The poems of Thomas D'Arcy McGee. With copious notes. Also an introduction and biographical sketch

Front matter

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1 i

Preface

The poems ■whicli are now for the first time presented in a collective form to the public, -were gathered together from various parts of the Old and the New World. Yery many of them weie written for the Dublin Nation, as well under ilr. Sullivan's as Mr. Duffy's editorial management. It seemed to be one of Mr. McGee's most lingering fancies, to keep up his connection all his life long with the far-famed journal in whose brilliant pages he had made his name as a poet. The several volimies of the journals he himself edited, namely, the Xew York Xation, the American Celt, and the Xew Era, Mrs. McGee supplied from his own library. Some of the poems appeared in Duffy's Hibernian Magazine, to which he was also an occasional contributor, and others in the Boston Pilot. Many of the best of his later poems were written for the Xew Yor?c Tablet, the last journal with which he was connected ; not a pecuniary connection, but simply one of friendsliip, and community of thought and feeling with its conductors, one of whom has the sad privilege of editing his poems. I am indebted to the Messrs. Sullivan, of the Dublin Xaiion, ilr. Donahoe, proprietor of the Boston Pilot, and several private frienils of Mr. McGee's, for transcribed copies of poems ; also to Mr. Meehan, of the Xew York Irish American, for files of Duffy's Xation, without which I could not have completed my collection. By Major Maher, of Xew Haven, Ct., I was loaned the missing volume of the American Cell for 18-52. Those written for the Boston Pilot were, of course, juvenile productions, lacking the grace and finLsh we find in those of his later years. These I have placed as a sort of appendix at the end of the volume. Unfortunately, some of the iv PREFACE.

poems are still wanting, as I observed on the author's lists of his poems the names of some that I could nowhere find — some, too, of the most valuable — such as "The Spoiling of Aimorica," *' St. Bridget and St. Flaine," "Earl Sigud and his Sons," "Tlie Vale of Angels," " Tire Dog of Auglirim," "The Isle of St. Iberius," and other historical poems. Should any of tliese be found hereafter, they will be given in another edition.

In the arrangement of the poems, I have followed the actual course of our poet's mind. I have placed the Patriotic poems first, the Legendary and Historical next, then the Poems of the Affections, the Occasional or Miscellaneous, and lastl)^ the Religious, which, happily for him, represented the last phase of his mind. The Historical Poems, it will be seen, I have arranged chronologically, following the course of the history of the Irish Celts, including their life in their new American home.

The Biographical Sketch being merely intended as a key to the poems, I would respectfully request the reader to read it first, then tlie Introduction, which will prepare the way for the poems themselves.

Some errors will be detected by critics in the rhyme of certain of the poems, none, however, in the rhythm, which, in all, is perfect. I have done what I legitimately could to correct errors, which the author liimself would have done in a general revision, had he lived to prepare his works for publication. Some of the defects in rhyme I could not venture to correct witliout taking unwarrantable liberties with the author's thought.

The editing of these scattered remains of a genius all too soon extinguished in death, was truly a labor of love to one who knew the lamented author long and well, and from an intimate knowledge of his many noble qualities of head and heart, set a high value on his friendship. This collection of his poems is as complete as I could make it, and such as it is, I commend it to public favor as a volume of genuine poetry, springing from a heart that was deeply imbued with a love of the beautiful, the good, the heroic. M. A. S.

New York, November 18, 1869.

Contents

PAGE

Biographical Sketch of the Author 15

Introduction to the Poems 41

A Fragment 160

A Harvest Hymn i*9

Along the Line 161

A Malediction 69

A mere Irishman's Lament 79

Am I Remember'd lo'J

An Apology to the Harp 61

An International Song 16-1

An Invitation Westward 116

Another Year 143

A Profession 157

Arm and rise ! 163

A Salutation 138

A Salutation to the Free Flag of America 131

A Song for the Sections 71

A Vow and Prayer 123

Cliange 89

Death of the Homeward Bound 102

Deeds done in Days of Shame 84

Dream Journej^s 140

Freedom' s Journey 160

Freedom's Land 75

Hail to the Laud 67

Home Sonnets — Address to Ireland 125

Hope 90

It is easy to Die 92

Lord Gl— gall's Dream 154

Midsummer, 1851 151

Native Hills 141

New- Year's Thoughts 87

No SuiTcnder 83

Ode to an Emigrant Ship 93

O'Donnell of Spain 147 yi CONTENTS.

