632 



O'Driscol's Views of Irtland. 



dcsol.ilioii of new conflicts. He was 

 \ty\[y a iniiiister ul' peace; and his la- 

 liDHis were such as became sncii a 

 tniiiislralion — tiie labours of liic church 

 and <he closet. Ilo was seen upon no 

 public oc piofane arena, contending for 

 power and direction in tumultuous as- 

 semblies. The reverend orators of ag- 

 {;regalc meetings might have studied 

 ll>is distinguished and good man with 

 much ])rotit. 



The preaching of Dr. O'Lcary was 

 very j)c('uliar ; — occasionally pathetic 

 and profound, he would somelimcs in- 

 dulge in sarcasm, and representations 

 iircsistibly comical. He threw over 

 the vice or folly which he lashed such a 

 fool's coat as stuck to it forever. ThoFC 

 who could not bo reclaimed by grave 

 rebuke, shrunk with horror from the 

 ludicrous exhibition. His writings are 

 a model of gay, graceful, and elegant 

 composition. In whatever he wrote or 

 said, tlic kind heart and gentle and cul- 

 tivated spirit were pioniineut and 

 visible. 



CATHOLIC nOAUCV. 



The Catholic Hoard, which some 

 jc^irs since excited so much interest 

 and aileiition, has, without any assigned 

 cause, declined into insignificance, and 

 almost disappeared. This formidable 

 iSoaid, «hich combated the whole force 

 «il' govt rnnient, and willjstood the at- 

 laekii of the attorney-general, has sunk 

 ixneath the weight of its ewu indis- 

 trelions. 



• III its origin, it was no more than a 

 committee of gentlemen for the ina- 

 nagement of Catholic petitions. Tlie 

 first iiKMnhers of this committee were 

 »ii( n of distinguished talents, such as 

 Cmry, Keough, and others. I'hese, 

 v\hen the Catholics could not rely so 

 much, as they have since done, upon 

 their wealth and iiundjcrs, threw a 

 grace an<l dignity about their proceed- 

 in;^ s. 'J'hc mild manners aiid learning 

 of Curry, the talents and elofjuencc of 

 Kcoui;h, gave to their cause, not the 

 asj.ect of an < ll'ort on behalf of a creed, 

 but the grandeur of u national struggle 

 for freedom. 



'J'liese were succeeded by men of 

 had taste, and no discretion. The vul- 

 gar bigotry of Drumgolc, and the 

 coarse declamation of others, who now 

 assumed to be leaders, gave the com- 

 mittee the semblance of a popish club, 

 deiKninciiig its adversari(?s, and labour- 

 ing to ;iet up the inlallible standard of 

 HouK ; i.'ilher than of a conuniftec of 

 Calhulic gcutkuitn, taking uicasuKs to 



establish the liberties of their native 

 land. The Protestant friends of free- 

 dom, and of the Catholics, became 

 alarmed and disgusted at this odious 

 phenomenon. They looked with terror 

 and dislike at the new features of 

 menacing and malignant vulgarily 

 which the IJoard assumed. And when 

 the members proceeded to increase their 

 immbers, and to assume the port and 

 attitude of a representative body, fear 

 fell upon the ))ublic of the Piotestant 

 belief, and the best friends of the people 

 became languid in their cause, if not 

 liostilc to it. 



ORANGE SOCIETIES. 



The association of United Irishmen 

 produced the Orange Association. 

 Jilxtremcs produce eacii other. The 

 United Iiish Association, criminal as it 

 was, and disastrous to the country, yet 

 combined, in the declared objects <;f its 

 compos'lion, some of the best principles 

 of our nature; — love of counliy, and a 

 high-minded sacrifice of every preju- 

 dice, religious and political, to the com- 

 mon good. This Society announced a 

 " union of aflection among Irishmen of 

 every religious denomination," as the 

 new prineijjle of its organization. 



'i'hc Orange Society was the embo- 

 died sjiirit of the penal laws. Its object 

 was to |>erpetuate the religious and po. 

 litical divisions and distractions of the 

 country, ;md to profit by them. 'J'hc 

 spirit of Orangeism had e.xislcil forages 

 in Ireland ; it only now put on its 

 livery, and displayed its glaring insignia. 



Orangeism s])rang up in the northern 

 Irish counlie.*^, where also the Unitetl 

 Irish Association had its birth. It is 

 remarkable, that the Orangemen re- 

 cruited extensively from the ranks of 

 the " United Irish." Many had joined 

 these ranks who had little principle nr 

 patriotism. These were faithful, while 

 inipunily and success marched in the 

 van of the new-rai.sed battalions; and 

 when these Ibrsook the cause, they went 

 with them, and joined the host of the 

 enemy : others were panic-struck, or 

 ail'ectcd to be .so, at the proceedings of 

 their Komisli confederates of the South. 

 Disgusted with such allies, they were 

 easily persuaded to abandon a doubtful 

 and dangerous cause. 



The principle of the Orange Associa- 

 tion was to ui)hold the Protestant as- 

 cendancy, to maintain, and, if possible, 

 seoiiro a monopoly of power, place, and 

 profit; and to these views, to sacrifice, 

 without reserve, all national interest and 

 fitliug. It was founded upon a syste- 

 matic 



