The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-08-02
speech Of Gen. MeaEher.

| OelOW W0 puOnsn the conclusion of General
Aesgher's speech at the great mass meeting Of
the Irish last week, st New York. It has The
ring Of true metal about it: u-
Come, then, Irishmen, since neither ;nsn,R.
Gent nor unsound food, nor insufficient clothinc
nor excess Of work, nor disease, nor any iojuss..
ice, blunder or neglect, have been the causes Of
those red gaps in the ranks of the brigade which
this day, on the batsle-6elds Of the New World.
transmit the military reputation Of our race.snd
20 redeems. BY page Of honest valor, the co.
Temporary history of people from whose polit.
cal sceptre, in the ancient palace, the pride and
power seem 70 have passed sway-lcheers1-
since 70 their own fidelity, their own couraee.
their own utter disregard of life in the dischsrre
Of their duties, the decimation Is owing. vhieh
I have come here TO endeavor to repair. and
since II should be the vehement desire and ne
intense ambition Of every Irishman, who has one
chord within him that vibrates to the traditions
Of that old lyric and martial land of bis, not 70
permit its flag, 90 wildly enblemstic Of the
verdure of ito coil and the Immortality of ito faith
to be compromised in any just struggle in which
it is displayed lCheenl Since the things are
90, here this night cali upon my countrynen in
this city TO throw themselves forward, and pledg.
ing themselves in life and death to it, to stand
to the last by that noble little brigade which hss
been true to its military oath, true 70 the Repub-
lie against the enemies of which it strikes. true
to the promises Of its unfaltering friends. and
true to the memories, the pride and hopes Of Ire
land. Prolonged applause.1 Come, my coun.
trymen, fling yourselves with generous passion
into the armed lines over which waves with
achieved and admitted honor the flag that was
once borne in wrath and triumph by The O'Neill
beyond the mountains and fords Of Ulster against
the stateiest and most stalwart foes of the Irish
race-[cheers] the flag which few in defiance
from the walls of Limerick until neither towers
of granite nor hearts of oak could avail for life
and freedom-the flag which Robert Emmett
loud cheers the last of the cousecrated mar.
tyrs Of our race, lsvished his wealth. his genius,
his life, and, above all, denied himself eternally
the promised happiness Of home radiant with
the light and love of wife in harmony with his
own grand nature, SO that he might plant it high
above the stronghold OF the enemy Of his coun-
try, and from that eminence announce to the
world through the fashings of its emerald folds.
the redemption of what In history may be one Of
the oldest, but which in resources, in hope. in
faith, in heart in all that nfuses and perpetuates
q national vitality will ever be the youngest ma
ton Of the world. [Tumultuous cheering T.
Come, my countrymen, one more effort, mag
unanimous and chivalrous, for the Republic,
which, to thousands and thousands Of you, has
been tower Of impregnable security, pedestal
of renown, and palace of prosperity, after the
worrying, the scandals and the sbipwreck that,
for the most part, have been for many genera.
tions, the implacable destiny of our race Come,
my countrymen, in the name Of Richard Mont
gomery, who died to assert the liberty, and in
the name of Andrew Jackson, who swore by the
Eternal to uphold the authority of the nation;
IS you exult in the gallantry of James Shields
.-lcheers how long, as you point with the
highest pride to the staunch loyalty, patient
courage, and stern nerve of Michael Corcoran,
follow me TO the James river. and as each and
all Of you should emulate their example, and as
you are inspired BY it, cast your fortunes with
that brigade, which, to the credit and glory of
Ireland, has already, on seven battle fields, prov.
ed its devotion to this Republic, under the com.
mand and chieftainship Of the fearless, the gift
ed, the indomitable young General of the Army
Of the Potomac-General Geo. B. McClellsn-
Tremendous cheering again and again renewed
to whom thst army is thoroughly and unani-
mousiy devoted renewed cheering land whose
great and good heart has been ito inspiration, q
bic splendid genius has been ito salvation in the
most critical Of timea