PAGE

Oh ! blame me not 128

Prologue to St. Patrick at Tara 114

Question and Answer 1 29

Rise and go 155

Rocks and Pavers 86

Salutation to tlie Celts 135

Song of the Sikhs 74

Song of the Surplus 149

Sormet 130

Sonnet — Return 139

The ancient Race 132

The Army of the West 73

The Celt's Consolation 82

Tlie Dawning of the Day 90

The deserted Chapel 77

The Emigrant at Home 64

The Exile's Devotion 108

The Exile's Meditation 105

The Exile's Request 134

The Gathering of the Nations 85

The Heart's Resting-place 127

The Living and the Dead 101

The Parting from Ireland 106

The Pilgrims of Liberty 65

The Reaper's Song 98

The Recusant 81

The Saint's Farewell 110

The Search for the Gael 91

The Song of Labor 112

The Three Dreams 104

The Three Minstrels 63

Time's Teachings 142

To Duffy, Free 120

To Duffy in Prison 116

To my Wishing-cap Ill

Tiy again 156

Union is Strength 136

When Fighting was the Fashion 95

Wishes 148

A Ballad of Bannow 271

Address to Milesius 171

CONTENTS. y\l

FAOE

After the Flight 312

A Legend of Duuluce Castle , 2G5

A Legend of St. Patrick 192

Amergin's Anthem on discovering Innisfail 174

An Invocation 170

A Pra3'ei- for Feargal O'Gara 323

Brother Michael 317

Bryan, the Tanist 213

Carolan the Blind 32'J

Cathal's Farewell to the Rye 223

Charitj' and Science 338

Death of Art M^Murrough 267

De Courcy's Pilgrimage 2o8

Epithalamium 2513

Execution of Archbishop Plunkett 328

P'eagh M-Hugh 297

Flan Synan's Game of Chess 209

How St. Kiernan protected Clonmacnoise 214

Li-felix Felix 325

lona. 219

lona to Erin ! 221

Ireland of the Druids 181

Kildare's Bard on Tournaments 283

King Brian's Ambition 24G

King Brian's Answer 248

King Brian's Lament for his Brother Mahon 248

King Malachy and the Poet M'Coisi 245

Lady Gormley 211

Lament of the Irish Children imprisoned in the Tower 298

Lay of the last Jlonk of Mucruss 30G

Lost, lost Armada 304

Margaret O'Carroll 277

Mileadh Espagne 172

Origin of the Isle of Man 179

Queen Mary's Mercy 289

Randall M'Donald 279

Rory Dall's Lamentation 314

Saint Bees .• 3G0

Saint Columbanus in Italy to Saint Comgall in Ireland 231

Shawn Na Gow's Guest 345

Sir Cahir O'Dogherty's Message 309

Song of " Moylan's Dragoons " 336

Song of O'Donnell in Spain 303 viii CONTENTS-

PAGE

Sonnet — to Kilbarron Castle 32-1

St. Brendan and the Strife-sower 199

St. Cormac, the Navigator 229

St. Patricli's Death 198

St. Patrick's Dream 187

St. Patrick's first Converts 189

St. Patricli's of the woods 351

Tlie Abbey of Lough Key 357

The Banshee and the Bride 285

The Battle of Ayachucho 352

The Battle of Clontarf 249

The Caoine of Donnell More 228

The Captivity of St. Patrick 185

The Celts 176

The Coming of St. Patrick 184

Tlie Coa\ing of the Danes 235

