The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-12-22
Electrifying Language of Curran; Keen Sar-
casra, Biting lnvective and Great
Power Of Grattan;
The Humor and Rhetoric of Sheridan and
Shiel, and the Logic, Wit, Pathos
and Force of O'Connell.

we are not surprised at the effects that
Irish oratory produced.
For many years-aye, even for CEN
turies-a wall Of despotism had shut
out from Ireland almost every hope Of
civil and religious liberty. This bar
rier had withstood the unceasing at
tacks of Irish patriots for many gen.
erations. At it's base many a weary
Irish heart had broken, and it's awful
shadow had darkened the dying hour
of many an unselfish patriot. Legion
after legion Of Irish statesmen and SOL
diers had been led against it, but each
attack was merely a prelude to new
failure, so that about the time Of the
American Revolution the people of Ire
land were in an appalling state of
misery and detection.
10 raise up the people, to kindle
anew the fires Of patriotism, to rouse
again the. true pride Of the Irish race
was the mission Of the orators or this
period: How grandly they performed
their task let history attest. While
Burke was pouring out his mighty soul
in floods Of fervid eloquence, in the
British House Of Parliament, the voices
of Curan, Grattan and Flood at home
combined to make Ireland powerful
factor in British politics. So effective
was their eloquence that, in 1882 Eng
land was compelled to concede to Ire
land the right to make their own laws.
To Grattan, more than any other ora
tor, was this great victory due. BY
his impassioned eloquence he lifted the
question Of Irish freedom to a higher
level than his predecessors had done.
His voice stirred the nation to its pro-
foundest depths, and sounding across
the waters Of the Irish Sea imperious
tones demanded tho King and Par
lament to right the wrongs of his
country1aen.
His speech on the question in the
Irish Parliament has perhaps never
been surpassed by any modern orator.
In that speech, with the skill of a
master, he sketched a bold design of
Irish liberty, and from "the store
house Of his ilnpassioned fancy drew
the colors to adorn it." BY his elo-
quence Grattan, whom Fox styled the
! "Demosthenes of Ireland" held his
country for nearly twenty years in the
domain of British politics almost an
equal Of England. But in 1900 Pitt
brought about the despised Union, and
Ireland once more sank back into the
depths Of misery; the temporary breach
which Irish eloquence had made in
that hated wall Of despotism was
closed up, and the awful barrier was
as formidable as ever.
Yet, a great deal had been accom-.
Sheridan, Curran, Flood and Grattan
had aroused by the magic spell of
oratory, gave to one mighty intellect a
hint of the most effective weapon to
be employed in Ireland's cause. With
keen sympathy one young statesman
searched the hearts Of the Irish peo-
pie; he saw their miseries, their suf-
ferings and their almost lfeless hopes.
With a passionate love for his coun-
try; with a heart that had absorbed
the richest treasures Of a Catholic cul-
ture; mind filled with a holy and a
noble purpose, and a tongue that would
require another tongue equally as elo-
quent to do justice to its wonderful
power. Daniel O'Connel1 resolved to
lift up his countrymen, and to do it
by the power Of that eloquence which
God had given him. )
With regal courage he strode up to
that wall which had withstood the at
tacks of so many of his compatriota
He examined it with the eye Of q
skilled and dauntless general. Then
he turned to the millions Of Irishm$a
who lay PROSTATE, weary anA alrnoAt