The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-09-10
THE GREAT IRISH FESTIVAL.
Speech OF Captain Thomas Francis Mengt


On Friday last grand festival was held
at Jones' Wood, New York, for the benefit Of
the widow and orphans Of tho Sixth ninth.
At least thirty thousand persons were present
and largo sum was realized. The promi
nent event Of the day was the speech by Cap
tain Thomas Francis Meagher, an eloquent,
patriotic and manly appeal for the Union, for
the country, and to the duty Of our Irish citi.
zens. From this the following is brief eI
tract.
Will the Irishman Of New York stand by
| this cause, ,resolut"y, heartily, with inexorable
fidelity, despite Of all the sacrifices it may
cost, despite Of all the dangers Into which it
may compel them, despite Of all tho bercve
mcnts and abiding gloom it may bring upon
such ZONES ~ this day miss the industry and
love of the dead soldiers Of the Sixty-uin,h.
but in some measure to console and succor
which the festivities Of this day have taken
placc' For my part ask no Ir.hman to do
that which | myself am not prepared TO do.
My heart, my arm, my life, is pledged to the
national cau.o, and to the last it will bs INV
highest pr1', ~ conceive it to be nv holi-
est duty and obligation, to share its fortunes.
| care not IN what party the Chief Magistrate
of the Republic has belonged. care not up
on what piank OF platform he may have been
elected. Tho platform disappears before the
Constitution, under the injunction Of the oath
he took on the steps of the Capitol tho day
of his Inauguration.
The party disappears in the presence of the
nation, and As The Chief Magistrate, duty
elected and duly sworn. is bound to protect
and administer the national property for the
beneft of the nation, 20 should every ci,zen
concur with him in loyal and patriotic action,
dlscaring the mean persuaSiOns and maxlrns
Of local politicians, and substituting the ma
tional interest, the national efficiency, the ns
tional honor, for the -eli>hness, tie huckstcr.
ing, or the vengeance of party. To me, at
all events, the potency Of the national govern
meut, the honor and glory Of the national
flag are Of infinitely higher value than the
Regency at Alba y, the Tammany Wigwam,
Mozart Hall, or tie Pewter Mug. Nor shall
outcrics on behalf of the liberty Of the pre.,,
or the liberties aud immunt;es Of the citizen,
restrain me in the active allegiance owe the
the national and It's Executive now that the
rights and Authority Of both are j"opardizcd .
The integrity Of the national domain, the po
tency of the national government, the rcputa.
lIOU VI lI'' bht'plH dIlllN, lIe lll'UOidbl'lt 81
that Tranquil system Of election, without which
no popular government can have legitimacy,
consistency and frlce -tho-e consideration,
are far dearer to me, and claim them to be .
Of far more vital consequences than the liberty
to promu'gate seiition, or liberty to c)n.pire
Such liberties must succumb to the de-
manls ofthe crisis, the public safety, the dis.
cpIine and efficiency Of the army, and the
attude of tie revolt. Within the range Of the
laws, the police, th courts, the proprletes and
Interests of the community, let them have fall
swing in the days of peace. But in time OF
all, in time Of civil war-tho sup .
remacy Of the Government should b. the sol.
grand oljcct--and to this end martial law
should be the higher law-and the OILY one
in unlispued force. Tho National Govern.
meut has suffered more from the patience,
the enency, the maguauimity it has practl
ced toward its enemies, and those who are in .
and league with them, than it has
done from The courage, the science, the fierce
energy Of thos' who have taken the fold
against it, and victorou'ly shaken the banner
Of revolt an reputation in It's face.
The masked conspirator' OF the Nor.h are .
infinitely more criminal aud mi-chieyouS than .
the bid and armed recu,auts Of the .
south and Democrat as am --spurnng the
of the Chicago convention rs
a spurious creed-having no symphathies
whatever with the man in power other than
those which should subs>t between The cit.
zen and his government, | would promptly
and cordially approve f the >eyere.t measures
the President fright adopt to parayza the
lreachery which in this and other cit es, un
der various liberal and benefccnt pretenscs,
has been, and is still At work to undermine
aud overthrow the legitimate magstracy Of
the nation.
Do ! not speak in the name of the Irish
man of New York-aul they are counted 10y
tens Of decentralization speak these -curi-
ments, and declare in favor Of these rigorous
but imperative proceeAing,l Enthusiastic
shouts of THAT you do!) Wer. met with
, negative, should reuined ny countryman
that the Enslish arstocracy, which is the do.
niuant class in EngIand--to which the navy,
the church, the army almost exclusively be-
ong and which is,in fact, the political opinion,
IN" Parliament, the scepter, and the sword of
England; Should remned my countrymen
hat this ariStocracy is arryel against the gov
nrnment at Washington-.anl that as it WA,
dead against the Revolution, out Of which
arose the liberties aud nationIity Of the Unite
States, so Tia now in ho, favor Of the royolu.
ton which sets at naught those liberties, ani
against that nationality directs fralr cilaI
blow.
BE it with Irishmon, at AL events, the les
son, r,llyng battle-cry in this tempe,iuous
time. Every blow that, with the shout Of
e Face an beaace' clears the way for the Stars
and Stripes, anl plants that flag wherever 1t
has a prcscriptive right to float, deals to this
Eui,h oristocracv deadly modification and
misunderstanding it Of new allies
,nl re,ourcs-- aud thus so far avcngcs and
bcrateS the island of which it has been the
the crippliug fetter the recurring
anime, the pcrvalIng blight, the social can
,er, and the rank source of the poverty and
,anders, in spite of which her children make
lrr footing good ,anl assert themselves abroad.
Nhich being So, let us, who hail from ireland
we, who have taken An oath of loyal V, rot to
New York, not to Alabama, not to Massach-
lesets, not to Florida, not to Kansas, not to
my one isolated State, but to all the States
hat built up the powerful and rcspenlcnt
Union which the sword and counsels Of Wash
nyton evoked which the phiiosophy of Lift f.