Edward Maguire Lahiff (Part One)
A Shrewd Young Democrat Who Has Proved Equal to Every Emergency
as a Patriot and Politician.
If there was a cabinet of portraits of Mayors’ Private Secretaries at City Hall there would be one picture on the wall above all others to which people could point with pride and say: "There is Ed Lahiff, an Irish lad that came to America with a few dollars, a brogue and a facile pencil. He became one of the brightest and best newspaper men that ever furnished copy in Chicago, and he did much to make and unmake public men. He is a born politician, and Mayor Harrison made no mistake when he appointed him as his private Secretary.
Within ten years Lahiff will become a leader in the Democratic party of Illinois." Mr. Lahiff's patriotism to the banner of green made him a martyr for the cause of Ireland in his native land previous to his arrival on American shores. He suffered for the liberty of the country of his birth and his loyalty to the country of his adoption is just as steadfast. It is the same strong heart of patriotism true to his flag, his party and his friends.
Illinois political directory, 1899
Who is Edward Maguire Lahiff? Edward was born in the village of Whitegate, Co. Cork to Patrick Lahiff who was a local shopkeeper and Bridget his mother, nee Barry. Edmond as indicated on the Catholic parish register of Aghada was baptised in the local church in Aghada on the 15 June 1862. With research ongoing he had two brothers James (b.1866) who would follow Edward to America and Patrick (b.1869). Edward went to school in Cork city, St Vincent’s Seminary.At that time, it accommodated students studying for the priesthood and students who wanted a second-level education to enable them to enter a profession or university. The history of St Vincent’s Seminary was set up by Fr Michael O’Sullivan, originally from Bantry and who sought help from the Vincentian Order to run the school which was based in Cork’s old Mansion House, now part of the Mercy Hospital complex. In 1857, the school moved to an old building in St Patrick’s Place. In 1876 The Vincentians ended their involvement with the school, a new building was built on St Patrick’s Place under the control of to the Bishop of Cork and in 1877 the students moved to their new location.
It was while young Lahiff was still in St. Vincent's seminary, Cork that he was recruited into the Land league. When Parnell started the “Land league" with Davitt they had practically no one with them but the students in the seminaries throughout Ireland. “I was but a boy at the time, but I was thrown into the movement with a vengeance and was 'persecuted and prosecuted' as they said when I was leaving until I was hunted out of Ireland, landing in a job as a dock wolloper at Detroit.” (Lahiff, Chicago Tribune August 1909)
Following the British government's suppression of the Land League (during this period the Land League's agitation was known as the Land War and which had become divided amongst mainly the Fenian’s), Charles Stewart Parnell founded the Irish National League 17 October 1882, at a national conference in Dublin the Land League was avowedly revived as the Irish National League (Conradh na Talún) with the objects of national self-government (Home Rule), land law reform, local self-government, extension of Parliamentary and municipal franchises, and the development and encouragement of the labour and industrial interests of Ireland.
“Historian R. F. Foster argues that in the countryside the Land League "reinforced the politicization of rural Catholic nationalist Ireland, partly by defining that identity against urbanization, landlordism, Englishness and implicitly Protestantism."
Foster adds that about a third of the activists were Catholic priests,” This maybe so as recorded the Rev Father Ryan, C.C was chairman of the Aghada branch of the Irish National League in the presents of Rev, J O’Keeffe, prominent Fenian Denis Kelly and the emerging young man who was Honorary Secretary of the Aghada branch Edward M. Lahiff.
Charles Stewart Parnell (1874-1891)
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE AT AGHADA
Yesterday a very large meeting of the National League was held at Aghada for the purpose of coming to some decision in reference to the payment of rent, which, owing to the great agricultural depression, the farmers find it impossible to pay without substantial reductions.
The attention of the meeting was also drawn to certain statements circulated in connection with the recent outrage in the district. The Rev. Father Ryan, CC, was moved to the chair and amongst those present were Rev. J. O’Keeffe, Messrs. Bryan McSweeney, Robert Geary, Michael Geary, John Mangan, Michael McCarthy, Tom Garde, John Fogarty, Jeremiah Connolly, Michael Cosgrove, Patrick Bailey, Denis Kelly, Dan Hanrahan, Edmund Robin, Edward Lahiff, James O’Callaghan, Edward Biggins, William McCarthy, C. McDonnell, William Higgins, Patrick O‘Callaghan, W.J. Rumley, Jeremiah Higgins, Michael O’Callaghan, William Hegarty, John Wall and Thomas Savage.
