New-York tribune., 1904-10-16
POLITICAL MEMORIES.
Justin McCarthy's Personal Inter
probation of HIS O5cn Times.


Somewhat more than merely photographed
Is Justin McCarthy's latest volume, which hs
puts forth mOdestly enough as "An Irishmans
Story" The book has larger purpose 1t Ia
written to give the authors Interpretation Of
the times through which he passed and much OF
which he lived That the reader may see tbs
events as he himself saw them. the story has
necessarily taken the form OF a personal nara
tive.
The style Is pleasantly discursive. OF one
speaking Informally IN conversation; the book
was In fact dictated ofrhand TO stenOgrapher.
One misses. perhaps. the Hluminative anecdotes
that would ordinarily be looked for In a book OK
this type, written by one who has been assO-
ciated with many interesting people: but these
have all. or mostly all. been given 70 the public
in the authors already published "Reminis-
cences," and may not be repeated In his pres
ent retirement permanent as regards active po-
TtfcaI life he writes Of the movements IN which
he took part "as they affected me- and also
IL may be added. as he affected them Born IN
Cork, where his father. a man Of broad eulturs
but restricted income was clerk TO the city mag
istrates. youne, Mccarthy was brought UP In an
atmosphere OF 'plain living and high thinking
With his associates. all OF them young men OK
literary and artistic prOclivities. he early felt the
influence of the Young Ireland movement fOs-
Dillon in '@The Nation newspaper. and inspired
by the poetic genius of Thomas Davis and James
Clarence Mangan-
Among his earliest assignments reporter
on the Cork Examiner were events connected
with the great famine In Ireland. which preciDi-
tated the Rebellion OF 1878; and he took short
hand notes Of the trial OF Smith OBrien and
Thomas Francis Meagher. which followed As
secretary of a commission to inquire into the
state Of fairs and markets in Ireland. Of which
Hercules Robinson was chairman. he visited
every town and considerable village. and 50
obtained an intimate view OF conditions in his
native land under British rule These Occupa-
tions and appointments were well calculated
to promote his patriotic zeal. and he soon set
his eyes on London. where he felt he could best
promote the cause OF his country. and incidental
ly find u wider scope for his literary ambitions
He became Editor Of the Morning Star then
under the control OF John Bright and Richard
Cobden being succeeded. when he made his hrzs
visit TO America In 1865. by John Morley
Returning 20 London In 1871. he became a
leader writer for 1.-The Daily News" continuing
this connection throughout his Parliamentary
career. which began with his election by the
constituency Of LOngford. in 1879 He had
previously brought out the first volumes Of "A
History Of Our Own Tines and formed a close
friendship with Charles Stewart Parnen. which
was not to be interrupted even BY their later
serious political antagOnism- Mr. Mccarthy
gives q graphic picture OF Parnen as he first
knew him:
He was very tail. very handsome with finely
moulded. delicate features. His eyes were especially
remarkable Their light peculiar. penetrating
and (tO aptly somewhat hackneyed phraSe)
magnetic His manners IN private hre were singl-
larly sweet and winning. and in the company of his
friends he was both humorous and witty HIS IN
hucnCe over me and his advice began to give more
and more distinctly political turn 70 my career.
He had already begun to make himself q most con-
yet there very few who could fOreSee the high
and unique position he was destined 70 hold as
political leader.
Probably the most generally Interesting por~
tiOnS OF Mr.. McCarthy's book are those devoted
TO the part he took as q member OF the Commons
in the Irish Nationalist movement. IN which
ParneH so prominently and. at the last. disas-
trousy figured His own views for Ireland
were. he declares. and still are. or would be.
satisfied with the principle OF separate legisla-
ton for the Irish people in parliament Of their
own He believes that under such conditions she
would become as prosperous and cOntented a
partner In the British imperial system as Can
ada or Australia To accomplish that end he
had become convinced that the system OF OBJ
structiOn Instituted by Parneu. rough and ready
as il might seem 70 be. was absolutely essential
10 compel the English people to give serious at
tentiOn 70 Irish national demands The quiet
man Of letters aCcOF1fugly took hi9 willing