The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-02-22
MARQUIS OF DuFFERIN IS DEAD.


MARQUIS OF DUFFERIN IS DEAD.
In the death of Marquis of Dufferin
at his home in the County Of Down
on Feb. IL, Ireland has lost one of
her most brilliant sons. Unlike some
other distinguished Irishmen he was
always proud of the land Of his birth
and took deep interest in her well
fare. His mother was Lady Duffer-
in, granddaughter Of the illustrious
Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and
author of 'I'm Sitting on the Stile,
Mary" His wife is a member Of a
historic Irish family, being the
daughter of the late Captain Archi-
bald Hamilton, of Killyleagh Castle,
County Down.. The deceased was
Is years old last June, and at his
birth he was christened Frederick
Hamilton Temple Blackwood.
When a young man he made tour
of Ireland in the famine years and
wrote sympathetically Of the suffer-
ings of his poor countrymen. He
inherited the literary genius of his
ancestors and would have made his
mark as writer had he not turned
his attention to diplomacy. Both
himsef and his wife have written
much, however. His Letters From
Northern Latitudes" has been read
with delight by millions.
He filled important positions under
the British Crown. In 1872 Glad
stone appointed him Governor Gen
eral of Canada. On his retirement
from that Office, he was chosen Brit
ish Ambassador to st. Petersburg by
Lord Beaconstield. Whether serving
under a Liberal or Tory government
he always gave eminent satisfaction
and was popular everywhere.
In the words of his mother he ''nev-
er forgot old Ireland" In speech
at Quebec in 1873 he spoke of Irish
men as rulers of British colonies. and
said:
''There is no doubt the world is
best administered by Irishmen.
Things never went better with us
either ut home or abroad than when
Lord Palmerston ruled Great Britain
Lord Mayo governed India-Lord
Monck directed the destinies of Can
ada, and the Robinsons, the Kenne-
dys, the Laffans, the Callaghans, the
Cores, the Hennessys administered
the affairs of our Australian colonies
and West Indian possessions. Have
not even the French at last made the
same discovery in the person of Mar
shall MacNIahon?'
The same year he delivered an adj
dress in Toronto on religious tolera-
ton and beseeched the people of Can
ada to live as Christians and divest
themselves Of sectarian bigotry In
ending his address he said: "Believe
me, if you desire to avert an imminent
calamity, it is the duty of every
human being among you-Protestant,
Catholic, Orangeman, Union man-to
consider with regard to all these mat
ters what is the real duty they owe
to God, their country, and each other"
The Marquis of Dufferin always
served England with fidelity and yet
he remained true to Ireland in sen
timental way. Unlike other Irishmen
Of the past and present, he did not
''rise ON his country's ruins to fame"
In his old age he suffered n,nch sor-
row and died broken-hearted and al
most pauper, having lost nearly all
his wealth in mining speculations.
His eldest son died III the Transvaal
two years ago, and his second son,
Lord Terence Blackwood succeeds to
the Marquisate. The new Marquis
of Dufferin is married to an American
lady, who. was Miss Flora Davis,
daughter of a New York banker. She
IS now visiting friends in Minneapolis.
1t is rarely that the Irish Standard
consumes so much space in paying a
tribute of respect to any Irishman
who served England with such dis
tinction as Lord Dufferin. Because
of his ancestry and his own amiable
qualities he deserves honorable men,
ton in our columns. May the sod
rest lightly on his grave.