The Rev. Chairman said they were assembled there to do business and not to make speeches. They were all aware that an extraordinary effort had been made to drag from the unfortunate tenantry rents which they could not make by any possibility (hear). He was sure every tenant there and all over the country was prepared and anxious to meet his legitimate demands (hear, hear). Every tenant was prepared to give the landlord what he was entitled to and every tenant after paying the landlord what he was entitled to, had a right to look to his family and himself (applause). The tenants were expected just now to give not only what the land produced, but even to borrow money from their friends and to deprive their families of the means of subsistence for the coming winter, in order to pay the landlords an exorbitant rent (hear, hear). He did not intent to waste their time, as this was a threadbare question and it was evident to the mind of any intelligent person who could see the great depression of the times, low prices for everything, and in the face of threat, how was it possible for tenants to meet exorbitant rents? (hear, hear). It would be impossible and such being the case, be thought it only right and just and fair, on the part of the tenantry of that parish and of everywhere else, to meet and consult together in order to propose and use every legitimate means to protect themselves from unjust pressure (applause). He was quite sure there was not one present, or in the parish, who would use other than legitimate means (hear, hear). When the landlords were combined to crush and extort from them what they had not to give, he though they were entitled to meet there together to consult and devise means to meet the landlords and to save themselves from what Mr. Gladstone would call “sentence of death” (applause). He would not detain them any longer on such a subject because everyone there and in the country could see and feel that depression and disarray prevailed and unless they were to lie down and die, he might almost say “of starvation”, they should make some effort to save themselves (applause).
Mr. Kelly proposed the following resolutions:
- “Resolved – that it gives us much pleasure to know that real earnest efforts are being made by the Guardians of Midleton Union in connection with the Labourers’ Act”.
- “Resolved – that the demands of landlords for rents without substantial reduction must be regarded as monstrously unjust and harsh and as evidence has been given of an attempt to enforce such demands in our parish, we are resolved to oppose all such demands by all the legitimate means which it is in the poser of the people to employ”. If any good were to come from preparing resolutions, it ought to come from such a one as the latter, if the landlords would listen to reason. There was not much use in forcing resolutions, but it was from the determination they formed in their own minds that they could expect to gain anything from the landlords (hear, hear). They would use legitimate means and they all recollected that in Aghada, some six or eight months ago, some such resolution was propose din reference to the conduct of a landlord in that district, who came down upon his tenants for a year’s rent and put the law into operation – that law which the landlords admired so much when it suited themselves and which they took every opportunity to avoid when it did not (hear, hear). They would recollect that on that occasion, when they put the resolution into force they brought the landlord to his senses and made him cave in (applause). Perhaps it would be necessary to put some such resolution as that resolved on that time into operation in the parish again (hear, hear). There was a tenant of “Lord” Corkbeg (hisses) Who had demanded for this year, as their pastor had told them, of great distress, a statement but he insisted upon his pound of flesh like Shylock of old, he must have the whole rent, what he called the judicial rent, or he supposed proceedings would be taken to the bitter extreme.
- If he did anything of that kind, it would be their duty to act towards him as they had acted towards the landlord he had just alluded to (cheers). They would use every legitimate means to bring that man to his senses and stand by the tenant. He would not say what they would do but every man knew what to do if that man proceeded against Cornelius McDonnell (cheers), who was as good a man as could be found (hear, hear). Well “Lord” Corkbeg proved sometimes as a good landlord, as a fair and just and reasonable man. He also presumed to admire English law very much – he must admire it as he was a thoroughly loyal man, as he said himself. He was pleased with English law as long as it pleased his own purpose but when it did not he would not allow others to benefit by it but would drive a coach and four through the Acts of Parliament. He would allow a tenant go into the Land Court when he could not prevent him but when any tenant was bound by a Shylock bond he would not recognise the law and would not allow the tenant go into the Land Court (cheers). In Cornelius McDonnell’s case he admitted before the Land Act was passed that the man was rack-rented. Well, afterwards when he went to him for an abatement, although he was rack-rented. He was refused as well as a body of Lahard tenants. The Land League at that time was in full swing and he appeared to be afraid to serve the tenantry with writs. However when the Land League was suppressed, he served his tenants with writs – everyone who had not paid. After he had served them with writs, Cornelius McDonnell was the only man to hold out (hear, hear) and was taken to Cork in connection with the legal proceedings and was saddled with costs. At present he was going against Cornelius McDonnell because he had stood his ground, unfortunately unlike the other tenants (hear, hear). He had served him with a writ, which he may or may not execute. He might be inspired with bitter thoughts and submit to the way of Providence, as well as the unfortunate tenants of the country (cheers). If he did proceed they knew how to act as on a former occasion (cheers). They knew how they treated a landlord in that neighbourhood before (cheers). If Lord Corkbeg or his agent would take those proceedings, he hoped they knew their duty and use every legitimate means in their power to bring Lord Corkbeg to this senses (cheers).