The Connaught Chief's Farewell 32G

The Croppies' Grave 334

Tlie Death of Donnell More 225

The Death of King Magnus Barefoot 237

The Death of O'Carolan 333

Tlie Famine in the Land 339

Tlie flying Ships 342

The four Masters 320

The Gobhan Saers 178

The Harp of King Brian 169

The haunted Castle 355

The Irish Homes of Illinois 348

The Irish Wife 282

The Landing of tlie Normans 255

The Last O'SuUivan Bcare 315

The Legend of Croagli Patrick 195

The Love Charm 280

The outlawed Earl 307

The Penitence of Don Diego Rias 262

The Pilgrimage of Sir Ulgarg 260

The Poet's Prophecy 300

The Praise of Margaret 0' Carroll of Offally 274

The Rapparees 310

Tlie Saga of King Olaf, of Norway, and liis Dog 240

The Shanty 349

The sinful Scholar 252

The Summons of Ulster 301

CONTENTS.

IX

PAGE

The Testiament of St. Arbogast 233

The Voyage of Eman Oge 201

I'he wild Geese 332

The " Wisdom-sellers " before Charlemagne 205

The woful Winter 343

Three Sonnets for St. Patrick's Day 19i

To the River Boyjie 330

'Twas something then to be a Bard 284

An Eastern Legend 373

A Plea for Spain 407

Caleb and Joshua 874

Columbus 383

Dieplion 3G-5

Hannibal's Vision of the Gods of Carthage 368

Jacques Cartier 387

Jacques Cartier and tlie Child 889

'■ Our Ladye of the Snow !" 393

Re-conquest of the Spanish Land 380

Sebastian Cabot to his Lady 385

Tiie Answer of Simonides 370

The Death of Hudson 398

The Jews in Babylon 372

The Launch of the Griffin 404

The Maccabees 37G

The Star of the Magi and of Bethlehem 378

The Virgin Mary's Knight 881

Verses in honor of JIargaret Bourgeoys 391

A Death-song 419

A Dream of Youth 445

A Monody on the Death of Gerald Griffin 436

An Invitation to the Country , . . 429

Cead mille failthe, O'Meagher ! 435

Consolation 439

Edward Whelan 465

Eugene O'Curry 457

Home Thoughts 428

I love thee, Mary ! 425

In Memoriam 433

In Memoriam 441

X CONTENTS.

PAGU

In Memoiiam 462

Lines written in a Lady's Album 424

Live for Love 420

Mary's Heart 440

Memento Mori 426

Memento Mori 432

Memories 427

Requiem jEternam 467

St. Kevin's Bed 416

Sursum Corda 455

The dead Antiquarj^ O'Donovan 448

The Death-bed 430

The Exile 421

The Parting -413

The Priest of Perth 468

Thoughts of Ireland 414

To a Friend in Australia 444

To Mary in Ireland 417

To Mary's Angel 423

To Mr. Kennedy, the Scottish Mnstrel 461

William Smith O'Brien 446

Wishes 460

Words of Welcome 443

A Contrast 495

Ad Misericordiam 505

An Epicurean Ditty 489

A Plea for the Poor 492

A small Catechism 532

Autumn and Winter 531

Contentment 501

Dark blue Eyes 478

Donna Violetta 493

False Fear of the World 488

God Bless the Brave ! 514

Grandma Alice 506

Graves in the Forest 491

Hallowe'en in Canada — 1863 510

Icebergs 522

Impromptu 523

Independence 630

CONTENTS.

