The Irish standard., 1903-02-21
CHARLES GAVAN DUFFY.


Tue Famous Irishman is Dead at an
Advanced Age.
On Feb. 9, Sir Charles Gavan Duffy
died at Nice, at the age of SO years,
after Il brief illness.
Sir Charles Gavan Duffy fiji y de-
scrlbed his autobiography by the title
My Life in Two Hemisphere" Few
men, even among the rowing adventur-
GUS 1rishmen who have won fame in
every land, had seen life under more
strange and varied conditions, en-
countered more notable characters or
enjoyed wider experiences on the po-
litical stage of old and new countries.
For generation, as he himself could
say with simple truth, he was factor
in whatever was done or projected in
the public affairs Of Ireland. For near
ly another generation he lived in a
new country, by no means an idle wit
ness Of it's marvellous development,
while the last twentythree years of
his long life of eighty-seven were
spent in dignified retirement in
which he still cherished his lifelong
passion-the determination to love, and
if possible, serve Ireland.
He was born in Monaghan in 1876
His father, shopkeeper of but moder-
ate means, died when Charles was
ten years old, and his education was
a personal struggle. He became q
journalist in Dublin, when he was
twenty three, was editing a paper
started by Ulster Catholics in Belfast,
and in 1912 returned to Dublin as the
founder, together with Thomas Davis
and John Blake Dillon, of the Nation.
In few weeks the journal, with it's
outspoken views on repeal and it's pa
triotic verse, was read all over Ireland.
Duffy had become recognized leader
of the Nationalist party, and in 1874
was included in the same indictment
with O'Connell He was convicted by
a Dublin court, but acquitted with
"the Liberator' by the House of
Lords on a point of law.
Duffy's ideas, however, were in ad-
vance of O'Connells at this period,
and the two separated. Duffy Joined
the young Ireland" leaders, the most
conspicuous of whom was John Mitch
ell. the ablest and most brilliant man
of the lot who was "tried' and "con-
victed" of treason-felony and SEN
fenced to penal servitude, but who af-
terward escaped to America. Duffy
was tried for treason-felony in 1913,
when the abortive rising of Smith
O'Brien took place. The jury dis
agreed. Duffy was afterward elect
ed to the British House of Commons.
A premature movement, which he sup
ported, to bring about an alliance be-
tween Catholics and Protestants upon
the land question, failed and Duffy
Joined the emigrant stream to Aus.
tralia.
This was in 1856, and in the next
year he became Minister of Public
Works in Victoria, this being a rapid
acknowledgment that his great polit-
ical talents had found suitable
sphere. His activity in politics made
him a force in the colony, Of which
he became Prime Minister in 1871,
holding office for two years and re-
firing with a knighthood. -Four years
later he was elected Speaker of the
Assembly, and finally, in 1880, retired
to return to Europe.
Among those with whom he was per-
sonally acquainted We're Charles Ham
ilton feeling, one of the leaders of
1893; James Clarence Mangan, who
contributed some of the finest poems
to the Nation; John Mitchell, his prin-
clpal associate on the Nation; Thomas
Carlyle, many conversations with
whom he published; Disraeli and Car
dinal Newman. He was received by
Marshal MacMahon during a visit to
Paris, and later in Rome enjoyed
long conversation with Pope Plus TX.
Sir Charles took up literary work on
his return to Europe. He published
i'll 1880 Young Ireland: A Fragment
of Irish History. 1S4O-'5O." and later
-Four Years of Irish History, 1915.
40" In 1892 he published "Conver-
sations with Carlyle" which had
remarkable success. Other works
from his pen were "The League Of
North and South" life Of Thomas
Davis and "Bird's-eye View of Irish
History" He also contributed to peri
odicals on colonial and Irish subjects.
In 1898 he published his memoirs in
two volumes. His Ballad Poetry of
Ireland" was probably his best and
most popular work, it being gone
through more than fifty editions. For
the past ten years Sir Cahrles lived
In Nice in the northern part Of Italy.