The North-Carolina standard., 1847-03-17
Remarks of Heslry ". n1lpsr, Esq,

faItercd at being called on to address TINS meeting
Though am somewhat in the prcdcament OF my
friend Mr.. Gray, who has just taken hls seat. Of
not being accustomed TO public speaking on occa-
sions like this, get, my ambition would be amply
gratifed. could command the ability to speak to
YOU, and this respectable assemblage in such man
ner as would be equal to, and worthy Of, the hui
mane, charitable, and noble purpose, " hich has
brought you togetherl To relieve the distressed
to give aid and succor TO The suffering and destitute
TO hold out helping hand to those who have
been stricken down by the reverses OF ffortune,-has
been characteristic of many, the most rude and
Ignorant natons,-and to suppose for moment
that it m Gets not with full, cordial overhowlng
respons from the hearts of our own countrymen,
would be doing violence TO one oil the brightest
virtues which as a Christian people, they have
ever professed to cherish Sir, at the time that
Greece which had been for ages trampled in the
dust beneath the ir on heel of Turkish Despotsm
and cruelty, determined - --
Sc To snatch from the ashes of their sires,
The embers of their former fires, - 4
when Greece, which had so long suffered under
the most unexamplcd crurlties, resolved-to strike
down if possible the arm of her oppressors, what
American heart, aye Sir, what Christian heart,
did not throb responsive to the call of Greece
What scholar whose imag gination has led him so
often over the fields of her ancient glory and re-
nown did not long to see once more the display Of
Grecian valor on the plains of Marathon and Pla-
ta2 Yes the whole country resoundrd with
calls for assistance-from every temple went up
prayers--upon the altar ofevery heart was placed
a sacrifcc--from every purse leaped forth dona-
tions for The cause OF suffering Greecel So too
when The gallant and down troddrn and suffering
Poles stretched forth their hands 10 the CIVILIZED
nations of the earth for assistance and sympathy,
what bosom throughout the whale cxpanse OF our
Republic was so callous, so ' locked up in steeT-
so dead TO all the noble feelings of our nature, as
not expand at the call of the distressed and brave
eountrymcn ofKosciusko? And hardly Sir, docs
week pass away but some vessel leaves your shores
laden with glad tidings 10 the brnightcd nations
of the idoTatrous East land but few amongst you
arc so dead to every benevolent emotion as not 10
wish to contribute something, however small. to
the perfection and accomplishment OF the prophecy
that every wilderness will yet be made "to bios
som as the rose. >" But do | mention these things
to show that our countfymrn have done any thing
more than their duty? Assuredly not. They
have done much, but let them remember that he
who is as '' rich as the sun, can afford 10 be as
liberal as the day THAT we have been blessed
with extraordinary advantages and incxhaustlble
resources we shall be held 10 strict accountability
bv Him who is the gver of all this good, for the
made of our advanages--the application or
direction given our exhaustless treasures And
shall American beneVolence-shall the charity of
American Christians stop at what it has accom-
plshcd Have the wants of all who have claims
upon us been suppIed2 Can now hoard away
{ a nation of misers) pile upon pile, and fold our
arms under the conviction that there are none of
our fellow creatures who need our immediate aid,
and who with outstrrtched hands are begging even
for the crumbs that fail from our tables2 Let US
not, besrech you Sir, thus close our bosoms to
the cries of the disressed-thus deaden our hearts
TO the supplications of those who are now in |
the very jaws of starvation Need | say TO whom
allude2 Need say TO this enlightened audience
that the withering blast of famine has swept over
the farest and and most interesting portions
of creation? Need tell them that in Ireland
Ireland-poeic, enthusiastic and eloquent Ireland. |
the land of Grattan, of Curran, of Burke, and
hundreds of others, whose names will live in the
remembrance of man so long as true genius is
admircd-that in Ireland, famine-hidcous, ghast-
lv. unsated and Unsuitable ;lmine-staks abroad, |
followed by all her train of horrors that men,
women, children, all ages and conditions in this
once fertile and happy, but now bIIghtcd Isle are
appealing earnestly to their Christian brethren of
the earth TO rescue them from the clutches of these
horrors And what prepared to do ? Are
we to do nothing when our whole country is
aroused on this subject2 Can we, looking around
upon the prosperity enjoy, refuse bread to those
who are thus stricken DOWN. Are we ready TO |
sIand by and see Ireland-her sons and daughters
her old and young-thWs SM6er-Lhus DIE ? Sir, |
cannot be so heartless-so savage! l thank I
their Golfers and their country, bat their HEARTS
to this people There is no nation in existence |
around whose history there is thrown such halo |
of the brig htest scintialionS of genius that of
Ireland. No man can read her history without
imbibing some of the enthusiasm of her people,
none can peruse the accounts of her struggles for
libery-civil and religious-without feeling that
her cause should be his and when he has seen her
patriot sons one after another fall victims 10 the
edicts of tyranny, he could have no other emotion
thrill through his heart than the most ardent wish
that the recollcctions Of their glorious deeds might
raise up other, and still other. champions 10 srug-
gle for the liberty and prosperity Of Ireland Itl
may be correct that the Grnius of Poetry was not |
wrong, when through Byron t~exclaimcd in re-
ference to Ireland, =,
'The great of her bright and brief era are gone,-
The rain bow like epoch where fret Idom could pause
For the few little years out of centuries wont"
Still there is entwined around the minds of all |
who have read her history vivid recollection of
her bright and glorious namcsl Can any man
forget them? Sir, who has given the world so
many Of the unrivallcd gems of the imagination
so many of the touching notes of palhos2 Who
but he whose songs have become the songs of half
the old. and all the young Of country2 And
was not Tom MOORE an Irishman?
Who was 1t gave utterance TO a sentiment in |
behalf of universal freedom which has been stereo
typed upon the heart of every lover of liberty in
whatsoever cline his lot may have been cast ever
since it was uttered? Who but CURRAN.-the |
witty, the bold, the enlightened Curran? Was
not he an Irishnan2
Who was it., when religious intolerance was
about to sweep over the British Isles stood like