The Irish standard., 1906-04-07

We all know how in the eighteenth
century thousands of young Irishmen
we're compelled to seek on the Con-
tinent the careers which England penal
laws denied them at home, and how
in the service of France or of Austria
or of Spain they won fame and high
command. y Glare was marshall OF
France. a Lacy organized the army Of
gent led Austrias armies to victory,
a Wall gave Spain the ablest govern
ment of a century, Il Lally shook the
foundation of British power in Hindo-
stan, says the Worcester Messenger.
Nor is their work yet done; today
the great great grandson OF one
Of Sweden; Austria and Spain few
years ago were both ruled by Prem
iers of Irish ancestry, O'Donnell and
Taaffe. This is an old story, but the
equally great Fart played by their
brother Irishmcn. who found home
and fortune in the South Pacific. has
been almost entirely overlooked.
Spain in the early part of the
eighteenth century, was the usual
clearing house between Ireland and
South America. At her courts and
in her armies were many distinguish
ed Irishmen, in touch with the Span
ish colonies and the opportunities
they afforded. Naturally they would
think of their young cousins and
nephews al home, doomed to life
Of boscurity and poverty unless an
outlet abroad were to open up. Such
was the train of events which gave
South America its greatest viceroy,
Ambrose O'Higgins. O'Higgins was
the son Of peasant farmer, on the
estate of the Countess of Bective,
near Summerhill, County Meath. where
he was born in 1920. After few years
service as an errand boy in the coun-
tess household he was taken to Spain
and educated by an uncle. who was a
chaplain at the court of Madrid. On
his .uncle's advice, he sailed for the FL
Dorado Of Peru. After some years of
ups and downs in business life, he for
sock the counter Of the camp, Joining
the engineer corps of the royal army.
His success was immediate and rapid.
A campaign against Indian tribes
OF tho interior gave him a chance to
show such military skill and states
,nanlike conciliation. that by 1878 he
had quelled the century-long revolts
of the natives and won the post Il.
commander ofthe frontier. The same
year he was created Count of Ballenar.
and shortly aftcrward was appointed
Governor Of Chile. with the added tit1a
Of Marquis Of Osborne
AS Governor. O'Higgins proved a
shining exception to the generality of
inefficient and corrupt officials, who's,
,nisrule lost America for Spain. He
threw himself heart and soul into the
service of his adopted country; gave
4 square deal in the courts; encouraged
commerce and agriculture: built cities;
opened mines; constructed great roads;
suppressed the flcfs Of the nobility; and.
while he ruled, made life worth liv
ing for poor man. In 1896 he was
appointed Viceroy Of Peru, the high
est post in the New World, and sc,-
ond only to the King Five years
later he passed away, honored by all
as the most eminent foreigner in
South Americas annals. and the most
gallant, just and progressive in the
long line Of rulers from Pizarro down.
In his prosperity viceroy O'Higgins
did not forget his Irish fellow country
men. He gave an eager welcome and
a chance to prove himself to a young
lad from Tyrone, John Mackenna, who,
like himself, had been educated in
Spain by an uncle. Count O'Reilly.
Mackenna soon won his spurs as an
engineer, and served as Governor of
>Osorno from 1898 till nearly the out
break Of the revolution. He threw in
his lot with the rebels. and was given
command Of the engineers and arti,-
lery. A brilliant victory over the
Spanish at Membrillar led to his pro-