Mr. Denis Shanahan seconded the resolution, which was passed.
The Rev. Chairman said there was one matter of importance on which he would wish to say a few words. It appeared that Captain Warren wrote to the Constitution and Herald, a letter in connection with the attack on the Emergency man. He (Rev. Father Ryan) had not seen either paper but he had been informed that Captain Warren stated in the letter that he had placed the Emergency man as a tenant upon the farm and that tenant was working the farm advantageously. He (Father Ryan) thought that a more monstrous and untruthful statement could not come from any man (applause). There were practical farmers there pre-rent and they could judge if the farm could be managed advantageously or otherwise and he believed himself that no farmer could put his hand to his breast and say that the farm had been worked advantageously to the landlord (applause). He should state that some time ago Mr. Whiteside, who was interested in the place, called upon him and was prepared, as far as he could judge, to have this unpleasant matter settled amicably. Mr. Whiteside stated to him that he would prefer a £100 cut of his property, with the goodwill of the people, than if he received £150 by renting them unduly (cheers). He stated that the farm was a loss to the proprietors; that it was not making for them the weekly wages given to the emergency man. How they could reconcile Mr. Whiteside’s statement with Capt. Warren’s statement they would leave it to themselves to decide (hear, hear and cheers). One stated that the man on the farm was a caretaker and that the farm would not make his weekly wages and the other (the agent) stated that this man was placed there as a tenant and that he was working the farm most advantageously (hear, hear and cheers).
Mr. E Lahiff, hon sec. said that Father Ryan had shown them that Capt. Warren’s statements were contrary to the truth (hear hear), and all they had to say was to let the landlord and agent arrange between themselves as to who was telling the lie (hear, hear and laughter). Captain Warren’s statement, notwithstanding the denunciation by them of the recent outrages which would only have been committed by cause one in the interests of the party or which Capt. Warren was proud to be a member – he had stated as far as he could without making I actionable, that the person or persons employed in the commission of that crime were paid by the local National League. Capt. Warren was full of sympathy, was overflowing with the milk of human kindness for the caretaker, but an outrage in that very place had been committed by Warren himself (hear hear). Capt. Warren called the shooting of the caretaker “an act of cowardly ruffianism” but they could not call Captain Warren a cowardly ruffian because the act he did was within the sanction of the law and the act recently committed was outside the law. He (Mr. Lahiff) asserted that the act of evicting John Russell was a grosser outrage than what happened the other day (hear hear). One of the results of that eviction was that an innocent child died; its death being mainly attributable to one cause and to that alone (hear hear). He did not know whether he could call it murder, but he would call it a grosser outrage than that which had been committed the other day (A Voice-Legalised murder) (hear hear). The speaker then referred particularly to some in which Captain Warren was agent, citing one case in which a tenant was expected to pay an increase of rent because he held a post office (laughter). They had always shown that they disapproved of outrages but that Little Christmas morning an act which could be little less than an outrage was committed by a gentleman in that neighbourhood, who had discharged a man because he went to mass that morning (oh, oh).
A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.
Irish Examiner 7January.1886
Shortly after this meeting Edward Maguire Lahiff would be leaving the shores of East Cork for the United States, but not for the last time. So in early June 1886 Edward addressed the Aghada branch of the National League for the final time.
Address Presented to Mr. E. LAHIFF, Late Sec. to the Aghada Branch of the Irish National League, by his co-worker’s in the National Cause.
