DEATH OF PROFESSOR GALBRAITH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 13, 26 December 1890, Page 11

DEATH OF PROFESSOR GALBRAITH.

The Pilot briefly noted, last week, the death of Professor Joseph Allen Galbraith, in Dublin, Ireland, on October 20. He was the leading Protestant Nationalist in Ireland, and the founder of an influential Home Bale party in that stronghold of Toryism, Trinity College, Dublin.

JoB 3ph Allen Galbraith was bora in November, 1818, in Dublin, and was educated under a celebrated schoolmaster, the Bey. John Sargent, who then kept a school in Donnybrook and afterwards in North George's street, which produced many men famous in their day. He entered Trinity College on November 3, 1834, as a pensioner student under the Rev. Sydnsy Smith, who was then a fellow of the College. He made a brilliant college career, in spite of grave difficulties conseqaent on his poverty. His strong point was mathematics.

After his degree, which he took at the spring commencement of 1840, Mr. Galbraith settled himself to the laborious life of a college grinder, in which occupation he gained a great reputation, and was the teacher of many well-known men. He stood for fellowship in the early summer of 1844, and gained it on the first trial, in conjunction with the late Rev. James Mclvor, and the present Bey. Dr. Haughton, whose fame as a scientist is world- wide. At that period Mr. Galbraith partook of the usual strong Tory politics prevalent in Trinity College, but when there he loved to mix among the people and understand their feelings. He used to attend O'Connell's meetings in Conciliation Hall, and loved to recount his experiences of repeal life as lived in those times.

He became a clergyman of the Church of England, and showed to his Catholic countrymen a liberality none too common. He used to tell how he turned the tables on a fault-finding Provost who then ruled the college. It was then the law that certain political annivprsaries, the death of King Charles 1., the sth of November, and similar anniversaries should be solemnly observed in all churches and college chapels. He omitted in his sermon, as junior dean, to notice the sih of November and the Gunpowder Plot, and the Provost called him to account for his omission, so Mr. Galbraith determined to have hib revenge. The next anniversary that came round was the 30th of January, the execntion of Xi g Charles I. This gave him his opportunity. The Provost was a notorious Whig and hanger-on of the Castle in the days when official Whigs like Loid Carlisle presided there. Such men were always Mr. Galbraith's abomination, so be selected a text which bore on the execution of Charles 1., or at least which suffered itself to be twisted or turned in such a direction, and roundly denounced the Provost and all his Whig friends, and all their doings under the shadow of the King's execution, The provost never again reproved him for omitting a State Commemoration. The sermon was indeed the more pointed, and its reference the more clear, seeing that there were scarcely half-a-dozen persons present besides the Provost himself.

His life bb a college professor and a scientific writer reflected honour on his race. Mr. Galbraith was eminent, too, as an actuary, and possessed a large collection of the best and most modern works and instruments needed for the intricate operations involved In actuarial calculations. He was the great authoiity on such questions in Trinity College, always examining on the subject of vital statistics at the Final Medical Examinations. This actuarial knowlege was open to every one, friends or opponents. A couple of years ago the late Professor Maguire died in a sensational tragic manner, leaving his family in a destitute condition. Dr. Maguire had not hesitated in bis lifetime to make attacks on Mr. Galbraith of a very extreme type on account of bis politics. But the Christian charity of the man came then prominently to the frout. When Er. Maguire's quondam friends and alhea hung back, and were conspicuous by tbeirabsence from the subscription lists, Mr. Galbraith contributed liberally to the fund then raised for Dr. Maguire's sisters, and undertook all the work of negotiating the purchase of an annuity for them upon the most favourable conditions.

Public interest centres, however, in his political life. We quote from an admirable sketch in the Dublin Freeman of the 21st ult :—: —

" The year 1869 brought other views and other aima as well as those that were ecclesiastical. The early autumn oi that year saw the opening of the Home Bule movement. Home Bule at its inception was purely a Conservative movement. Ihe eyes of the Conservatives were then opened to the treachery of the English Parliament as regards the Act of Union, and forthetime,menlikeihe late Sir Johnßarnngton, the present Sir E. H. Kinaban, and numbers of clergymen who now are prominent at Primrose League meetings were ready to declare for Bepeal. Men were hot then, but their heat soon cooled. Professor Galbraith, however, never changed. He adopted Home Bule views with hia friend, the late Dr. Henry Maunsell, of the Mail, and neither of them ever altered their sentimentp, though Mr. Galbraith had much to suffer for the faith that was in him in social, ecclesiastical, collegiate, and Masonic circles. We do not wish to open old controversies and old sores over his grave. It is bo secret, however, that he lost valuable office in Trinity College through his politics— office which he valued the more because it enabled him to reform the old-fashioned and absurd system of keeping the college accounts previously in vogue. In Masonic circles, too, be was made to pay the penalty of his consistency. He was Grand Chaplain to the Grand Lodge. Masonry boasts that it knows nothing of politics, but its treatment of this eminent Irishman proves the contrary. Year after year his electiou was opposed. A loyal band of friends, prominent among whom was Lord Justice Fitzgibbon, gathered round and pustaioed him against a bitter and unscrupulous minority who strove to displace him. But he grew tired of the contest, and at last satutied Ihe malcontents by retiring fiom the contested position "

The same paper says of him : " His heart was in the Irish cause, whicli for twenty years Le strenuously supported, and to which he gave the weight of his influence and the prestige of hia Dame. Ho was not a politician from choice or from prejudice, but as the result of mature consideration, winch in time ripened into strong conviction; When the Home Bule party was formed towards the eu4 of.

1866, Professor Galbraith was amongst the first to take his place beneath the banner of nationality raised by Isaac Butt. Among those who stood beside him on the memorable day when in the old ttlton Hotel the Home Rule idea took definite shape were many who afterwards fell away from the principles then and there advocated. borne are to-day to be reckoned amongst the bitterest opponents of tba Home Bule cause. The explanation is not far to seek. Many acted on tne impulse of the moment, whilst smarting under a sense cf the defeat and anger caused by the passage of the Church Disestablishment BUI. Others were temporarily inspired by the fascination which Irish nationality, with its memories of the past and its hopes for the future, has ever exercised upon all genuine Irishmen at some period of their lives. A few there were who simply surrendered themselves to the strong feeling to which the movement owed its origin. Professor Galbraiih was one of another class— one of the men who behoved that their duty required them, at the risk of incurring odium and of being misunderstood, to come forward and declare their principles when, as they rightly thought, a crisis had arisen in the affairs of Ireland. So, when others fell away, he remained true and steadfast to the last. His nationality was as broad, generous, and kindly as the genius of the Irish race. He loved his country, *?u- W *" mca P able °f entertaining unkindly feelings for any section of his countrymen, however wrong-headed at the time he might deem them.

In character he was brave, generous, kind and loyal. A firm Protestant, he fully tnd freely recognised the justice of toe disestablishment of the English Church in Ireland. He was on intimate terms with Archbisuop Walsh, and counted hoßts of Catholic priests among bis friends. There was not a more popular man in Dublin. v v