The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-07-11
Predicts All Saints Day for Ireland

the Irish Church from the Mother
Church. appealing thereto with tho
insidious arguments Of the Jansenist
and Gallican. he told and preached
to all their duty to remain with the
one Catholic Church, and to die
rather than betray it. How these
same men served his enemies BY
swearing falsely, demanding his ar
rest and trial. and the story Of his
transportation from Dublin, where he
had some friends, but many enemies,
to London. which held no friend to
welcome him, no witness to testify
for him. He. as the Blessed Master.
must tread the wine-press alone.
The Chief Justice condemned him
to death, and he was hanged, drawn
and quartered July II. 1851.
There are some words and phrases
spoken by jurists and statesmen.
around which many mock heroics
have been written. for which limo
cent lives have been destroyed, under
which countless crimes have been
committed. 1.-THE majesty Of law"
is one of them; and 1.-THE dark crime
of treason" is another.
Oliver Plunket was condemned be-
cause. as the Chief Justice, presiding.
said, in delivering sentence. he was
guilty of high treason against the
government in propagating the Cath
Ollie religion in Ireland, "then which
there is nothing more displeasing to
God, or more ,pernicious to mankind
in the world"
It is quite unnecessary for me to
defend Oliver Plunket of the crime Of
treason; but what I want to say is.
that in all the world to-day, or Of
history. there never has been a ma
ton as free from, or which detested
more the crime of, treason as has
been the Irish nation.
Furthermore, that there never has
been a nation that more highly re-
garded the majesty of law, or sought
or gave a more willing obedience
thereto, than the Irish nation. I say
so to-day, and before the Altar, and
I speak as I believe, advisedly.
have studied Irish history have
witnessed their service under many
fags-I have seen their exiled sons
placed where the test was whether
law should reign or anarchy have
followed them in the halls Of legis-
lature, and to seats where justice
reigned; and from these high places
I have turned back to humber walks
where the common" people are
found; and from the highest to low
est, whether Lord Chief Justice Of
England or presiding Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States,
at home or abroad; I have found in
the heart of the laborer who served,
and the lord who ruled, passionate
love Of Justice high and holy re-
gard for law and order, and a scrupu-
lous regard for the equal rights Of
their fellowmen.
Your ancient history is largely the
story of the Brehon Laws, which,
written in the spirit of exalted JUS
tice, represented, at once, the spirit
and prosperity of the nation. The
English invasion, lawless in its incep-
ton, proceeded to set aside the Bre-
hon Laws, and refused the protection
of the common law of England. It
was their method and best excuse to
abolish law first, and then to punish
the people for their lawlessness. Yet.
during all these dreary years, in spite
of confiscation and devastation, tho
deprived of their lands, and driven
from their homes, the Irish people
would willingly obey the law If it
were established with even a SEM
blance of justice. Instead, these laws.
by their injustice and inhumanity,
made their observance impossible,
and drove the nation. as was the enc
mics purpose. into the last trenches,
where, If strong enough to revolt,
they were punished with death, and,
If not, they were left to die from
starvation. And when the cloud lift
ed, and better days appeared for Ire
land, how earnestly and how patiently
did she lift her bruised hands asking
for justice-the right to live human
ly; and how she waited, oppressed
and depressed, while all the world
moved on. And last, and latest, see
to-day the millions of Ireland, and of
Irish blood, calmly and patiently
waiting the final supremacy of law in
their own land. without reproach and
without fear, believing that Just
God guides the nation. The Irish
people have reached at last that po-
sition where justice, fair play and
equal rights appear to have become
their long-denied heritage, and they
who loved and labored for a thous-
and years under a system that was
Infamous and under laws that were