XI

PAGE

Irish Proverbs 480

Lines, written on the eighty-second Anniversary of the birth of

Thomas Moore 500

Lines written on the Fly-leaf of a Booli 493

' ' Lough Derg. '' 482

My Round Table 473

Peace hath her Victories 525

Prima Vista 533

Rich and Poor 496

Sunset on the Corso at Rome 518

Tasso's Tomb at Rome 520

The Charter Song of the Tom Moore Club 498

The farther Shore 511

Tlie Lord and the Peasant 479

The Man of the North Countrie 484

The Minstrel's Curse 527

The Mountain-laurel 477

The Old Soldier and the Student 51G

The Penitent Raven 508

The Romance of a Hand 475

The Sea Captain 523

The Star Venus 612

The Students 490

The Student's luckless Love 47S

The Suirless Land 52G

The Ti-ip over the Mountain 499

Thomas Moore at St. Ann's 513

To Miss M. S 508

Woman's Praise 503

Youth and Death 487

A Christmas Prelude 557

A Prayer for the Dead ._ . 565

Christmas Morn 560

Eternity 539

Hymn to Saint Patrick 541

I will go to the Altar of God 571

Life, a Mystery to Man 553

Shrines on the Shore 545

Soldier ! make your Sword your Cross ! 567

St. Bridget of Kildare 544

Xii CONTENTS.

PAG^

Stella ! Stella ! 570

Sunday Hj'mn at Sea 570

The Saints of Erin 540

The Celt's Frayer 542

The Prayer to St. Brendan 543

The dying Celt to his American Son 547

The Cross in the West 548

The Hermit of Croagh Patrick 549

Winifred of Wales 551

The Christian Brothers 552

The Arctic Indian's Faith 556

The Midnight Mass 561

The Rosary 563

The Tliree Sisters 564

The first Communion 568

The Pearl of great Price 572

Boyhood's Dreams 577

Canticle of the Irish Christian 579

Lines addressed to Mr. A. M'Evoy, of Boston, one of the Author's

first Friends in America 585

Lines dedicated to the Memory of a beloved Mother and two dear

Sisters 577

Lines sacred to the Memory of John. Banim 589

Lines to the Petrel 580

Lines written on the Fly-leaf of a copy of ' ' The Spirit of the Nation 590

Sea Song 581

Song of the American Repealers 586

Song supposed to be sung by one of the Seamen dm-ing a stormy

Night 582

To Ireland 583

To Wexford in the Distance 578

Trees 587

E RRATA.

P&ge 49 — for " Sapre of Kinff Olaf," read " Sagfa." " 55 — for " Armoria," read " Amorica."

" 58 — for " me." read " us."

" 91 — for " Kymric," read " Cymric."

" 144 — (5th line from bottom) for " Russian," read " Prussian." " 160— for " Faith's lap." read " Fate's lap." *' 232 — for " Brunchant," read " Brunehant." " 234 — (6th line from bottom) for "one," read "our" " 285 — for "gazer," read "^ayer."

" 332 — for "soil-stirred," read " toil-stirr'd." " 466 — for "mood," read "noon."

" 559 — for " Neli's, read " Heli's."

" 561 — for " rocks," read " rack."

" 564 — for " Laves," read " Saves "

Several other typographical errors have crept in, which we hope to revise in the next edition. It will be observed that some Stanzas of an unfinished poem on "Columbus" are introduced in another — "A Plea for Spain." This is the most serious mistake the stereotypers made, as the editress had marked those verses to be left out.

BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOE.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

Thomas D'Akcy McGee, whose poems are now for tlie first time presented, in a collective form to the public, was born at CarUngford, County Louth, Ireland, on the 13th day of April, 1825. His father, Mr. James McGee, then in the Coast Guard Service, had married Miss Dorcas Catherine Morgan, the highly-educated daughter of a Dublin bookseller, who had been imprisoned and financially ruined by his participation in the conspiracy of 1798.* Of this union, Thomas D'Arcy was the fifth child and second son. Born and nurtured amid the grand and lovely scenery of the Eosstrevor coast, his early childhood fleeted by in a region of wild, romantic beauty, which impressed itself forevermore on his heart and mind, and tended not a little, as we may well suppose, to foster, if not create, that poetic fancy which made the charm of his life, and infused itself into aU he wrote and. all he said. He was eight years old. when the family removed to the historic town of Wexford, where the elder Mr. McGee had received a more lucrative appointment.

* " Both on tlie fatlier and motlier's side," says a biographer of Mr. McGee, " lie was descended from families remarkable for their devotion to the cause of Ireland. With the exception of liis fatlier, all the men of the families on both sides were ' United Irishmen.' " — See "Short Sketch of the Life of Hou T. D. McGee," by H. J. O'C. Clarke, Q. C, Montreal.

