The Irish standard., 1910-05-28

PAehSSs ~ was OutSIuC VI AioiACAlS
that his greatest work was done. A
noble soul. truly! Who can think I'M
moved upon his lifec His long and
weary years. in prison, his early
struggles as poor exile boy in Eng
land, and his marvellous work to lift
from Ireland the terrible tyranny Of
landlordism
With Parnell, Davitt, Biggar, and
Harrington gone, indeed one may say
that the gap in the Irish fighting
ranks is so great that it is impossible
to fill it up. Davitts face does not
appear in the picture I have before
me, but as I write 1 draw from my
desk an old and faded photograph
taken early in 1882 in the city of New
York. At that time l was travelling
in America with Davitt, and the photo
graph is one of Michael Davitt and
myself, and it bears the inscription:
from Michael Davtt' Needless 70
say, l highly value that old picture.
1t is, however, fading rapidly, but
then, alas! does not everything fade
in this sad world of ours?
Another great and good fighter Of
later years in the Party-poor Pat
McHugh. Gone also amidst the deep
grief of the country. No truer or bet
ter servant ever gave his all for Ire
land. Now l am reminded of another
gallant figure gone.
There is in the corner of my room
a noble blackthorn stick which I had
given to me as a great favor at the
recent election in Cork. 1t is the stick
of poor Charlie Tanner! Poor, low
able, old Charlie! Whatever his enc
mics might say about him, he had
great qualities, and though 1 was not
always on the same side with him in
politics. and we had many a tussle at
the time of the split, l always had
regard for him, and his profound con-
tempt for English opinion always at
tracted me. Poor fellow! who could
help a smile of sympathy when watch
ing him as he challenged in the House
of Commons anyone to dare insult
either his country or her cause?
Then in the dead list we must not
forget Luke Hayden, of Roscommon,
a good man and true. and Donal Sui
Ivan, an old member, and j. F. X.
O'Brien, one Of the most heroic, yet
most unassuming members of the
Party The last year has been hard,
indeed, on the ranks of the Irish Par
ty Including Tim Harrington, we
have lost seven of our members-that
kis to say, Harrington, Willie McKillop,
kendall O'Brien, Patrick McHugh,
William Lundon, James Halpin, and
James O'Connor.
O'Connor, O'Brien Halpin and old
William Lundon We're men who in
early days were associated with the
Fenian movement, and they were all
of them. gallant hearts, and men Of
whom any nation might have been
proud.
Another name comes to my mind Of
"a man who is gone, and who in his
day, and at the time Of the Gladstone
Home Rule movement, did great work
for Ireland. I mean James Lawrence
! Carew. In later years he was out of
| touch somewhat with the Irish Party
in some respects, but, in recalling the
names of those Irish members who
did solid work for Ireland, his name
! must not be forgotten, and certainly
not by me, for he was lifelong friend
of mine, and L appreciated his quail
ties perhaps better than many people.
Then, which of us who know him
can forget brave old Matt Harris of
Ballinasloe? Truly he was one of the
very best, and in the early days of
the Land League he was tower Of
strength to the movement, and was
understood his noble character.
Patrick Egan, so we'll known as the
Treasurer of the Land League. and
Tom Brennan, who was Secretary just
before Tim Harrington, are both in
America, as are many other men
whose names were familiar to the
Irish people in times gone by.
Never year passes that we have
not to make the sad journey to Glas-
nevin with some member of the Old
Guard. Time changes all things, and
the Irish Party can be no exception
to that rule. One can only say fer
vently and from the heart God rest
the souls of all the men who fought
for Ireland in the brave. days of Par