The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1862-08-08
Speech of General Meagher.

MEAGHER addressed a mass meeting OF
Irishmen in New York. Like ali the ef-
forts of that gallant chieftain, it was brill
liant and eloquent. He referred to the
thinned ranks of the Irish Brigade and to
Colonel CoRcoRAS with telling effect, and
wound up with the following appeal, which
we hope will be read by everybody every>
where in the loyal north:
"Come, then, Irishmen, since neither
insufficient nor unsound food, nor lnsuttlc
lent nor unsound clothing. nor excessive
want, nor dieeaee, nor any injustice, nor
blunders, nor negligence, have caused the
great gaps in that brigade which at this
day on the battlefield of the New World
transmits to another generation the mill
tary reputation of our race, and SO fills a
page of honor in the contemporaneous his
tory of people from whom the political
sceptre of ancient pride and power was
seen for a season to have passed away
| is bv their own fidelity, courage and ut
ter disregard of life that the defamation is
owing which have come here to endeavor
to repair. 1t should be the very vehement
desire and ambition of every Irishman
who has one chord Of his heart vibrating
true to the traditions of that old martial
and lvric land Of his, not to permit the flag
SO vividy emblematic Of the immortality
Of his fate 20 be compromised one moment
IN any just struggle If these things be
so, and it is right that these things sho' d
he SO, then call upon my countrymen
living in this CITY to throw themselves for
ward and pledge themselves, in life and
death, to stand 10 the last bv that brigade
which has already proved itself true 10 lis
military oath. true to the f1uctuating for
tunes of the republic against the enemies
which it strikes, true 10 the-oh- am de
lighted to acknowledge it!-true to the
promises of its own faltering frends-true
above all, to the measures and prides and
hopes of Ireland. tremendous applause. }
Come, my counlrymen, fling yourselves
with generous passion into those insured
lines over which waves in honor the flag
tha. was borne in triumph by O'Neal in
the mountains of Ulster against the most
stalwart enemies of the Irish the flag
which flew in defiance over the walls OF
Limerick until hearts Of oak and nerves
of iron could no longer avail for life and
liberty; the flag which Robert Emmett,
(great applause) the last consecrated mar
tyr Of his race, who lavished his wealth
and genius, his life, and above all, who
denied himself the happiness Of home
with wife in harmony with his own
grand nature, that lie might plant it on
the stronghoI1s of his country and an
nounce through its flashing folds the re
detnption of which was in history the old
esl, but was in resources. IN hope in fid-l
ity, and shall ever be the youngest nation
in christendom. (Great Cheering.) My
countrymen, one more glorious effort,
magnanimous, chivaIrous, for that Repub,
lie which to thousands and thousands and
hundreds of thousands of you has been a
shelter and home, tower of impregna'
ble security, temple Of renown.
Come, my countrymen, in the name Of
Richard Montgomery, who died TO assert
3 liberty in the name of Andrew Jack
sou, who swore by the eternal to maintain
the authority of this nation (great APP
plause); as you exu!t in the galantry of
James Shields (great cheering) ; as you
point, too, with the highest pride to the
patriot courage and energy, and loyalty,
and the stern nerve OF Michael Corcoran
tremendous and long continued cheer
lng); and as each and all of you who
emulate their example whilst you are un-
spurred by it, ,9come, come, follow me to
the banks of the James river next week,
(cries of 1--WE will, we willy and there,
10 the ranks of the Irish Brigade, strike
one conclusive and overwhelming blow
for this Republic, under the command
and chieftainship Of that fearless, gifted,
indomitahe young General Of the Army
OF the Potomac, General Geo. b McClell-
an (long continued and tremendous cheer
ing for McClellan; groans for Greeley y
General to whom that army, to a man,
is thoroughly and unanimously devoted,
great applause, and whose great good
heart has been its inspiration, while his
splendid genins has been It's salvation In
the most critical period. Applause