16 BIOGBAPIIICAL SKETCH OF THE AVTHOB.

Soon after tlieir removal to Wexford, the McGee family sustained a heavy blow in the death of the accomplished and most exemplary wife and mother. The rare worth and the varied attainments of this lady may be estimated by the profound respect, the more than fiUal affection, so to say, with which her eminent son cherished her memory all the days of his life. Of his father he was wont to speak as an honest, uj)right, religious man ; but his mother he loved to describe as a woman of extraordinary elevation of mind, an enthusiastic lover of her country, its m.usic, its legends, its wealth of ancient lore. Herself a good musician and a fine singer, it was to the songs of her ancient race she rocked her children's cradle, and from her dear voice her favorite son, the subject of our sketch, drank in the music — the sweet old Gaelic melody — that rings in all his poetical compositions, as a lingering echo from the past. His passionate and inextinguishable love for the land of his birth, her stoi'y and her song, may be traced, and was ever traced by himself, to the same source. Even the strong and vigorous, yet simple religious faith, which was one of the mother's characteristics, was no less discernible in her son — at every stage of his life manifesting itself in profound respect for rehgion and its ministers, and for everything that men should hold sacred here below ; while the fervent piety of the true Irish mother is happily found reflected in the truly religious tone of all his latest poems.

The loss of such a mother, it is needless to say, Avas keenly felt by such a son ; and through all the changeful years of his after-life, her gentle memory shone like a star through the clouds and mists that never fail to gather round the path of advancing life.

But the mother slept in her quiet grave in the old Cistercian Abbey, and years rolled over the head of our youngpoet, each one brioging sorrow and change — his mighty

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE A UTHOIl. IJ

genius developing itself year by year without other aids than a day-school in Wexford afforded, the higher advantages of education being as yet beyond the reach of the middle classes in Ireland, unless a religious vocation called their sons to Maynooth. But the boyish years of the future statesman and historian were not passed in mean or frivolous pursuits. His love for poetry and for old-world lore grew with his growth, and by the age of seventeen he had read all that had come within his reach relating to the history of his own and other lands. He had read of "Washington, and of the gxeat country beyond the Atlantic where Freedom had established her throne, and where the oppressed of all nations found a welcome, a home, and equal laws for all. He knew that many of his race had there found fame, and wealth, and honor ; and seeing little px'ospect of advancement at home, he emigrated to America, with one of his sisters. He was little over seventeen when, after a short visit to his aunt in Providence, R. I. (the only sister of his much-loved mother), he arrived in Boston, just at the time when the "Repeal movement" was in fuU strength amongst the Irish population of that cit}^ warmly aided by some of the prominent public men of America of that day. It was in June, 1842, that our young Irish poet arrived in Boston. When the 4th of July came round, the roar of artillery and the gladsome shouts of the multitude, the waving of flags, and the general jubilation of a people whc had freed themselves, fired his youthful imagination. It seemed to him that what he saw that day was but the foreshadowing of similar scenes in his own beloved land.

Thomas D'Arcy McGee addressed the people that day, and the eloquence of the boy-orator enchained the multitudes who heard him then, as the more finished speeches of his later years were wont

" The applause of lisfning senates to command."

18 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOIi.

