The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-27
Hon. William Gibson Devoted to
Ireland, but at Heart He Is
Tory.
BY LA MARauIsE DE FoNTENoY.

Tory.
| BY LA aIARQUIsE DE FONTENOY.
1 7 RELAND'S Nationalist party gains
| no vote in the House OF Lords
through the succession of the Hon.
William Gibson to the barony of his
| father. the late Lord Ashbourne, who
succumbed very suddenly to heart dis
ease on Thursday last in London. while
walking in Hyde Park. For. although
| he is enthusiastically devoted to every
thing Irish. especially to the old GUS
toms. traditions and ancient language
/ of the Emerald Isle. he remains. like
! his father before him. a Tory. To the
new Lord Ashbourne belongs the credit
OF being one of the originators of the
Gaelic movement. which may be de-
scribed as revolt of the Hibernian
mind against almost all that has hap
| pened in Ireland since the date of the
treaty OF Limerick, and an endeavor
10 revive everything pertaining to the
! Erin of oldcn times.
Among other interesting forms of
this revival. has been that of dress
and Lord Ashbourne has devoted much
trouble and money to researches bear
| ing on the subject. In the belief that
the recalling into existence of the dis
tinctive Irish garb of long ago VIII
accomplish the same result as the re-
tention of the Kilt and tartan in the
I
national sentiment. =
the kilt is purely Scotch, but. like
whiskey. 1t halls originally from Ire
land. where the real old national garb
worn for hundreds OF years, consisted
of kilt generally saffron colored, a
sanron-h ucd plaid or shawl over the
shoulder, a silver or silvcr-gllt waist
belt. short jacket. often curiously
| pleated and deliberately embroidered.
I The knees. however, were not bare. as
In Scotland. and the legs were clothed
I by "trews.' single garment, com
bining the uses of trousers and stock
ings. The cloak was full and OF ample
cut. and some of my readers will re-
call the poet Sponsors famous refer
ence TO it being IAN ideal one for
the Irish outlaw"
Although the Hghlanders OF Scot
land We're forbidden at times. during
the Jacobite Instructions to don n
KIT, yet, on the whole, they were
much less molested in this respect than
the irish, and consequently have never
really ceased to wear their distinctive
garb. But Henry VIII, with the OBJ.
1ect OF stamping out every vestiee Of
nationalism among the opponents of
his rule in Ireland, enacted number
OF penal statutes, providing dire pun
ishment for any Irish patriot who
should venture to adhere to the style
OF dress of his forefathers. 1t is these
same statutes which carefully and
deliberately enumerated every article
OF Hibernian ramcnt forbidden by the
crown and Parliament, that have, by
an irony OF fate. served the new Lord
Ashbourne and his associates in their
efforts to reconstitute and revive the
old Irish garb
Lord Ashbourne and his brothers
have frequently appeared therein, not
only at Gaelic entertainments and
meetings but likewise in society at
Dublin, and even in London In fact,
on one occasion. Lord Ashbourne made
his appearance thus arrayed within the
precincts of the palace at Westmin-
ster. The eldest sons of peers have
the privilege of standing or sitting on
the steps of the throne during debat ties
In the House OF Lords. But when the
Hon. William Gibson. as he was then,
endeaVored 10 avail himself of this
time honored prerogative, attired in
his saffron -hued Irish Kilt. Admiral Sir
Henry stephenson. the gentleman
usher of the BLACK Rod to the King, as
signed by the latter to attendance OH
the House of Lords ut Westminster.
compelled him TO withdraw. on the
ground that the Irish kits were an
improper garb, being contrary to law
AS Black Rod had never offered any
opposition to the wearing of Highland
of Lords. his action with regard to
William Gibson aroused storm of
Indignation among the Irish party in
the House of Commons. who denounced
his invocation OF sumptuary laws of
the reign OF Henry VIII. which should
have long since been repealed as an
act of medieval oppression.
/ understand that when the present
Lord Ashbourne was elected some years
ago TO membership of the Athenaeum
Club in London. his father, the late
peer. was compelled to give an under
taking that his son would not enter
the club in his Irish Kilt.
IT is understood that he PROPOSES To
wear this Garb when he first takes his
seat in the House of Lords. Inasmuch
as il will be concealed by his peers
robes. no objection Will be offered
while he is conducted by his two spon
sors, and by Garter King alarms to
the woolsack. and hands to the Lord
High Chancellor of England his sum
mons from the crown. But when. after
having thus established his right to
his vote in the House OF Lords. and
completed the ceremony of Inaugural
ton. he doffs his peers robes in order
to take his seat in the house trouble
on the part of Admiral Sir Henry
Stephenson, who is still usher OF the
Black Rod. may be looked for, since
the 400-year-old laws penalizing the
wearing OF Irish kits still remains on
the statute books.
One of Lord Ashbourne's brothers.
the Hon. Victor Gibson. has an Amer
lean wife. in the person Of Caroline
daughter Of the late Frederic De Bill.
Her. of New York. The family halls
from Tipperary, and It's fortunes NAV
be said to have been founded by Lord |
grandfather, William Glib
son. who had a beautiful place, known