The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-04-18
PEN PICTURE
OF George Wyndham, Author OF the
Irish Land Bill..:. 3, ~


Agag, king of the Amalekites, who
was spared hy Saul but hewn to pieces
by the Prophet Samuel, always has
been regarded as the dandy" of the
Old Testament, for we are told that
The walked delicately," says "Ex-At-
tache" in recent letter to the Chica-
90 Tribune. 1t is because George
Wyndham, the father of the new Irish
land bill, which is to bring peace and
a large measure of contentment to
Ireland, "walks delicately," possesses
q great air of distinction and refine
ment, and is always wonderfully well
groomed and courteous, that he has
been known by the nickname OF
"Agag" ever since he was at Elton,
among his friends and acquaintance.
Not yet 40, he has, after a brilliant
career in subordinate offices Of the ad-
ministration, swung himself during
the last few weeks, by his wonderfully
clever Irish land bill, into the fore
front of English craftsmanship, and
has come to be looked upon as the
most striking individuality and as the
most powerful force in the cabinet.
Indeed rumors are already in circula-
ton to the effect that he may be Of
fered the succession to the premier
ship on the retirement Of Arthur Bal
four, which is regarded in many quar-
tiers as imminent.
George Wyndham is conservative,
like his father, the Hon. Percy Wynd-
ham, and since, by his successful
treatment of the Irish question, which
has been the bugbear of every success
siye administration in Downing street
for the last hundred years or more, he
has proved himself to be statesman
Of the foremost rank; it is exceedingly
probable that he will be called upon
to take the place ere long of Arthur
Balfour as prime minister Of the
British empire. He has achieved what
has until now been regarded as the
impossible task o. reconciling the con-
flicting interests Of Irish landlord and
Irish tenant in such a manner as to
command the good will and the ap-
prevail of Englishmen of every shade
of political opinion, and this fact, in
itself, is looked upon as one which
demonstrates his qualifications for the
assumption Of the helm of the British
ship Of state.
George Wyndham has strong strain
of fine old Irish blood in his veins, Il
circumstance which goes far to ac-
count for his versatile brilliancy. For
he is great grandson Of that Lord
Edward Fitzgerald, son Of the first
duke Of Leinster, who sacrificed his
life at the end Of the eighteenth CELL
fury to the Irish cause. Lord Ed
ward took part in the American war
Of independence, fighting in the Eng.
lish ranks, and being SO seriously
wounded in one Of the engagements
that he was left for dead. For time
he figured conspicueusly in the ia
nous Grattan parliament in Dublin, but
left it after being cashiered from the
army for attending banquet ut Paris,
at which he avowed his sympathy
with the French revolution and pub
licly renowned his title Of nobility.
1t was during his stay on the banks
of the Seine that he married the fam
nous Pamela, daughter of that duke OF
Orleans who was, on account Of his
republican sympathies, nicknamed
"Egalite," and Of Nine. de Genlis, and
on his return to Ireland with hel
joined the Society Of United Irishmen
and for the next few years took al
active part In the Irish revolutionary,
movement, of which he became one Of
the leaders. Betrayed into the hands
Of the police, he was arrested after Q
desperate struggle, during which he
was severely wounded, and after being
incarcerated, first in Dublin castle
and subsequently at Newgate in Lon
don, succumbed in the latter Jail Il
his injuries.
His widow, Lady Edward Fitzgerald
half sister therefore of King Loui:
Philippe Of France, subsequently mar
ried Mr.. Pitcairn, the United States
consul at Hamburg, but eventually
separated from him and died In power
ty in Paris about seventy years ago
Lord and Lady Edward Fitzgerald hat
but one child, daughter named Pam
ella, who married Gen. Sir Guy Camp
bell, and their daughter Madeline i.
the mother Of the Rt. Hon. Georg,
Wyndham, the secretary for Ireland.
On his fathers side George Wynd
ham is the grandson of the first Lore
Leconfeld, and among his sisters ar,
Lady Elcho, Mrs. Charles Adeane, ant
Mrs. G. P. Tenant, whose triple por
trait by Sargent was described b.
King Edward at the Royal academ.
banquet few years ago as "the thre
graces."
Henry Labouchere, NJ. p, the genia
proprietor Of London Truth, on on
occasion divided the apple of beauty
as far as the house Of commons is cor
cerned, between the late Lord Russell
Of Kill0wen, who had not at that tim
been raised to the peerage, and Georg
Wyndham. As to the justice Of thi