The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-09-27
Speech of Thomas F. Meagher,

cut. A patriotic address was delivered
by the Hon. Daniel S. Dickinson, and the
following speech by Thos, F. Meagher:
Mr.. Meagher said :-Wt is about twelve
years ago, that one evening a ship of war
slowly passed up from the waves of the
Pacific, amidst wooded hills, an azure sky
above it, clouded heights beyond, and a
tranquil scenery-all beauty, and all per-
vading glory, as that ship passed up.
Amidst the almost desolate waters, there
was one flag which met the eye of those
on board, and that was the "Stars and
Stripes" (Hurrah p What ship was
that! 1t was war ship of Great Britain,
and | was prisoner on board. and, lying
TRANQUILITY, but majestically, in those wa
ters was an American ship, with the Stars
and Stripes flying at its peak and there
behe!d liberty at my prison gates.
(Cheers) 1t is an incident, trivial one,
indeed, have never vet related in public.
1t was to me cheering omen; | forgot
my misfortunes; | forgot that Ireland was
In ruins, and in the wreck saw a glorious
future, not only to my own native Ireland,
but to humanity at large. (Cheers) From
that moment to this, have been devoted
to the flag which flew there, reminding
me that there was power in this coun-
try, and in the world, to redress and right
the wrongs dealt upon disgraced and de-
pressed humanity. Applause and enthu-
siastic cheers)
the Stars and Stripes have, therefore,
been identified with my hopes, with my
dreams-what some may cal very exorbi-
tant and inordinate dreams-but, practi-
calIy and positively, the Stars and Stripes
have been my flag, and this night l take
my stand here, as have stood elsewhere,
for that flag which is not only the memo>
rial of a magnificent revolution, but which
is the symbol and prefguraton of no.
bier and higher civilization snd society
than any which has yet been established
by arms, political science, or any demo
cratic or popular convulsion whatsoever.
| am sincerely sorry that there is any ne
cessity whatever that l should, here, this
EVENING" am sincerely sorry, repeat it
that there should be any difference
whatever about this cause, and sincerely
and bitterly deplore that there should be
in the State of Connecticut one voice, one
thought, one word registered, or whisper
ed against the demand of the Republic,
which, in this crisis, is simply and solely,
but absolutely and imperatively, for the
supremacy of the magistracy and majesty
of the United States. cloud cheers.)
On the 4th Of March, in the presence
of the Representatives of this Nation, the
vote was given, the credentials were adj
inistered-administered, by the-by, by
John G. Breckinridge-toA Abraham Lin
coin, and on this vote and these creden-
tials he (Abraham LincolD) took his seat
as President of the United States. l did
not vote for him. l never would have
voted for him. I am what they call a
Jacksonian democrat. (Cheering.) There
is not asingle proposition of the republi.
can party to whom say "Yea." Not
one. But the creed and the obligation of
every citizen is this-to obey the will, the
registered and the legitimate and consti-
tutionally expressed will of the majority.
(Cheers) There was party some years
ago called the know Nothing Party"
l don't know whether it is alive or dead.
(Cheers and roars of laughter.) But the
cardinal doctrine of that party was the
prescription of foreign born citizens
(cries of "That's so, that We were to
be here some twenty-one years before we
could be citizens. Well, have been here
myself some nine years, and | don't see
what good it has done me. Uaughter.)
l have not been An Alderman, or
County Clerk, or Sheriff yet; and l sup
pose if | were to be here some fifty or one
hundred years longer, unless was kna.
wish or vulgar enough, it would do me no
good yet; but the cardinal principle of
that party was to US as people, and as
opposed to the spirit and theorism of this
Government, decidedly offensive. (Hear,
hear, hear) But, offensive, audaciousy
and infamously offensive as that doctrine
was, had a Know Nothing been put in
power, | would sustain him if be had been
legitimately elected. (Hear, hear. hear,
hear.) l would sustain him as President
of the United States, had be been duly,
constitutional.y and legitimatsly elected.
(Cheers.) These are superfuous words
duly, constitutionslly and legitimately
elected-but we are compelled to use
them now, and use them with emphasis
and rs iteration. If you do not assen. to