ECHOES FROM THE PAST.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1447, 23 May 1912, Page 11

ECHOES FROM THE PAST.

HARK TRAGEDY RECALLED, London, May 18.—After the division on the second reading of the Homo Rule Bill in the House of Commons, Mr. John Redmond, M.P., was introduced for the first lime to Ladv Frederick Cavendish. 'i'ho lady tendered the .Nationalist .cader her warm congratulations upo.i [lie triumph of the cause which he had had so long at heart.

Ihe above cable recalls the ghastk story of the Phoenix Park trageilv, and of n dramatic incident in which tliis lady l'hiyed the leading part, writes M. Meagher, in the "Sydney Morning Herald." [t is just thirty years ago since Lord Ireclerick Cavendish, a younger brother of Lord Hartington, and one of the most popular men in the House of Commons, was appointed Chief Secretarv to the Lord Lieutenant in Ireland. Lord Frederick was iu company with Mr. Burke, the Permanent Under-Secretary, and met his death while gallantly 'striving to rescue his friends from the knives of the murderers. The news reached London late on the night of Saturday, May li, ISS2. It is said thai no other news of our time made such a distinct -impression on the nation. The tragedy produced a tempest of passion that swept away for the moment the power of Mr. Gladstone and of Mr. Parnell for good to Ireland. On (he following morning, when the. news of the terrible event had spread over London, many hundreds of sympathising callers left cards at the home of Lady Frederick Cavendish. England was shocked at the assassination, the Government had been struck in its representative, lint it was the devoted wife who alone could fee! the' terrible pangs of sorrow at the news of the crime which brought her such measureless grief. Among those who went with offerings of sympathy in this hour of trial was Mr. A. M. Sullivan, u wcll-kiiowii Irish Nationalist. He, as well as many other Irishmen resident in London, left his card of condolence. Oa the following morning he received a letter from Mr. AV. G: Lyttelton (a brother of Ladv Frederick), thanking Mr. Sullivan for his sympathy, and saying that his sister desired him to state "that she, at all events, did not. lav the murder of her husband at the door of the Irish nation, and that she did not tor one moment believe that the Irish people sought his life, or would be implicated in the tragedy of his dcnlh." Michael Davitt thus describes this Gracious deed of Lady Frederick- Cavendish's :— It was a noble act, realising our highest conception of womanhood, and speakiiif a lesson of Godlike charity at a moment when poor humanity's weaknesses would naturally claim ascendency over the promptings of Christian virtue. Conduct nobler, better, or more exalted than this modern England cannot boast of. Among tho virtues with which the Chrisnan religion has reinforced tho moral weakness of humanity.there are none'so bod-liko m its character as forgiveness. It means the conquering of hate, of passion, and revenge, and the triumph of that great principle of charity which would butifor our passions make the world a paradise of peace." . Arising out of this same tragedy there is just one more interesting incident in which we find another ladv who acts the heroic part. When the man Bradv. who had killed with his own hand the 'UnderSecretary, Mr. Burke, was awaiting execution in Kilmainlnun, a Sister of Mcrcv visited tho prison evetrv dav, desirous of ministering religious consolation to the condemned man. His greatest difficulty' in preparing for death was that he could not forgive Carey, the informer. On the evening before his execution, when the of Mercy was taking leave of Brady, lie thanked her warmly for all her goodness to him, and begged she would go to visit and console his mother. Having promised to do so, she said: "And-now I want you to promise mo something; sav you will grant my renuest." After some trouble, he said, "I will." "It is," she said, "that you will forgive Carey, and will make no speech." After a little time he answered, "It is hard, but I do forgive nim, hoping that God will forgive me." On the morning of the execution, this Sister was with the mother of Bradv. Sho came with messages from the ill-fated son, and to help with consoling words to lighten the grief of a sorrow-stricken home. She fulfilled her mission of charitv, and went her way. This lady was no other than Mother Magdalene Kirwin, the first cousin and most intimate and dear friend of tho man whom Brady had killed in Phoenix Park.

Had th© English -statesmen allowed themselves to l>e guided by the woman's instinct which prompted the widow of the Chief Secretary at once to free the Irish nation from guilt of the dreadful crime, different indeed would 1» Ireland's history for the last thirty years. Gladstone himself found there was no breasting the torrent. For ho said in tho House of Commons, "All previous arrangements and intentions (with tho Irish parly) must be considered, and to some extent recast." Parnell remarked to one of the members of his party, "AVe have got to begin all over again." They did begin all over again, and to-day (after many years) Paniell's successor, John Redmond, at the Bate of tho promised land, receives the "warm congratulations upon (he triumph of tho cause" from Ladv Frederick Cavendish.