The Irish standard., 1907-01-19
HPPERARY'S GENERAL
Graphic ana Humorous Descrip-
ton Of the Late
Peter +. Gill. Style Of Flo.
quence by'Wm. O'Brien.

e, e, -
In the Irish People OF Dec. 20. MIR.
O'Brien had the following:
ION occasions, it was thought the
best way of pouring scorn and con-
tempt on the Parliamentary patriots
and on the Westminster Ichabod was
to elect to parliament somebody whose
Very name would be a short summary
Of Irish hatred and defiance. The first
time visited the magnificent County
Of Tipperary, and made acquaintance
with its brawny men, was in 1869.
when O'Donovan Rosa was, to the
horror Of all Tory citizens. run for the
representation of tho county. At this
time Of day.. when popular feeling can
indulge it's EXTREMIST fancy With so
little risk, it is difficult to estimate
the daring Of O'Donovan Rossa's nomi-
majors, or the OPEN outhed amaze
ment of the respectable jog-trot Irish,
not to say English, politicians. The
white terror aroused by the Rising,
the attack on Chester Castle, the Man.
chester Rescue, and the raid of the
Irish American ship Jacmel, was still
at its height; and made the ruling
powers capable or any arbitrary cruel
ty. For years popular feeling had not
dared to speak, above it's breath with
out hearing the handouts and the
keys Of a penal cell jingling in it's ears.
O'Donovan Rosa himself, when he
was nominated for parliament, was ly-
ing under sentence of penal servitude
for life. For a revolt against the prison
rules his hands were chained behind
his back, and for thirty-three days he
was obliged to lap up his food with
his tongue like a dog. The canvassing
had to be done secretly, by bands Of
men sweeping through the country by
night. The unknown leaders We're so
penniess that. by a stroke OF UNI
scrupulous Tory diplomacy not I'M
usual in those, days. the funds to pay
the sheriff's election expenses had to
be procured from a Tory country s;en-
tlelnan, who was doubtless reimbursed
from the exchsuuer of the Carlton
Club. The rival candidate, Sergeant
Heron-a respectable Wing lawyer,
best remembered By, those: who have
heard the chimes at midnight at the
mess dinners Of the Munster bar---
was supported by the priests with all
their might, and quite took it for
granted he had barfboozled the simple
electorate In tile historic lsace-llunt-
ing style by wearing flaming green
necktie on the hustings in Clonmel.
Up to the eve OF the polling, many
believed the candidature Of the Fenian
convict to be a clumsy joke. That the
sober-sided farmers Of rich Tipperary
should face the anger of their priests,
and the terrors of, a. time when even
an incautious word was treason, and
carried it's penalties, to side openly
with the Gagged and beaten arch-revo-
lutionist. seemed even to myself the
widest Of infatuations on the part OF
the grim men of stern and smileless
faces. who sat around the midnight
council board at Hosan's hotel in
Tipperary town. :-.-
will the people come in at all??"
some OF the gloomier spirits asked
when "the: general and his flying col
umn", Gas the corps Of nocturnal can
vassers We're. called, compared notes
after: their, final reconnaissance the
night before the pollingl. will they
have the courage to come in at all?
;.Oh, We of little faith, the priests will
bring then!" was the reply Of "the
general" with roguish twinkle be.
hind his eye-glass. So, indeed, it
turned out. The farmers, who might
have shrunk from coming in individu-
ally to make an open profession Of 1e-
| bellion. were mustered in long process
| sions by the priests. under escorts OF
Lancers, to vote for the Wllig candi-
date of the green nclltie. They were
met outside the town by bands of en-
tllusiastic men. at whose signal the
voters jumped off the cars, and with 8
whoop proceeded to the polling-bootf
to give their votes, for O'Donovan
Rosa. While the procession of empt,
cars. with their escorts of Lancers
were left to make their foolish entry
through tho jeering crowd: and when
the poll closed for the Tipperary poll
ing district, only ten votes had been
recorded for the government candi'
date in the green crarat. while all the
rest We're given for. the convict. who
was that evening forced to consume
his supper while his hands We're