The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-01-23
DANIEL O'CONNELL.
Great Irishman Worthy of the Title
Catholic NobIeman.

If ever there lived a man worthy of
the title Catholic Noblcnan, that man
was Daniel O'ConntN. Not that he
was a Catholic of good family WHO
won great fame; not even that ;,e
was a lasting benef, oior to this race,
but because all his life. in his early
days of struggle, In the zenith Of his
power and in the desolation Of later
days. his chief support and glory was
the Catholic Church, and his heart, IN
life and death, was in Rome.
At time when an Ubiquitous public
opinion had pushed the Irish people
into social inferiority. chiefly on .,c-
count Of their religion. his personality
and genius rendered the Catholic
name illustrious. He put his lasting
impress on law, politics. eloquence and
agitation wherever the English Ian
guage is spoken. Enemies hated him.
but with a hate born Of respect and
fear. Irishmen loved him, and well
he earned their love. Archimedns
said that with a. fulcrum he could lift
the world. O'Connell found the full
crum and lifted his rnce and with IL
the Catholic Church in English -speaK-
ing lands to plane that would have
been secuted as impossible a genera
ton before.
We are not here concerned with rho
brilliancy Of the man; his colossal
figure. his expressive face. his NOV
ing eloquence, his inilnitable drollery.
his legal skill, but .'ather with wat
lie accomplished for the Church, for
his race. FOR humanity.
First of all, he won Catholic Eman-
cipation, not alone CT course. but
without him 1t would have waited
many long years. Fog this Catholics
can never sufficiently tllanl. him. He
gave to the Irish Church a solidarity
and control that have enabled 1t 10
work wonders for the PEOPLE since :lia
day. He gave to Catholics every
"HOIC Oil cAdIDplo III ldItta anu uH-
swerving devotion to tho Church that
can never lose It's force while the lips
or man repeat the magic of his name.
He was the "Liberator" Of his race.
OF all the men Of genius. patrio-,s,''
end energy who have given the..:-
selves for the Emerald Isle, land
what nation has a longer bead-roll Of
beroes), O'Connell Is easily tho first
and the greatest. He who In the days
of despair and grinding Penal
Laws marshalled a shivering peasan.
try into a nation and without blow ,r
blood won such victories from an
overwhelming and contemptuous ma
jority, well deserves the title "Libera-
ter" Of his race. III the words OF
Wendell Phillips: ne did what the
ablest and bravest Of his forerunnecs
had tried to do and failed. He ore
ated a pubic opinion and unity Of pur-
pcse-~whlch made ireland a nation"
He laid the foundations for all the
victories Of later days. The triumpns
Of PANEL, the Parliamentary might
OF the Irish Nationaiists, the land re.
forms, the Catholic University, are
fundamentally. and IN the preparation
that made them possible. O'Connell's
work.
O'Connell was the greatest Irishman
who ever lived and one OF the worlds
and soldier had for centuries dons
their best for Ireland and their best
was in vain. It demanded more than
enthusiasm, than courage, than genius
1t demanded a man Of gigantic
grasp, Of prophetic eye. Of all pus
superhuman strength and statesman