A day or two after, our young exile was offered, and accepted, a situation in connection with the Boston Pilot, of which widely-circulated Irish-American journal he became chief editor some two years later, just when the Native- American excitement was at its height, and the American people were about to witness the disgraceful riots in Philadelphia which resulted in the sacking and burning of two Catholic churches. It was a critical period in the history of the Irish race in America ; they were proscribed and persecuted on American soil, and were once again, as of old in their own land, obliged to defend their lives, their propert}', their churches. Few were then their defenders in the press of America, but of those few stood foremost in the van Thomas D'Arcy McGee, a host in himself. "With all the might of his precocious genius, and all the fire of his fervid eloquence, he advocated the cause of his countrymen and co-religionists, and so scathing were his fiery denunciations of the Native Americans, as the hostile party were styled, that all New England rang with their unwelcome echo. This outburst of fanaticism at length subsided and jjassed away, but the popularity which the young Irish editor and orator had gained during the struggle continued to grow and flourish. The Repeal agitation was then at its height both in Ireland and America, and again the Boston Pilot and T. D. McGree took a leading part. By his speeches at Repeal meetings, his lectures delivered all through New England, and his already powerful pen, our j^ouug " Wexford boy,'' as he was often called, rendered so good service to the cause he loved, that his fame crossed the Atlantic and reached O'Connell himself, who, at some of the j)ublic meetings of the day, referred to his splendid editorials as "the inspired writings of a young exiled Irish boy in America." So mightily had his fame increased, that he was invited by the proprietor of the Dublin Freeman's Journal —

BIOGBAPEICAL SKETCH OF THE AVTHOB. \%

then as now one of the leading Irish journals — to become its editor. No offer could be more acceptable to Mr. McGee, as none could have been more flattering, or more in accordance with his heart's dearest wish, to do something for the advancement of his native land. But what a change in his fortunes ! Three years before he had left his home by the Slaney side to better his fortune in the New World : he had left Ireland unnoticed and unknown ; he returned radiant with fame, his youthful brow already crowned with the laurels he had won in defence of his people at home and abroad, called to aid the greatest of patriots and his associates in the cause of Irish freedom.

So, at the age of twenty, our poet-journalist took his place in the front rank of the Irish press. But the Freeman was too moderate in its tone, too cautious, as it were, for the fervid young patriot ; and finding that he was not at liberty to change its character or its course, he gladly accepted the offer of his friend Charles Gavin Duffy to assist him in editing the Nation, in conjunction with Thomas Davis, John Mitchel, and Thomas Devin Reilly.

In such hands the Nation soon became the great organ of the National party, the mouth-piece of all the fervent aspirations of what was called "Young Ireland." Perhaps no journal was ever pubhshed in any country with such a galaxy of genius shining on its pages. Like a magnet, it drew to itself men and women of all their race the most brilhantly endowed with the gifts of mind. Their names became household words — words of pride and power — amongst the Irish people. The poetry of the Nation, even more than its prose, was I'ead and quoted everywhere, and its voice stirred the people like a trumpet's sound. The immediate result was the secession of the War party, represented by the Nation, from the ranks of the National or Old Ireland party, so well and wisely led by the great O'Connell,

20 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOB.

who Lad done much for bis country, and would have done more, in all human probability, were it not for this fatal secession of the younger and more ardent spirits who had been wont to follow his banner.

But the end came, and a sad end it Avas. The great "Liberator" died, while on foreign travel, a broken-hearted man. Famine had stricken the land of Erin, and her people, made desperate by despair, were judged by the " Young Irelanders" ripe for rebellion. Mr. McGree, who was secretary of the Committee of the Confederation, was one of those deputed by his party to rouse the people to action ; and after the delivery of a stirring address at Roundwood, in the county of AVicklow, he was arrested, but succeeded soon after in obtaining his release. Nothing daunted by this first mishap, he agreed to go to Scotland for the purpose of enlisting the active sympathies of the Irish in the manufacturing towns, and obtaining their co-ojDeration in the contemplated insurrection.* He was in Scotland when the news reached him that the "rising" had been attempted in Ireland, and had signally failed — that some of the leaders had been arrested, and a reward offered for the apprehen-

* Amongst other accusations brought against Mr. McGee by his bitter and unscrupulous enemies, is that of having betrayed his trust, or, at least, sadly mismanaged his Scotch mission — " the Dumbarton aft'air," as they call it. Happily, we have on record the public testimony of Mr. Duffy, by ■whom, amongst others, he was sent on that mission, that he had acquitted himself with honor and fidelity of the duties it imposed upon hiui. These are his words, well known indeed, but ever fresh, because so true :

