The Irish standard., 1906-02-10
STILL HOLD GOOD.
The Summary Of Reasons Given
by O'Connell Why tho
People of Ireland Are Not Sat
isfled With Union.

Many Americans who should be bet
ter Informed and many of our Irish
American youths who have forgotten,
Il they ever knew, the meaning of the
phrase home rule. are asking the
questions: What is all this clamor
about?" and why is not Ireland satis-
fled with a union with England?" The
answer can be given in the same
language that was used by Daniel
O'Connell. the great Irish I.iberator,
more than sixty years ago. says the
Kentucky lrish-American of Louisville.
He summed up the reasons why Ire
land should have self-government as
follows:
"Firstly-Ireland has clear, inde-
fcnsible right to a Parliament of her
own, the union being in constitutional
principle nullity, there having been
no competent authority to annihilate
the constitution of Ireland.
"Secondly-That even if there had
been a competent authority to enact
the union, yet the means used for that
purpose were SO VIGOROUSLY unjust and
profisately iniquitous that the union
from this cause alone would be a
nullity.
"Thirdly-That even if the union
were not IL nul!ty from the defect of
competence or from the Ubiquitous
mode of obtaining it. yet there is no
real union at all nor anything more
than alr oppressive mockery of union.
"Fourthly-That this union has in
tlicted injustice. oppression and misery
unparalleled in ireland, and there is
not. and can not be, any hope for
present redress or future security save
by a restoration of the Irish Parlia-
nent."
The reasons given by O'Connell then
arc the reasons why Ireland now de-
mands home rule. Remember that
Henry Grattan's Parliament met in
Dublin in 17S2. Grattan was backed by
100000 Irish volunteer soldiers and it
was then tina; England recognized the
independence of Ireland forever"
ireland had exclusive dominion over
her own taxation. debt and revenue.
1t was declared to be a final adjust
ment OF Ireland's difficulties. What
happened? Twelve years later, the Irish
Parliament was swept away and the
so-called "act Of union" perpetrated.
O'Conncll afterward told an English
Parliament how this nefarious act was
accomplished.
During the time that the union was
being discussed martial law was pro-
claimed. the habeas corpus act was sus-
pended. jails were crammed with par
sons unaecused but suspected. Men
were logged to death in an effort to
and 100000 British soldiers We're
q,,artcred in ireland and their officers
had the power of life and death over
the people. Public meetings called to
protest against the proposed union
We're dispersed by the military.
Lord Chief Justice Bushe thus de-
the union:
THE bascst corruption and artitlce
were excrtcd to promote it: all the
worst passions OF the human heart
were entered into the service; all the
most depruvcd ingenuity OF the human
intellect was tortured to devise new
contrivances of fraud"
Votes were purchased. Twenty peer
ages were created in exchange for
union votes. Ter or twelve Bishoprics
were bartcrea for union votes. One
Chief Justice and eight puisne Judges
were elevated to the bench in exchange
for votes. III money the price of q
union vote was $4,000 or a civil or
military appointment worth $4,000 a
year. Parliamentary papers published
since the union show that more thar
| Sc, 3OO,O 900 was paid for close ana rottel,
boroughs. while s7.500,000 was spent in
a most secret fashion.
| O'Connell summed up the mischiefs
and miseries that were entailed upor
| Ireland as n result of the union. IRE.
land" he says. became a province
instead of Il nation. Ireland owed $780,
OOO, 900. while Engana's national deb
i was $2.23O. 900, 900, or more than twenty.
two times as much as Ireland's. The
union retarded the emancipation OF
Irish Catholics for a quarter of {
century,"
From a lam: of peace and plenty Ire
land became Il scene Of desolate ruin
After the union the WOODEN trade. thu
sugar refining industry, the manufact
ure of glass. silks, cabinets book print
ing, hat making. gold and silver work
watch making and OTHER trades, all o
which were vital and prosperous
branches of Irish industry. became
practically extinct. The report of tn
Commissioners or the Foor Laws thirt.
years after the union revealed the SAT
condition of affairs in Ireland. In Gal
way the peasantry lived every summe
on cabbage. green herbs and unrip
potatoes. In Mayo. when the potatoe
failed. which was frequently the case
the people bled the cattle and ate tn