. Ireland yesterday and today . t 5,000,000; four-fifths ofthese were Catholics, 600,000 Episcopalians, 400,000 ofother churches, chiefly Presbyterians. All of the politicalpower was in the hands of the 600,000 Episcopalians; theygave no consideration to the Presbyterians, and Catholics, inspite of the abolition of many penal enactments against them,held no positions of trust in public affairs. Four-fifths of thepeople of Ireland had no more to do with the governmentof the country, it has been said, than a community ofmice might have to do with a government of cats. Thegovernments attitude upo
. Ireland yesterday and today . t 5,000,000; four-fifths ofthese were Catholics, 600,000 Episcopalians, 400,000 ofother churches, chiefly Presbyterians. All of the politicalpower was in the hands of the 600,000 Episcopalians; theygave no consideration to the Presbyterians, and Catholics, inspite of the abolition of many penal enactments against them,held no positions of trust in public affairs. Four-fifths of thepeople of Ireland had no more to do with the governmentof the country, it has been said, than a community ofmice might have to do with a government of cats. Thegovernments attitude upon religion was the same. TheAnglican Church was established and endowed—a statechurch, supported by public tithes. The Presbyterian andCatholic Churches were tolerated, but were supported by thevoluntary contributions of members, who had also to paytithes to the Episcopalian Church. Education was similarlyburdened with injustice, as has been related in anotherchapter. In all these evils may be traced the effects of the funda-. THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 21 I mental weakness of the Union. It did not unite the races—it was not designed to do so—it simply united the govern-ment of Great Britain with a political party in Ireland. Theminority remained in supreme control; but, having beenrelieved of responsibility, lost whatever sense of patriotism itmight have had. Nor did the home government keep thepledges upon which it had forced the union. Completeemancipation of the Catholics was solemnly promised, buttwenty-nine years elapsed before the pledge was redeemed,and then only under the pressure of a national agitation. Backof this was the great figure of Daniel OConnell, whose nameis indelibly written on the history of emancipation. In 1823he reorganized the old Catholic Association, which had lostpower because of division among its members. It spreadthroughout the whole country, enlisting the support of peas-ants, gentry and priests, and for five years maintained a cease-less agi
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