Year: 1872

between the -hsad Of the Catholic Church and


the chief Of the Mnscovite Empire.


The value OF History ~ Seen In ths
Irish Contrsversy.


Father Burke made another oratoricnI a..
slaught last night ON the English cass A. uwe-,
sented by Mr.. Froude in his review Of Epcl;sL
policy IN Ireland under Cromwell and during
the terrible penal days. The arraignment Of
Ireland's oppressors was complete. If tina
Irish people had no other reason for undviuo
hatred Of England and all her belongings than
the terrible record Of Cromwells crimes there
would in that history be ample justiHoa-
ton. We are more than ever convinced that
in tearing away the veil which covered from
view the wounds inflicted on Ireland in past
ages Mr.. Froude has damaged the cause q
England more than ten thousand Fenian ora
tors could do. For it is impossible for any
man with one drop Of generous blood
IN his veins not to feel it boil
with indignation as the history Of
the savage, atrocious and unrelenting perse-
cutions to which the Irish nation was sub
jected is brought wildly before him. We ara
apt to forget or to pardon easily the injuries
which others suffer if only they are allowed to
become dim memories, but in making America
the jury to which England appeals Mr.. Frouds
compels us to take note Of the pleadings and
Ireland has already made case that enlists
not alone the sympathies of the American
people but must arouse the Indignation Of
every honest man the world over against
her oppressors. At the same time this
Irish war which is being waged in our
midst furnishes us an admirable opportunity
of studying the philosophy of history. Two
gentlemen learned, eloquent, and, according
to their own account of each other, both
honorable men" are each showing us how
differently the same fact may be viewed by
people whose interests happen to differ. II
we may trust the protestations Of the dis
putants, and we see no reason to doubt that
they are thoroughly convinced of the truth Of
what they assert, we must come to the con-
cluson that all human beings see certain sub
jects through a medium Of prejudice which
not only obscures but distorts their vision.
In his eagerness to prove that England was
justified in the robberies, prosecutions and
massacres by which, during seven hundred
years, she has endeavored to make the Irish
people love her, we see grave historian
ignoring not alone the research of his con-
temporaries, but facts which are generally
acknowledged by good authorities. But Mr..
Froude even went so far as to ignore what he
himself had written, forgetting, in an access OF
modesty, that the American public are at least
moderately acquainted with his writings In
his desire to clinch an argument against
the ancient civilization Of the Irish
people he ventured to make very
daring assertions, and some future Lever
will hand down the story Of his famous Kerry
''rath'' as rivalling in brilliancy the won-
derful archaeological discovery of the 'srat
hole by the learned and never to be for
gotten Frank Weber. This is but q small
example of the shifts to which the s'impartars
historian is driven in his efforts to defend
bad cause. While the outside intelligent
world of the nineteenth century is listening
and making it's own comments the only person
who is unconscious of the general llumina-
ton seems to be the impartial person who.
with the very best intentions, by kind Of
mental color blindness is unable to recognize
any beauty or good except it is clothed in his
favorite hue. Because the Irish have been
unfortunate Mr. Froude thinks they deserve
whatever has befallen them. He says s'they
are no good to handle riae," and yet con-
fesses that after an almost continuous struggle
of seven hundred years they refuse to acqui-
esce in defeat. We might be inclined to
doubt the correctness Of Mr.. Froude's con-
clusions even if we had nothing but his own
statements to guide us. The man who comes
before an American audience and boldly tells
them in effect that the Irish soldiers who
fought through our war were s'no good TO
handle rifle must have low opinion Of the
intelligence of average humanity. We were
under the impression that Irish soldiers
had somewhat contributed to the glory
and renown Of England; but with
the aid of Mr.. Froude's lamp we shall
probably see these matters in a new light.
American soldiers will now be able to discover
they thought, gallantly through the war, wera
in reality miserable set of poltroons. Such
is the value Of impartial history.


Father Burke, on the other hand, gives us y
pretty fair example Of how much man may
be influenced in his judgments of events by
the nature Of his surroundings. As Mr..
Froude, in his worship Of England and hatred
Of Catholicity boldly perverts history to suit
his argument so the learned and eloquent
Dominican, in his care for the interests of hia
Church, glides over and softens facts that it
were better to meet boldly. Two notable
instances of this have occurred in his lectures.
Dealing with the Bull of Adrian he dex-
terously showed that in all probability it was Q
forgery. The arguments he brought forward
had at least the merit Of novelty, and the