The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-08-28
PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Defence of Ireland and the Irish.
A Speech by Geo. F. Train.

The two features of t~o-night's debate, are mis-.
representation Of America and abuse of Ireland.
America has many champions-lreland none. i
have spoken for Americans; / intend to say a
word for the Irish. 1t chilIs my senses to hear
you jeer and sheer and throw contempt upon that
gallant race. Two milliOns of Irishmen are coun-
trymen of mine and / will not sit quietly and
hear, in an English audience, Ireland trod down
and abused / like the Irish race. Ireland has
done much for England but what has England
done for Ireland? What a record Of crime, des-
potism and tyranny. What a page of violence,
injustice. and blOodshed. (Cries of MOI
Mr. - says no show me then an oasis in
the desert of her history show me a ray Of sun
shine in the darkness of her horizon. Poor Ire
land rich in nature-in mountains and in rivers
with fruit in her gardens and fish in her streams
the unhappy mother of a brave people made
humble by despotic and corrupt government.
Poor Ireland-the land of Curran, and Grattan,
and Shiel. (Cheers.) Where Power acted, and
Moore sung his sweet melodies-(cheers)-and
Sheridan Knowles wrote some of the finest dramas
IN our language, who, last week, in his seventy
eighth year, made n beautiful speech, full of
affection and tears for his native mountains.
(Hear.) Poor Ireland what has she done that
England should have treated her SO? The land
that furnishes England with SO many brave
armies, whose sons to-day are leaders in the
w~Orld-Premiers of two nations-(applause)-
and Generals In them all.
You produced but one great name in your Ma
poleonic wars-his pictures are in your galleries,
AfA6 III NOdE EdddiCS. 1IdL Iid WAS
Arthur Wellesley, the Irish Duke Of Wellington.
(Cheers.) Who rules to-day in Spain? An
Tishnnan-Marshal O'Donnell. Who won the
great Italian battle? Stand forth Mcmahon, the
IRISH Duke of Magenta (Cheers.) Who won
the battle of Winchester, but the twice senator,
the shot-prOOf HIshzn0n, General James Shields?
(Cbeers.) And who rules supreme in England,
beloved by his people? Have you forgotten that
Lord Palmerston is a son of Ireland? (Cheers.)
Poor Ireland How sad is the story of thy
wrOnQs-eyery maze of thy history is n record IF
robbery, pillage and conquest (Oh, bosh y
The gentleman has twice interrupted me let
me say 70 him, that when he applies that word
TO my remarks, it signifies talent, brain and in
t~ellectual power (cheers and laughter neither
of which any one will accuse him of possessing.
cloud laughter and some dissent.)
All the speakers tonight have been arguing
that the Southern Confederacy ought to be ac-
knOwledged. Observing this, i am disposed, for
arguments sake, to agree with you, and apply
the rule to Ireland. Ooh and applause Ire
land would be better by herself-more independ-
ent, more free, more happy, less slavery, and
would open her ports to all the world. You
have no right to interfere with her customs, her
laws, or her religion. When the Romans made
war they adopted the habits of the conquered
~People-England, on the contrary, tries to make
them English. She is not happy-not conterted.
vegetation grows IN her streets, and misery
broods in the faces of her people. Let Ireland
go-let America acknowledge the Irish confede-
racy.
As Woods was historian OF the Prince OF
Wales, so Giraldus Canbrensis recorded the Incl
dents of Prince John in his Irish tour-calling
the peasants goats and sheep, which would be-
come capital game for English sportsmen. Cam
brensis Eversus was more caustic, yet equally I'M
generous. One was Trollope the First, v~illifying
the Irish people. The other was Trollope the
Second, piling on the agony (Laughter.) Cen
turtles have gone since the armies of that old CO.
quette Elizabeth cut through your peasantry.
Long is the time since that old idiot King james
(laughter) Overran that unhappy land with his
perambulating scaffolds and his r~eady-made exc
cutioners. Poor Ireland what a life of con-
quest. Then Charles came with His packed iuries
and confiscation, followed by Cromwell e~xpatria-
ting eighty thousand of thy sons, and knocking
down all thy churches-foiIowed by the Second
James and his excuses, and the Treaty of Lime
ick-and then comes the destruction of thy in
dividuality. Thy Parliament Houses turned into
barracks-thy Custom Houses into stables for the
King, thy squares filled with monuments to illus
trate the overthrow of thy religion-and thy
eyes blinded by glring your eight millions a hun
6red representatives to Parliament, tUhiIe England's
eighteen millions hare orer a thousand. (Ilear.)
And this is the land where Robert Emmett told
Lord Norbury his country's wronss-and Daniel
O'Connell stood boldly up-and Smith O'Brien
banished-and the O'Donoghue threatened, if he
dare to speak of the wrongs of his native land.
(Oh-) You say, Let the South go. l say, Let
Ireland go. CHEERS and n voice . ireland is
prosperous Yes, said Mr.. Train, but
has made her SO? AMERICA (Cheers.)
Who have added wealth to our land ?-the Irish.
Who build our factories, our canals and rail-
?-the Irish. And in their well-paid labor,
because well-earned, they find large sums of
which they have been sending back to
their people for many years. Ten millions Ster-
hng SINCE the famine! (Cheers.) A noble trait
of the Irish character. | like the Irish people,
and your attacks on Ireland on account of the
recent agrarian outrages are most unfair.
Look over your criminal record and you will
find more brutal murders in England during the
year than in Ireland (No.) Have you for
the Stepney murder, and the Road MUIR
and that of Nottingham Forest and Coven-
try I? or even last week that at Manchester, and
another in London? You have as dark deeds on
your calendar as Ireland has-and | cannot bear
TO hear a land 1 like so much 50 unkindly spoken
Of As she is in England. Let me say to the Irish
people-Come to America-where you are appre-
over in thousands and hundreds of J
where a welcome shall await you- !
Tor Americans cannot forget your deeds of bravery
in the dark pages of our war. You have fought
nobly in our army, you love our Union, and we
ike your noble devotion To the land of your
adoption. Ireland for the Irish. Thomas Francis
is now one of us-(hear)-and Judge
VI Lean was a native of Erin-that land of fair
women and brave men. Edmund Burke was also
IN Irishman. Would that you had some more
8urkes and more O'Connells to speak for you in
he nations council. (Hear.) The ODonog-
Maguires and the Hennessys are not
sleep to your wants-but Irishmen must band
ogether to win their rights. My plea for Ire
and, tonight, is more just than yours for Seces- !
Ia. If you think disunion in American benef- Q