"To forty political prisoners in Newgate, when the world seemed shut out to me forever, I estimated him" (meaning Mr. McGee) " as I do to-day. I said, ' If we were about to begin our work auew, I would rather have his help than any man's of all our confederates. I said he could do more things like a master than the best amongst us since Thomas Davis; that he had been sent, at the last hour, on a perilous mission, and performed it not only with unflinching courage, but with a success which had no parallel iu that era; and, above all, that he has been systematically blackened by the Jacobins to an extent that would have blackened a saint of God. Since he has been in America, I have watched his career, and one thing it has never wanted— a fixed devotion to Ii'ish interests.' "

BIOGBAPEICAL SKETCH OF THE AVTIIOR. 21

sion of himself, and others who had effected their escape. These were sad tidings for our ardent young patriot — sadder all the more for that he had married less than a year before, and a fair young wife, to whom he was tenderly attached, anxiously awaited his return in their quiet, happy home, in a pleasant suburb of Dublin. A few short months before he had been a gay and haj^py bridegroom, spending the first bright days of married life with his young bride amid the romantic solitudes of Wicklow, dreaming proud dreams for Ireland, and fair ones for himself and her he loved. All that was past now. Ruin had already come on the national cause, and death or exile awaited himself. The dreams he had di'eamed and the hopes he had cherished were all flown, it might be, foi'ever. But something must be done, and that quickl}'. He succeeded in crossing in safety the narrow sea between Scotland and Ireland, and in the far North found a generous friend and host in the late everlamented Dr. Maginn, the gifted and patriotic Bishop of Derr3^ Protected and sheltered by that great and good prelate, Mr. McGee awaited the visit of his wife, whom he had contrived to make acquainted with his place of concealment.- He could not and would not leave Ireland without seeing and bidding her farewell. Sad indeed was their parting, for the young wife was soon to become a mother, and who might tell if she were ever to see her husband's face , again ? Yet with the unselfishness of true affection she urged him to hasten his departure for America, and he once again sailed, in the disguise of a priest, for Avhat he fondly and proudly called the Land of Freedom. He landed in Philadelphia on the 10th of October, in that memorable year of '48, and on the 2Gth day of the same month appeared the first number of his New York Nation, the advent of which was hailed with enthusiasm by the great majority of the Irish in America. The 2-)restige of the Dublin Nation, of

22 BIOGRAPniCAL SKETCH OF TEE AUTHOR.

which Mr. McGee was known to have been one of the editors, the eclat he had before gained as editor of the Boston Pilot, and, lastly, the great want the American Irish had of a powerful organ, all combined to make the first issue of the New York Nation an event most anxiously looked for.

As far as ability and power were concerned, the Nation fully realized the most sanguine expectations of Mr. McGee's friends, and it took, as it were by right, the place of the great Irish organ of America. But unfortunately for himself and the prospects of his i^aper, Mr. McGee — naturally feeling sore on account of the utter and most ignoble failure of his party in Ireland, and the imprisonment of his dearest friend, Gavin Duffy, and others of the leaders — in writing on the causes of the revolutionary collapse, threw the blame on the priesthood and hierarchy of Ireland, who had, he said, used their boundless influence in dissuading the people from joining the insurrection. As might be exjDected, the illustrious Bishop Hughes, then happily governing the diocese of New York, took up the defence of the Irish clergy, and triumphantly proved, through the columns of the press, that in acting as they had done, they saved their people from utter ruin by rushing into a rebellion for which no adequate preparation had been made. Mr. McGee stoutly maintained his own opinion, and many took sides with him ; but all the religious sympathies of the Irish people, and their profound reverence for their clergy, were arrayed against him, and he found, when too late, that he had lost ground considerably in the favor of the best portion of his countrymen in America. To do him justice, his own truly Irish respect for the clerical order speedily regained its paramount place in his mind and heart, and he not only desisted very soon from writing against the Bishop, but ever after deplored this controversy with him as one of the false steps of his life. "What few men so greatly endowed would have done, he fre-