The Irish standard., 1908-12-19


Soft, soothing, sad and sorrowful. Ia
thetic and sublime.
Their fame is universal, they are sung
in every cline.
To Moore belongs tho glory Of their
wide enduring fame.
His genius wove the classic esrh that
bears his honored name,
He found those gems Of melody in
homes of rich and poor,
And wed them to undying verse while
language shall endure.
He needs no monument of marble.
bronze, or stone, to perpetuats his
memory. His fame is safe in the
hearts of the, people for whom lie la
bored and sang. and the Irish Edelo-
dies will live as long as the languay.
in which they are written shall en-
dure.
But there were others besides Moore
who aided O'Connell ip his memoir
able life-strugsle for the restoration Of
his country's rights. Father Mathew.
the great apostle Of temperance. by
rescuing thousands Of his countrymen
from a slavery worse than the fctters
OF the Anglo Saxon, because it was
self-imposed, enabled them to contrib
ute morally and physically to the sup
port of an agitation that had em-
braced nearly the entire population Of
the island.
Richard Lalor Shell, whose worder-
full eloquence compelled the attention
and won even the admiration Of .. hos
tile legislature. Tom Steele, Protest
ant gentleman, euphoniously styled
the Head Pacihcator," the devoted,
lifelong friend Of the liberator. Their
came Thomas Davis. John Mitchell,
John Dillon, Charles Gavan Duty.
Thomas Francis !, Meagher, sm,lh
c'Brien and Clarence Mangan, dlstin-
guished either as journalists, essay
lists. orators, or poets. With them
were associated others less prominent.
but not less patriotic. all under the
leadership Of the 4greatest Tribune, it
may be asserted, wSf.c Il the wutdrld has
ever known.
About this time the Nation newspa-
per made its appearance. Its motto
was: ITO foster public opinion and
make it racy of the SOIL" Well and
nobly did it perform it's work Bravcly
did it Withstand the attacks of, its en-
emies and gallantly did it repel tE.m
The London Times csoon discovered
that the young giant had trained its
guns effectively on that hitherto i'm
pregnable fortress.
Yes, the Nation had grappled with
the Times. The Irish people watched
the struggle with intense interest for
their champion was a welcome weekly
visitor at their homes. bearing pleas
ures and treasures in the shape Of
brilliant articles, eloquent speeches,
rich. racy, exquisite poems and STIR
ring ballads, many Of which are stin
cherished, recited and sung wherever
Irish patriotism abidcs. For publish
ing one of those entitled 1.-THE Meriory
of the Dead" the Nation had to pass
through the ordeal Of a state prcsecu.
ton.
But famine-an artificial one, it has
been designated-came. O'Conrell
had died. The uprising, Of the patri-
OTIS Of '4s took place., and, within a
short period Ireland Host by starva-
tion and emigration 1.-TWO millions of
her faithful people. AA! these are sad
chapters in the fistorwof that land on
which I will not, cannot dwell.
But there is one thing in connection
/ with this matter that cannot be OYER.
looked. At this juncture the London
Times, true to it's instincts, exultantly
exclaimed: 1.-THE Celts are gone, gone
with vengeance" Ay, many Of ti,eln
had gone. some to the grave, others 10
foreign lands. bearing with them q
vengeance deep, retrospective and un.
dying. and their descendants arc to.
day resolute, vigilant and active. ever
ready and ever willing to aid their
brethren at home in the overthrow Of
an empire whose career is married ty
perndy, cruelty, confscation ard fraud.
Poor. dear, old Ireland! Land Of
many sorrows. May tho Omnirotent
give thee freedom. prosperity and
peace, and may thy sons and daugh.
ters ever exemplify in their lives the
Christian virtues that adorned thy
children in an age when thou vert
known as the Island Of Saints"