The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-26

MOvemong a 1885,
Thonas Francis Msaghsr delivered lecture in Metro
PessAn Hail. last evening, before Of ths most hume
rous saditsss have crowded into that Han
Several rssnsnts-among them the Irish ons-sttspdet
In uniform. and tho United States Military Band from
Governors sland stationed on the PLATFORM and
played several pieces Of Ish music The battered baA
nsrs borne BY the New York Volunteers the Msxcar
campaign were planted each side Of the stage. The
Of the lecture for the benefit of the
vivors Of that gallant regiment Mr.. Meagher &C
compsned to the platform by an escort of citizens
comprising several Aldermen, General Saldford Genera
Hail. Colonel Burnett, of the Volunteers, sc He wa,
introduced to the audience by General Hail. and re.
eeived with the greatest enthusiasm Mr.. Meagher then
proceeded TO deliver the following
LECTURE.
LADIES GKNrlRxEs-The lecture ha, draxn 70 a
cIoe but the duty have anxously and proudly accept
ed is not yet issharged 1t is no~ within three days
Just tv eyemanhs since in the pursuit of the free ION
had lost with the stripes flying At the mizen
peak anchor in the river that washes ths lett
shore your noble city. It will be TO my memory
dark day indeed when shall forget the crowd of faces
radiant with delight and friendship, which pressed
around stood under free roof once more, and
beheld myself it we're, the gate OF the great
nue. tifewth q multitude Of voices calling upon
enter and in triumph be conducted the sanctuary
which the arms the wisdom, and benefcence of youc
fathers had opened to the children of less favored lands
Happy did feel that, for the of that
day-the honors then decreed mel could, to
tent gratitude in the dedic alton hour
service Of those whose scars are wines ses to
the intrepdity and vigilance with which they stood BY
and through the red carried the ensgns
republic.
Happy do feel. when gazing on this peop'ed space
20 brilliant and so vast-the thought comes upon
hal hay
in the higher regions of nature and that this hand
tremuous and unskilful it H. may drawn down
from hoee regions kindly ray at least, illuminate
the hearth and homestead ,f the who we're the
guardians Of those ensgns.
Happy-happy beyond the measure which the ton que
tell of-shall feel, if, with this same hand can
smooth the pillow of the dying solder-gve like Aber.
crombs in the sands of Egypt his quivering lip the
which shall sooths the fever Of his last breath or
his humble coffin, like the poet the grave
Marcellus, stre~ the parple flowers
Who could look and feel his heart give way a.
the spectacle Of glorious companion ship stricken oy
want disease and dsaha group OF stately trees struck
by TIE storm. stripped OF tue shelteriug leave
scared by the lightning bending to passing gust
ard by sinking, with the shreds of their CAV
foliage and fragments their brave limbs ia desoatiou
to tho earth2 Who read of fine army-even though
that army be the foe of freedom and in the fight
ourselves should strike it to heart of
such an army being cut to pieces or by plague famine
without thrill a syllable one tear of noble pity?
IT. then, TO the stranger, theagh he against Us,
our Dature yields instinctvey generous measure Of
sympathy and what should be the emotions what
the anxietes what the actions of those who in their
midst bthoh the wreck of those young legions whose
crimsoDed swords flashed the that shone there
upon the fortress of chepultepec and helped clear
out hsld for that adventurous activity the spread
mountain, nor the river. por yet the covenants aud
intfgues, the contIivances aud conspiraces OF the
cro"nee famies down there in Europe nor their allies
here or elsewhere can hamper divert, nor for hour
Withstand.
But is it just consdeTate delicate of me to put this
question, when hardly DAY passes without comrade
falling in those crippled ranks whose wounds less
eloquent thsn those for which the friend u Cesar plead
ed cry out to you not for That
you could be insensibe to this faaitythat you could
thus behold OF the pillars of the State decay and
with its laureled capital crumble dust until no.
thing but the pedestal was left standing beside that
stream of business gsiey and wealth which threatens
to eface this the latest record CT wohthat you
could be insensble fatality striking it would be
most ungracious in me for moment 10 imply.
You have not forgotten Washington, nor Warren
Montgomery. jackson That up,o Breed Hli;
that oil Fort Mouitrie that upon the delaware that
upon the piled bssiions Of Quebec; that at tina
Bayou Bienvenue. where the Fug.ish columns
swsmped before the ire which opered upon them from
the cotton bales Of Louisisaa-thoe less
the stranger those paintings which such noble
proportions, decorated the halls of Congress.
Which being you will not forget the men, who,
misscned cemmisf iored, with without epau-
etts the fields and marshes at Los Portales and
the tower Of Nueva Rancho, and along the burning
rccks and through the woods and ravnes that lay be-
them and their golden prize, gave proof that the
spirit which broke the sword in the hands of Burgoyne
and Corvallis laid in the grave that
overooks the Potcmac-and passing which, by night or
day craft fails to strike the minute be-eu that it
walks the earth and shall be with the republic all days,
to the end OF time.
Would that it my fortune to speak thus, in the
Land Of my fathers home for who Ike those before
me- scars in evidence Of their courage and the
blood poured ont by them that their country might be
saved and all the stains her ancient map and fame
But since this privilege is denied me-since the foreign
sentinel still keeps watch upon her wall and the hag
wet With the blood of Fitzgerald Wolfe Tone and Emmett,
lies buried in the ivy Of Bodenstown churchyard, and
fayorng breeze lifts the dropping folds-then glad
TO plead for those Who to the brothers of matt land
next akin and whose blood with ours, in thousand
channels, i inseparably mingled
And SINCE also it is denied to kiss the flag vet with
the biooo OF those young mobiles the Shadrsch, Me-
sbach and Abednego Of freedom,-then let embrace
this the symbol of that citizenship, which in the words
uttered the steps of the Capitol the morning of
the 4th Of March shall be an invioable panopy for
American rights and invested with which the poore
laborer shall stand unabashed in the presence Of
kings"
Soldiers of Cerro Gordo Soldiers of Contrera and Chu
rubusco Far from your homefrom the Hudson to Lake
Iezuco you have borne this flag with honor. Romaine
carried il in tbs left hand when his right shattered
and pssted with il only when death struck it from his
And then another ana ther another until yoa struck it
into the captured field From the stories straits you
sve brought back uninured by those rents which
have rendered 1t sacred relic and 1t is due to that
beneath it you should your failing strength You
should enjoy that peace which in the words Of the sacred
book is like clear neat upon herbs aud cloud OF dew
in the heat of harvest-and spend sereney the
remainder of the days spared you in the great storm
thai ept the base and summit of the Sierra Madre.
May that flag fail find less eager champions
than you have been to shield il from disgrace and BEAR
il like = charmed robe unhurt through the flames Of
Nay that flag lose star; but Is the Old
Thirteen have multiplied in time may others less
brilliant be added thereto and may the constellation
which first sbone out through the tempest and the light
niDgs and has become fixed in the blue expanse Of
peace on every sea, DE seen; and may the nitions,
ourneying like the Kings Of old to nober worship be
led 10 new faith and destiny BIZ the light givcsl
May it mount to where the Amazon leaps forth from ts