Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-28

Thomas Francis Meagher's Appeal to the
Irish-Americau Citizens.

1t is upon these Northern shores that the
Irish emigrant first touches the land of
which many an evening he has dreamed and
thought that it was land of glory. So it
was that his race hes been restored and the
genius of that race has disclosed itself eff
fectively. Here was the scene of Fulton's
triumph and here Thomas Addison Emmet
matured the laurels he had gained in the
old world. (Applause)
Never mind this foolish cant of Irshmen
fighting against lrishmen. II is not the first
time they have done so. daughter and ap.
plause.) That argument has no weight at all
with the reader of Irish history. At Fonte-
noy they crossed bayonets with each other,
and in 1898 brother met brother face to face
and foot to foot. But know and ascertain
which is the right cause. That ascertained
stand by it, fight for it, if your brothers
strike against you; die for it. though one
half of your people curse you, while the
rest accord to you their tears and benedic-
tions. (Applause)
Wehave the right. We have the flag under
which this country has made such marvel
Gus progress and won such achievements.
Then up, Irisbmen, up; take the sword in
hand down to the banks of the Potomac, all
those who can do SO, and believe l speak
consistently with the views of your worthy
Chief Magistrate, when | say that there
will be every facility accorded those Irish
men who wish to enlist under the banner of
the State, and l have no doubt that they
will find themselves in an Irish Brigade one
of these days under the command of Gen
eral James Shields. (Applause, and cheers
TOR General Shields)
1t is pardonable prejudice, for the Irish
man never fights SO well as when he has an
Irishman for his comrsde. An Irishman
going into the field in this cause, has this as
the strongest impulse and his richest re-
ward, that his conduct il the field will re-
feet honor upon the old land be viii see No
more. {Applause.) He therefore wishes
that if he falls il will be into the arms Of one
of the same nativity, that ali may hear thst
he died in a manner worthy Of the cause in
which he fell, and the country which gave
him birth. (Applause) This is the ex-
PLANTATION why Irishmen desire to be together
in the fight for the Stars and Stripes, and
am sure that there is no native-born citizen
here who will not confess that it is par
donable, generous and useful prejudice.
(Applause.)
/ am only AFRAID that the Irish Brigade
may arrive even later than their proto-
types did at Fontenoy. | am afraid the
business will be through on the Potomac be-
fore we arrive. trust, however, that we
shall participate in the labors and the honors
of that victory. 1t will indeed be a victory
worthy of record, not merely by such his
1orisns as your own Prescott, but if may
say it without sacriege-worthy to be re-
corded in the Book of Life itself The pic
ture unfolds itself to me see the return
ing army with banners; the woodmen from
Maine, the raftmen from the Mississippi, the
farmers and mechanics from New England,
all in tattered uniforms and with ensigns
torn, and amid the throng the green flag OF
Ireland, around which re- echo the voices OF
her glad-hearted children. Oh, may this
picture be realized and we witness the re-
turn of this victorious army bearing with
them the rescued ark of the American COW
enant. Then the image of liberty shall
stand more erect than ever and announce
her victories to the wide world an auspici-
ous omen that we shall be victorious hence.
forth, while the symbolical eagle of the Re-
public scars upward and upward to the sky
loud applause.)