'J h h (t$ S PERI AX.
the Duke of Wellington would have found General Grant's
memoirs very pleasant reading," a remark reminding us very
much of the manner in which one would recommend a stu
dent's production to his professor, as something quite credit
able, for him. In conclusion we would like to say that Mr.
Arnold's flippant manner of speaking of one of the most try
ing periods of Grant's life is about as remarkable for its lack
of good taste as for its heartlcssness,and we are of the opinion
that this "criticism" of Mr. Arnold's will certainly gain him
little praise and still fewer friends, not only in the United
States, but even in his own country.
Education is a grand thing. It is pleasant to be able to
look back into the misty past and sec great landmarks stand
ing out, around which we may center a vast number of facts
thus making a complete chapter in the history of natural de
velopment. It is pleasant too, to be conversant with old Lat
in and Greek roots. Yes, and to come out of an examination
with a big 98, conscious that we have led the class. A desire
to accomplish all this is indeed laudable. Hut this should
not be the whole aim of a college life. The great cry of the
age is for something practicable, something that we may car.
ry around in our vest pocket for every day use. Collegiate
education is condemned because it does not furnish this sort
of equipment. Wc partly believe in the truth of the state
ment but insist on sticking to college. We think that they
, , are prepared to furnish just this kind of training. It is, how
ever, not to be found wholly in the class room, but in the so
ciety halls. It is there that the student prepares to meet the
men of the world in the struggle that comes after the college
days are over. What a vast amount of training there is in
ihc routine of society duties to the student who takes upon
himself the responsibility of doirj them! It is in doing this
work that the easily embarassed student learns to face an au
dience and express his opinion without trembling, Here al
so, the forward, smart student is taught to check his impetu
osity. It is in the literary societies that the wire edges are ta
ken ofl and deficiencies made up, until the student steps
forth a new man. These benefits come only to those who en
ter into the woik with a will. To this class the benefit thus
gained overbalances t.h.at of any one study pursued during a
college course. Those students who attend our institution
without attaching themselves, to a society ,or those who do en
roll thcmse.lvcs and then avoid a member'? duty, will take
with them bu.U small shve of the real benefits of a college
course. The age when dudishness would advance a man is
past. Ten percent of pur term standing forfeited in order to
do society work which does not mean simply literary work
will redound to the benefit of any student. But is it neces
ary to lower oiir class standing to do this work? Experience
answers no.
al responsibilities of governmental positions clearly brought
out in their studies, and in many cases can determine between
right and wrong more sharply than the local politicians. And,
as is usually the case, the lack of any direct political interest
makes their ballots less biased than they might otherwise
be.
In the election just referred to, the students certainly were
on the right side, and the good city administration that is to
follow can be looked upon by the students as partly of theii
handiwork. We hope to see this spirit continue; not,howcv
cr, grow till it shall absorb the attention of the student to
the detriment of his studies, but just enough to make things
lively; to give indications thatwc are American citizens.
ENGLAND'S IRISH POLICIES. '
At the rt Cty flection the activity of our students call
ed OUt Jjpuch condemnation on the part of the local politicians
wflpnppeneoQpeon the other side of the fence. The
vile epithets app4 to many of the students at the polls on
ly served to rouse their mettle, and they turned out in full
fojee. It is just and proper that they should feel an interest
in political affairs. It is a pertinent fact that it will fall to
the lot of many students to take the responsibility of some of
the official positions in the future. To be wide awake to lo
cal interests will furnish them with a fund of experience which
will be of, great benefit when that time comes. A little poli
tics mixed with school work is a good thing. College students
are, as a rule, an orderly set of fellows. They have the mor
The Scotch covenanters had succeeded! The British par
liament was at a death-lock with its King. The English peo
pie were occupied with the varying fortunes of the contending
factions. Now was the time to strike for Ireland and for
liberty. The Irish had not forgotten the duplicity of Charles,
or the mercenary policy of Strafford, and, maddened by long
centuries of oppression, they arose to sierc the oppoitunity
.of purging their soil forever of the despised conquerors. The
English people, occupied with internal dissensions, could on
ly look on with horror at the excesses of the downtrodden Ir
ish. A Stuart's blood atoned for a Stuart's hhamc. Cathol
icism in England had become a thing of the past. A
Puritan parliament reigned supreme, and to the natural ha
tred of the English and Irish was added the deadly enmity of
the Protestants and Catholics. The Irish had arisen and com
mitted excesses which cannot be palliated by the name of re
bellion; but the hour of retribution was at hand. By this mas
sacre Ireland had forged her own chains and drawn on her
self the weight of a just vengeance. Cromwell the avenger
landed at Dublin on the 15th of August. "We arc come,"
said he, "to ask an account of the innocent blood that has
been shed." But his policy carried the work beyond the lim
its of retribution, bringing Ireland to misery and despairing
submission. The blood covered ruins of Drogheda and Wex
ford bore witness to the avenging power of Puritan England.
Thus Cromwell fulfilled his mission: to restore tranquillity
and peace to the Irish nation. But what a tranquillity and
what a peace was that! The tranquillity of a grave
yard; the peace of despair. "He made a desolation and
called it peace." Ruined, devastated, desolate, despairing,
Ireland "bowed her subject knee" to the despised protector.
As was his conquest, so was his rule. He transported a large
number of Irish, and poured into the void thus made, a co
pious stream of English Puritans.The Canaanofthe Irish fugi
was beyond the Shannon, but devoid of "milk and honey."
"Protestantism orConnaught" was the soothing cordial for
Irish misery. Under the stern rule of Cromwell, Ireland
soon assumed the appearance of prosperity but, as is Vesuvius,
so was Ireland, the rebellious spirit ready at any time to
burst forth in all its fury, kept dormant only by the iron arm
of the protector; nourished by the arrogance of the predomi
nant English settlers.
Such was the policy of Cromwell, cold, cruel, unrelenting
destined to die with its originator. The seeds, thus sown by
Cromwell were to mature and the harvest to be reaped by hs
successors; a policy originated, maintained and terminated by
the sword.
Two centuries roll by. The nineteenth century dawned up
on the Emerald Isle. The Irish were still laboring under the
yoke of oppression. But at last, O'Connell, with resistless
