I’m rereading “BURR” by Gore Vidal, a novel based on the life of Aaron Burr ,who was Vice President under Thomas Jefferson and probably best remembered for shooting Secretary For The Treasury Alexander Hamilton dead in a duel. In America, as in Ireland, gentlemen, particularly lawyers, were given to shooting one another over matters of honour, and Burr and Hamilton were both lawyers. The purveyors of Tripe and Treason in The Irish Times please copy and memorise that last sentence.
I’m rather addicted to Vidal’s essays and his novels which examine periods of American history from its War of Independence to the very recent present a plausible, or even convincing rendering of it.
Burr and Hamilton fought in the War of Independence, Washington was a poor general but ruthless and single-minded in promoting himself and his fortunes, Jefferson an intellectual dilettante of no depth who sat out the war on his Virginia estate amongst slaves, some of whom he slept with and many of whom he sired whilst posing as an apostle of liberty.He double crossed and libelled Burr and unsuccessfully had him tried for treason. The novel is set in the 1830s, and Burr, at 77 has outlived Washington, Jefferson, and (of course, Hamilton) and, whilst still practising law, writing his memoirs.
When Jefferson first took office as President, he said he would not seek a second term, but changed his mind when his first four years were up. Michael D Higgins, who was a mere seventy years old when elected President, rashly said he wouldn’t stand again, but has changed his mind on mature re-consideration. He seems to me a more worthy man than Jefferson and, unlike too many of today’s Irish Illuminati to have an appreciation of Irish and world history and culture. His allegiance has never been to a foreign power, prince, or Queen.
Since Bunreacht na hEireann was enacted by Ireland’s free voters Ireland has been generally well served by its Presidents. In fact Ireland was well served by some of them, and other candidates for the Office, long before the Constitution was enacted.
As co-founder of the Gaelic League in 1893 Douglas Hyde, in the words of Pearse had “started a revolution. “ His aim had been cultural, but the spirit he called forth was wider.
In 1945 Sean T O Ceallaigh, Sean MacEoin and Patrick MacCartan were distinguished by long and heroic service to Ireland. In 1959 Eamon de Valera had a record unmatched by any politician worldwide whose position owed itself to cleanly fought elections. He had been head of 10 Irish Cabinets. He was still only 77 and was elected to two seven year terms which he completed.
Erskine Childers and Patrick Hillery had both been long serving ministers when they “went to the Park”. And Cearbhaill O Dalaigh had been a distinguished Attorney General and Chief Justice and Judge of the European Court. He resigned the Presidency to maintain the integrity of the Office when attacked by the loutish Coalition Government under Liam Cosgrave.
Mary Robinson was the first President to use the Irish Presidency as a stepping stone to an international career. She abused it by stepping down before her term was up. She visited Buckingham Palace through the Tradespersons Entrance, boasting that one of her forebears had been a flunkey there and seemed to me to let us all down.
The Court Circular said that the Queen had received “the President of the Republic of Ireland.” A calculated insult to the PRESIDENT OF IRELAND and all constitutional nationalists.
Mary MacAleese used the Presidency as a stepping stone to trendy agitation and Kick-the-Pope stridency. I believe that if re-elected Michael D will not disgrace us, and hope that whoever Is elected will uphold Ireland’s best traditions.
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