O'Connell, Daniel

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

Daniel (1775-1847), an Irish orator and parliamentarian. He was born in County Kerry, Ireland, and died at Genoa, Italy. He was educated chiefly at the Catholic college of Douay, France, and entered upon the practice of law in Dublin. He was a man of fiery eloquence. He won a reputation in 1800 as an opponent of the union of the Irish Parliament with that of England. He led a movement for the admission of Catholics to Parliament, from which they were debarred by being required to take an oath that no conscientious Catholic could accept. In 1824 he formed the famous Catholic Association. Four years later he stood for Parliament and was elected. The fact that a man of such ability and character was debarred from taking his seat by the nature of the oath required drew public attention to the unfitness of the requirement, and did much to secure its abolition. In 1829 the Catholic Emancipation Bill, as it is called, was passed, and O'Connell took his place in Parliament. He became at once the Irish leader in the House. In 1842 he started an agitation for the repeal of the act of union between Ireland and England. He was arrested on charge of treason. He was sentenced to imprisonment, but the House of Lords refused to allow the sentence to be carried into execution. About this time a new party of younger men arose in favor of violent measures for the relief of Ireland. O'Connell was a man of oratory, a believer in moral suasion. He could not go with the young men. He fell between the party of violence and the party satisfied with things as they were, and so lost his leadership. The disappointments of life broke him down. He went to Italy for his health and died there. His reputation is that of a man of integrity and patriotism. His name is one commanding respect. He is greatly beloved by the Irish people. A statue in his honor is one of the public ornaments of Dublin. Octave Thanet. See French ; Alice