The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-09-04

of the Castle placemen the insults
Of Grattan's speech burned and ate
like a corrosive acid. The speech is
short, but it is masterpiece of its
kind. Every blow stings like the blow
of whip; every sentence draws
blood.
"The limited talents of some men,"
said Grattan, in fierce scorn of his
antagonists clumsy attack, render it
impossible for them to be severe with
out being unparliamentary.' But
Grattan promised CORY, and he kept
his word, that he would show him how
to be severe and parliamentary at the
same time. The charge of treason
which Cory had levelled against Grat-
tan he treated with defiant scorn. 1t
would have been in no sense dishonor-
able, but only honorable for Grattan
to have been guilty of treason in the
sense that Wolfe Tone, Lord Edward
Fitzgerald and Arthur O'Connor We're
guilty of treason. The sting Of the
accusation lay in the suggestion that
Grattan was a traitor who had saved
himself discreetly from the conse-
quences of his treachery. 1t was per-
fectly we'll known that Grattan never
had any sympathy whatever with the
movement of the United Irishmen, and
1t was perfectly easy for him to dis
prove the clumsy falsehoods of Cory.
Il despise the falsehood," said Graf
tan. IF such charge were made by
an honest man I should answer it in
the manner I shall do before I sit
down; but 1 shall first reply to it
when not made by an honest man."
Then came a succession of sentences
glowing like living Goals. The fool
had awakened sleeping volcano, and
it answered him with annihilation.
The speech is familiar to every st,l-
dent of Irish history, and yet there are
sentences of it which will bear inces-
SAINT repetition. When he declared
| that he scorns to answer. any wizard
Of the Castle, throWing himself inta
fantastical airs;" when he described
him as "deserting the occupation of a
barrister for that of a parasite and
pander;" when he said, II will not call
him villain, because it would be un-
parliamentary, and he is privy coun-
cillor; I will not call him fool, because
he happens to be the chancellor of the
exchequer;" when he asserted "that
the treason of the minister against
the liberties Of the people was infln-
| itely worse than the rebellion of the
people against the minister" he con-
ferred on Cory a kind of infamou.
Immortality.
The Castle parasite sent challenge
to Grattan. The opponents met next
morning in the Phoenix park. Brat
tan was as ready with his pistol as
with his tongue, and he wounded Cor
ry in the arm. The physical injury
to Cory was slight. Morally he was
pulverized. Grattan had not takef
his life, but he had ruined his repu.
tation. No further attempt was made
by any of the creatures of the Gov.
ernment to draw upon themselves tlls
destruction Of Grattan's eloquence.
But the eloquence Of Grattan coul(
not save the constitution of the coun
try. The resolutions in favor Of tn,
union were carried by successive ma
jorities, and on May 21, Lord Castle
reagh's bill, based on the resolutions
was carried on it's first reading by tn
majority which the Government ha,
calculated upon-a majority Of sixty
On May 26 the second reading of th'
bill was carried, after the house hat
listened to the last of Grattans anti
union speeches. There need be IL
apology for quoting here again tn
immortal peroration of that fina
speech. Like the passage from Shakes
peare which it enshrines, Us a relic il
enshrined in frame scarcely less pre-
cious than the sacred inclosure, it i
eternally fresh and eternally beautiful
"Yet I do not give up the countr,
see her in swoon, but she is no
dead; though in her tomb she lie
helpless and motionless. still there i
on her lip spirit of life, and on he
cheek glow Of beauty
Thou art not conquered, beauty's en-
sign yet
Is crimson in thy lips and in tn
cheeks,
And deaths pale flag Is not advance
there.
: While a plank Of the vessel stick
, together will not leave her. Ii
t the courtier present his fiimsy sal