The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-09-06
story of this affair has been omitted
from most of the histories

lTOm ulOSC OIL UllC ulSlOfISS.
Shortly after the treaty of peace by
which the sovereignty of Acadia was
transferred from France to England
the inhabitants took the oath of allie
glance to the English sovereign. The
English, on their part, agreed never
to require their new subjects to take
up arms against France CT the Indians,
and promised not to interfere with
their religion. Soon the English be-
gan course of systematic and char
acteristic tyranny.
They announced that the .\cadians
must take new oath of allegiance
which should be absolute and unlm-
tied, this, of course, involving a sur
render of religious convictions and the
taking up of arms against the mother
country if called upon to do so. The
property of many was conliscated, and
the records and evidences of title to
property destroyed. They were rem
dered dcfenseless by the seizure of all
their weapons. Through it all the PEG
pie steadfastly refused to take the new
oath, and the English, ignoring the fact
that they had deliberately broken their
part Of the compact, at last resolved
to adopt the expectancy of exiting the
Acadians from their homes to distant
lands.
In order that they might get them
into their power the English We're
compelled to resort to stratcgen. The
AcadanS We're summoned to appear
at the churches upon q certain date
When they had assembled the doors
were locked and then it was calmly
announced that they were prisoners.
A few days later the cmbarkation
took place. The unhappy people We're
driven aboard ships amid lamentations
and great confusion.
"Wives were torn from their hus,
bands, and mothers, too late, saw
their children
Left on the land. extending their arms
with widest cntrcaties.'
In this way families were broken
asunder forever. When the last ship
load had departed. the torcl, was
lighted and the whole district given
up to the flames. Thus was pcrpc-
trated one of the foulcst deeds in the
history of ciyiliZntigu
The story of Ireland Illustrates the
benelicencc of British rule. For over
700 years has the unhappy island been
under English domination. and each
succeeding generation feels the hand
Of oppression grow heavier, and the
chains of tyranny tighten. While
Irisllmen are required to obey English
laws, they are denied the protection
of them. England has sought in
every conceivable manner to lower
and bcstialzc them. She has deprived
them of educational privileges nnl
religious freedom. has stilcd every i'll
centiva to mercantile and commercial
activity, and has imposed upon them
a system o. taxation which is Sapping
the very vitality of the Irish national
existence.
British domination in India has been
characterized by the Abnormal growth
Of three great viccs-thc drink, opium
and social evils. Such was the inor-
dinate avaricc of England that she re-
sorted to arms to compel China against
her will to receive opium from India
in order that revenue might be de-
rived from the trade Traffic in opium
and rum being fostarcl by the gov
eminent, these vices have gained an
alarming foothold among those hith-
erto uncontaminatcd by them. Sir
Joseph Pnnsc, in 1898, offered a res
olution in the house of commons, de
claring the opium traffic to be morally
indefensiblc. That august body de-
featcd the resolution by the decisive
vote Of 17G to 80!
The binding of the Scpoys TO the
cannon muZzlcs and the sanguinary
scenes which followed are Il mute tcs-
timonial to British humanity. The de-
serton Of her starving subjects in III
dia, while money was expended With
reckless prOdigalty to create an
other famine in South Africa" as w.
II. Stead trrScly puts il, aft, r,ls an OBJ
ject lesson of the munlicrnt manner
in which Great Britain provides for
her subjects.
The scenes of carnage which seem
to be an ilvariahlr sequence of Brit
ish victories. reports of which have
come to us from every battlefield. aid
us to Judge Alright Of the quality Of
British mercy. AT thA battle of ElAnd-
. slaagtc tire famous British l.anccrs
charged through the ranks Of the
Beers, after the latter had laid down
their arms and Signilicu their intcn-
ton of surrcllhcring. and thrust right
md left with their weapons. KILN"
and woun,ling many. Thea they
wrote home ana described With Il
great deal of gust0, what they termed
the pig sticking." This .iru UrSprt
Individually highly Initiated the Brit
ISL fancy. for the English. rcputcd to
be totally impprvious tC jokes. always
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