The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-12-22

totally discouraged-for the weight of
centuries of persecution was upon
them. He decided upon a plan of
action, and at once set to work to mold
with his marvellous tongue that dis
united and disheartened race into a
hopeful and united people. With the
magic wand of oratory he raised them
up from the depths Of dependency;
he quickened the blood that suffering
had rendered sluggish; he aroused the
hopes Which many failure had al
most utterly destroyed; he renewed the
courage made nearly lifeless by despot-
ism; then with a peaceful. army Of
millions of Irishmen united in heart
with him, and held spellbound by his
wonderful tongue, o'Connell once more
turned to that mighty wall Of injus-
tice.
It's foundations We're deep down in
centuries of persecution, it's battle-
ments enshrouded in lowering clouds
of national misery: But the lightning
flash Of his genius played about its
entire surface. Then the thunder Of
his eloquence was directed against it.
Again and again the thunder pealed,
while the sound Of tun1ult echoed and
reechoed DER the green hills and ver-
dant Wales of Ireland. Flash upon
flash, peal upon peal, followed each
other until at last that wall that had
withstood the storms Of centuries shook
from base to battlement, from end to
end, tottered and crumbled before the
power of O'Connelrs eloquence, and
the great orator strode over it's ruins,
into the very citadel of his countrys
enemy, and dictated the terms of a
conquerer! This victory restored to
the Catholics Of Ireland the right to
practice their religion, the privilege aof
taking part in the affairs of the couh-
try, and made the Irish party in the
British House Of Parliament g. factor
to be reckoned With. on every import
ant question. 1t also contributed great
ly in obtaining for the citizens of the
British empire a larger measure of
constitutional liberty than they had
hitherto enjoyed. ,sS.
30, Tc;e
eloquencc accomplished. Perhaps no.
where in the history Of Grecian or
Roman oratory, and certainly not In
that of modern times,s is there anything
to surpass the marvellous spectacle
presented by O'Connell ruling four mil
lions of people for thirty years with no
scepter save his eloquence. His gen.
ius alone would have entitled Irish
oratory to an honorable place in his
tory. But Irish oratory does not de-
pend alone on O'Connell. Burke's elo-
quence had the copiousness, the state
liness and art Of Cicero's; Grattan had
strength, power and energy almost
equal to Demosthenes. These here with
Sheridan might be placed together in
the front rank Of Irish oratory. Their
masterpieces are supplemented by the
varied and mastery efforts Of Curran,
Flood, Stiel, as well as by the unhappy
Emmet's speech from the dock.
VrI oirv1, nc.
Of all the Irish orators and the results
accomplished by Irish oratory one may
be pardoned for believing that after
the two great schools of Grecian and
Roman eloquence, the oratory of Ire
land may rank with that Of any ma
tion. In vehemence and strength
grace and dignity it may be excellcd
by the oratory Of Greece and Rome.
The Irish oratory possesses some
qualities not found even in Grecian
or Roman eloquence. When we read
Dvmosthenes we forget the orator and
think only Of his theme; when we read
Cicero we perceive his art and though
the material grandeur Of Rome fills
our minds, the orator also occupies our
thoughts; when we read Chatham and
Webster We are charmed by their elo-
quence and feel the power Of their
master minds. But when we read the
Irish orators we feel the beating of the
Irish heart filled as it always has been
and ever will be, with generous and
noble impulses. And responding to the
soul-moving music Of Irish eloquence,
we are bound in closer union with God,
with Ireland and her inspiring history.
A Weman's Interests.
We have it on Ruskins authority
that "the perfect loveliness Of a
wonaan,s countenance can only consist
in that majestic peace, which is found
ed in. the memory Of happy and useful
years. =: ... -"