Dear Mr. Lahiff, We cannot allow one so endeared to us as you have been, to depart from amongst us without testifying in the warmest and most earnest manner, our high appreciation of the many invaluable services which you have rendered the National cause – the cause of our dear old mother Ireland. No words of ours can adequately convey our grateful sense of your devoted careiness. your utter forgetfulness of self, your ever willing readiness to assume deep responsibility, labour every sacrifice, or take any risk when the cause of the tenantry, the advancement of the Aghada branch of the National League, or any other patriotic object, made demands on your time or attention.
Ever foremost in the struggle with our local tyrants, undaunted by prosecution or persecution, laughing Coercion Acts, and sacred investigations to acorn; now organising a monster meeting, and again in boarding a tyrant landlord in his den. At one time advancing the interests of the tenant farmer, at another working zealously to accrue the full advantage of recent legislation for the labourers, prepared at a moment's notice, to expose the wrong-doer or defend the fair fame of Aghada in the columns of the Press—never losing sight of the ultimate end and aim of all agitation, the fond desire of, every true hearted Celt, the attainment of National independence for our beloved country.
Conversant as we are with your worth, your talents, and your integrity we deeply regret your approaching departure from our midst, more particularly as in common with our brethren all the world over. We firmly believe that we are on the eve of Ireland's regeneration, that at length after a long weary night of bitter woe and hitherto unavailing struggles, Erin’s sons are about to enjoy the fruits of their determination, perseverance, and sufferings under the beneficent rule of an Irish Parliament.
Confident that the poor patriotic soul stirring spirit which pervaded all your actions in the old land will be faithfully preserved by you now and in greater Ireland; we can only wish and hope and pray that in open-hearted America, the noble foster-mother of our race, the generous home of millions of the Clan-na-Gael you may find that distinction, fame, and prosperity which you so richly deserve, and to which your many merits justly entitle you.
We must now, though reluctantly, say farewell! Again assuring you of our warm and grateful recognition of your true-hearted recognition of your true-hearted devotedness to the cause. One more farewell! God bless you, and God save Ireland.
Signed on behalf of your numerous Friends,
Rev John Ryan P.P, Denis Kelly, Cornelius McDonald P.L.G, Daniel Shanahan, Eugene O’Callaghan, James O’Callaghan, William Higgins, Edward Higgins, Patrick O’Callaghan.
Dear Father Ryan, friends and comrades, when one's heart is thrilled with deep and fervent feelings and the mind is thronged with changing thoughts of solace and of sadness; when heart and mind are moved to a degree of intensity experienced but seldom in a lifetime, then mere forms of language are hollow, unavailing. So is it now with me leaving all that the human soul can cling to, as mine does, with a passionate devotion, leaving a land,
“The loyalist amongst the nations"
In the effort to right those wrongs it shall always be a proud memory for me that I have taken no unworthy part; leaving those whom I love with all the ardour and tendance, only an Irish heart can feel for kith and kin; going from a people whose respect and regard it is a pride to me to process; from comrades by whose side I have struggled in the glorious winning fight for Irish freedom: is it any wonder that I am filled with sorrow at the parting? Is it any wonder that I cannot hope to say in words how much I regret the severance? Yet sorrow is not alone with me. I go away from my country; but I go with the blessing of a soggarth aroon who has won the people’s love, and who
“Through sun and shade, thro good and ill,
E' or kept the Green Flag flying still."
I go trusted and confided in by another saggarth aroon who has known me from my childhood. I go with the good wishes and esteem of men whose friendship and regard are precious possessions. I go to a land where liberty is cherished and where an honest Irish Rebel is neither persecuted nor despised. Assuredly all this ought and does give me satisfaction and comfort.
In your touchingly eloquent address you are, I must say, as is usual on such occasions, more kind than accurate However, though I cannot feel that I possess all the virtues and good characteristics which you believe belong to me, still I shall over strive to come as near as possible to deserving the kind and generous things you have said about me.
With you I rejoice that for fond old Ireland hope, well founded, is rearing blight and glorious visions - visions of a prosperous and tranquil, of a free and happy Irish nation; and it may not be too much to trust that we all here may yet again, and very soon, clasp hands and stand together on Irish soil as proud and happy freemen. It only remains for me to say that from the bottom of my heart I thank you and all who, within as well as without the ranks of the National League, have participated in this tribute of respect to me. Dear Father Ryan, friends, and comrades, I shall now say good bye, and with God's help,
“Though now in sorrow we do part,
In joy we'll meet again."
God save Ireland!
Edward Lahiff
Irish Examiner, 8 June , 1886