The Irish standard., 1907-08-17
DANIEL o'coNNELL.
Some Events in the Career Of the
Great Emancipation.

| eho greatest popular aglldtOr the
world has ever seen," was born at
Caher. County Kerry. on August 6,
1775. At the age of thirteen he was
sent to study classics at Redington,
near the Cove of Cork. to a school
kept by Father Harrington. the first
OF its kind to be opened after the
rigor of the penal days. There being
F, no schools of higher learning available
/. for Catholics in Ireland, he was sent
at the age of fifteen to ST. Omer's and
Douai. France. But the French Revo-
luton soon interrupted his studies and
on the very day that Louis XVI. was
guillotined in Paris he quilted France
Returning to his native Kerry, he
took advantage of the Relief Bill of
1893. which admitted Catholics to the
Bar He studied at Lincolns Inn,
London, and was called to the Irish
Bar in 1898. From the commence
lnent his success was assured. He
brought to his profession many quail
ties-legal and oratorcal; unbounded
resourcefulness. sparkling wit, humor,
and heart-rending pathos. He was the
peoples champion at the bar as on the
political platform. AS a cross exam
liner he was relentless and unequaled.
His success at the bar was phenome-
nal. Toward the end of his legal
career he was earning nearly $1,000
week; but he gave it all up to serve
his country. On one occasion when
he was tainted with being what is
known as a professional politician"
he replied that he was entirely dis
interested servant of Ireland. II throw
away my profession, I cast it's vast
emoluments to the winds, shut out
the vistas of its dignities and it's hon
ors, to embrace the cause of my coun-
try. And come veal, or come woe, I
have made choice of which l never
or shall ever repent"
BY the year 1923, when he founded
tor had welded the Irish people to-
gether at such time and in such a
way as no one but he could have done.
BY his logged perseverance, by his
matchless eloquence he succeeded in
appealing to instincts Of freedom. He
knew how to touch every chord Of the
Irish heart. Never did skilful mu-
sician touch the various strings of his
instrument with greater success than
he touched the Irish heart strings
Now it was light note of drollery or
satire that vanquished some enemy
Again it was the deep note of pathos
as he rehearsed the wrongs of Ireland.
The Catholic Association had re-
solved to oppose the return to Parlia-
ment of every supporter of the min
istry of wellington and Peel. Vesey
Fitzgerald. M. p. for Glare, was ap-
pointed to the presidency of the Board
of Trade and so had to seek re-elec-
tion The Catholic Association re-
solved to stand by its resolution and
invited Major Mcnamara, but the lat
ter was compelled to refuse. Then
it was proposed that some Catholic
should stand and show the world the
intolerance of the British Parliament
by being denied admittance.
| But who was to accept the PROPOSE
ton? There was but one man in Ire
land equal to the occasion and that
was Daniel O'Connell. One evening he
set aside his lawyers gown and start
ed off on the historic journey to Clare
Now came the day of trial and the
hour OF martyrdom. Would the cleo
tors of Clare (tenants at willy rise upo
At this time the votes of the tenants
were regarded as much the property
of the landlord as the rent. To the
undying glory of the electors of Glare
they rose up and cast off their bonds
And Daniel O'Connell was elected.
The whole country heaved and vi
DrdCeO. Inc current or new life
passed over the land. George w. was
in tears lest the "Papists" should
burst their bonds. Wellington dread
ed civil war. A measure was rushed
through Parliament and the king gave
it a grudging signature. then dashed
the pen that wrote it upon the ground.
The. Irish Catholics stood forth eman-
cipated. O'Connell became the Liber-
ator Of his people. O'Connell being in
London, applied to the Bar Of the
House of Commons for admission to
Parliament and the old oath was hand
ed to him. This declared that the
! King of England was head of the
Church and that generation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary and the sacrifice
OF the Mass were impious and idola-
trous.
The Commons was thronged for the
occa sion Every voice u.as hucbaa qua