The Irish standard., 1908-07-18

CdlAo!lC ireland. OCONuell, loyal son
of the Church, read a line or two, and
asked: "Is 1t this l am to swear to?
That the sacrifice of the Mass, the ven-
Grafton of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
invocation Of the Saints, is idolatry:"
He cast the book from him and his
voice rang out: I'm the
name of two hundred millions Of men.
in the name Of eight millions Of the
Irish race, in the name Of antiquity,
in the name of history, in the name OF
the God of Heaven, the God Of Truth.
1 reject that oath, for it is damnable
falsehood."
He left the House; but he was soon
to return again, for Catholic Emanci-
patton was near at hand. Wellington
urged the King to sign the bill Of
thrice brought before the
House and thrice rejected He said:
You must do it, O'Connell represents
eight million people, he demands it,
you must do it, and the bill of Eme.n-
cipation was signed on April 1S, 1929
"a happy day for Ireland.
Can the mind comprehend a greater
work, the work of one man-seven
million people free to love and serve
God to the end of time. Not seven
millions only, but a hundred millions.
for the Catholic. Emancipation act af-
fected not only Ireland, but England.
Scotland and the numerous islands un-
der the flag of England. O'Connell is
not only the man of one nation he is
the man of Christendom-as we read
In an address presented to him and
read by Count De Montalenbert on
O'Connell's last visit to Paris. eve
are come to salute in you the J.iherator
of Ireland-of that nation which al
ways excited in France fraternal feel
ings. But you are not only the man Of
one nation, you are the man of all
Christendom. Your glory is not Irish,
1t is universal. Wherever Catholics be-
gin anew to practise civic virtues, and
to devote themselves to the conquest
of their legislative rights. under God
1t Is your work. Wherever religion
tends to emancipate itself from tie
thraldom in which several generations
Of sophists and lawyers have placed it,
to you after God. it is indebted"
O'Connelrs work was not over. He
had now to agitate repeal of the un-
ion. His voice filled the land demand
ing equality of rights between Ireland
and England. Twenty nine years tg-
fore, when the act of Union was pass
ed, he had vowed that the dishonor
should not last, if he could put an end
to it. He now threw himself heart
and soul into the removing of that
dishonor. He again Travelled all through
the land-not now in the cause of her
religion, but in the cause of nationality
With thousands of Ireland's manhood
around him at Mallow, at Mallaghmast
or on the famed hill of Tara. he pro-
mulgated his plan of action, while edu-
eating his fellow countrymen and en-
couraging his down trodden brothers
to fight for that God-given gift-lib-
erty. o'Connell had the people again
united in this great cause, and England
feared. We know what a few Irish
did at Fontenoy and at Cremona; what
then might half million of the bone
and sinew Of Ireland accomplish 1.
o'connell would give the word to
strike? Grattan said long ago: III
ever you Catholics Of Ireland rise up
In your united strength you will get
the repeal of the union or ANYTHING
else England may have it in her power
to bestow upon you" o'connell did
not give the word, his people were
unarmed. Yet England feared. She
poured her forces into Ireland. The re-
peal meetings were proclaimed. o'con-
nell was seized upon, and cast int,
prison. And here the death knell Of
the repeal rang out. o'connell was
removed from the people. A new spir-
ir. new element sprang up. and Ire
land was divided between the old and
new 1relanders.
When o'connell was released, after
some six months, his health was great
ly impaired, a deadly disease had made
its appearance, and was soon to claim
its victim. He repaired to his old
home in Kerry to seek rest. His heart
was overwhelmed with sorrow. but yet
another sword was to pierce it.
In '4s and ~ the cry was heard "A
famine is upon the land They were
terrible years. More than one million
and half died Of starvation, more
than two millions were homeless, cas-.
on the highways by English landlords.
Campbell describes the state Of the
irish then:
.Sa6 is nv fat> said th> h...< A..,