chamber
lain. For five years he has concen
trated all the attention Of the public
on his Office and on himself. You ca,
iS>hA IhV uhyS WIcII LIlc ullulSLcE Ol
the hour was Mr.. Arthur Balfour
chief secretary for Ireland. And W.
can now see quite plainly that you hav,
made up your mind to tread the patl
your patron trod-to figure as thu
strong man Of the administration--tt
dcthrone the Birmingham idol from hi
pedestal as the center of attraction
and to find your way to the premier
; ship over the rights and liberties of tn,
) Irish people-aye, over the dead bodie
! Of those who may venture to defcnt
: the people by resisting your onward
march.
Do not delude yourself, sir. You ar
: only an imitator. Your master failet
most thoroughly, although he had