The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-03-25

ferences. But understand that the hos
tility of the English is racial as we'll
as religious. Had England remained
Catholic to this day, Ireland would
have suffered just as much ut her
hands, for it is racial hatred more than
religious that makes her the enemy
of Ireland that she is. Henry VIII.
attempted to force the Irish from the
religion of st. Patrick, but in vain.
What could the infamous adultcrer,
the bloodstained murderer of his wives
do with a proud race against the rei-
gton of a man with the unimpeachable
character and rcvered memory of st.
Patrick?
'rhe Irish did not fare much better
under Henry's son, Edward Their con-
dition was somewhat improved under
Mary, for she was busy in other quar-
tiers, but their real persecution began
under Elizabeth, the terrible woman,
whom some have attempted to eXtol as
the virgin queen and as Il woman of
strong character, Il woman who was
really as helrtlcss, cruel and renorse-
less as the veriest barbarian. She per-
secuted Catholic Ireland i'll every con-
ccivable way and attempted to force
from them their religious faith, but
| merely us a preteNt to get their lands
and other possessions. Ireland, how
ever, was as Catholic when Elizabeth
died as when she assembled the throne.
Next came James l., the first of the
Stuarts, that weak and vaccilating
son Of Mary, Queen Of Scots, born af-
ter his father was murdered. James
sent his pampercd courticrs, his sycO.
plants and hypocrites to Ireland to at
tempt to subdue the country More
hope was had in Charles L., but Ireland
Jared no better, and then came Oliver
Cromwell, the worst prosecutor Of ALL
We do not wish to detract from Crom-
wells strength of character but he did
not have one noble trait. He was Il
brutal, bloodthirsty, cruel savage. He
burned, sacked and murdered in Irish
towns which had surrendered to his
forces, doing SO for no other reason
said that he believed in religious lib
erty, but would not believe that the
Catholics had right to that same lib
erty. He forced the Irish into Con-
naught the poorest district in Ireland,
purposely to cxtcrminatc them il he
could. 1t was Hell or Connaught'
with him and as one Irish wit said,
most of the Irish went to the latter
place, believing Cromwell might want
the former for himself.
"Then came James H., of whom
much was expected, and when his I'M
natural nephew and son-in-law, Will
liam of Orange, began his persecution
of james, the Irish synipa.h!zed WITH
him and took up arms for him, but lie
basCly deserted them at tho battle of
Boyne. One Irish general said to the
other side, we will trade kings with
you and fight you again. And it is Il
fact that il the Irish had had Il leader
equal IL sagacity and personal strength
to William Of Orange they would have
won. Then came the treaty of Liner
lex, and you all know how the treaty
was violated by the English king so
that Limerick has been ever since
known as the city of the violated
treaty. After this the Irish leaders
had to leave the island and scattered
over Europe. Today, as result of
this, their descendants are numbered
among the brightest minds Of the con-
tincm and they and their ancestors
lave given brilliant service under the
various flags Of Europe. From 1851 to
1913 the intellect of Ireland was in
exile. During that time the penal code
of William of Orange was in force. 1t
doomed the whole Of Ireland to ignor-
(ancc. No Irish child or adult was per-
mittcd Il schooling or even to learn to
read and write. under penalty of death.
A price was put on every priest and
everything was done to GUST Catholic
ism from the island, but the movement
failed.
'In 1910 England had business on
this side Of the Atlantic, n business
with which we are all familiar, and
had to withdraw her army from Ire
land. Then the immortal Henry
Graun began his movement for an
Irish militia and after it was formed
10000 trained militiamcn demanded a
home rule parliament and in 1882 got
/ 1t. For eighteen years this parliament
existed and never before nor since has
Ireland been so prosperous. Then the
infamous act of the Union was passed,
brought about by bribery, treachery,
Misrepresentation and every conceiv-
able means, whereby Ireland was to