Daily national Republican., 1863-04-09
An Irish Relief Meeting and a Speech
froIn Gen MoClsllan


from Gen. Mcclellan.
wo perceive by the New York papers that a
great meeting was held in the Academy of Mu-
sic, Tuesday night, In aid of the suffering poor
of ireland. Gen. Mcclellan being discovered
in the audience, he was compelled to come for
ward, when he made q speech, which we copy
below. It is somewhat singular that meeting
on such an important subject was not noticed
in the telographic messages to this city the next
day. Is it possible that personal feeling is al
lowed to control the military wiresl The speech
of Gen. Mcclellan is thus reported
My FRIENDsi l came here tonight as lis
tener and spectator, not as participant In the
proceedings of the evening. | came to hear
the ablest and best OF the friends and sons of
ireland plead her cause tonight. I have de-
parted from my usual rule to avoid large as
scmblies, because knew that this meeting had
neitherpartisan nor political purpose. (Cheers.
knew that you had assembled for the no.
blCst of all puTposes-that OF charity towards
suffering brethren in distant land. l came
here simply to eyincc my sympathy In your
cause; for have strong and peculiar reasons for
feeling an intense sympathy for and interest in
all that relates TO Ireland and the Irish. [Great
applause.l / sprung myself from a kindred
race. l have often seen the loyalty Of the Irish
to their Government and to their general proved
have seen the green flag Of Erin borne side
by sido with our own Stars and Stripes through
the din of battle. [Cheers.l l have witnessed
the bravery, the chiyalry, the devotion Of the
Irish race, while / was a boy, on the fields of
Mexico, and in maturer years on the fields of
Maryland and Virginia. Loud cheers.l 1t
has often been my sad lot, pleasant withal, to
watch the cheering, smiling patience of the
Irish soldier while suffering from disease or
ghastly wounds; and ! have ever found the
Irish heart warm and true. Cheers.
| feel, then, that l have a right TO sympa-
thize with your cause tonight. II Is most un-
fortunate that there are so many in Ireland who
! need our sympathy; but at least We should
thank our God that He has given us the means
to extend our hands TO them. Enthusiastic
cheering.l II Is perhaps unfortunate for Ire
land that laws, in the making of which the
| Irish have had but little to do-thAt a Govern
ment in which perhaps they have been but little
represented-should have induced so many to
have left their native land and sought foreign
climes. But what has been the loss of ireland
has been the gain of America. [Cheers.l 1t
has given use some of the proudest intellects
that have adorned our history, countless strong
arms who have developed our resources, and
Tsoldlors innumerable, who, on every field, from
those of the Revolution to those Of the present
sad rebellion, have upheld the honor of their
adopted country. vivid cheers. And so,
repeat, We have gained what Ireland has lost.
| [Continued cheers.
One thing more before close. Although, as
l said before, VIC have come here tonight for
no political purpose, yet no true friend Of his
country, In the present crisis, can rGpTess alto.
gether the thoughts that will crowd upon his
brain. What is 1t that enables us now TO eX-
| tend our hands in succor to your brethren across
the Atlanticl What is itthat our fathers work,
cd for, and for which we too worked, and are
worKing nowl II was to establish on this broad
continent one nation, one free Government,
that might be a refuge for all from foreign
! lands. know, thOn, that | express the sentl-
| ments of all who listen TO me when say that
all our energies, all our thoughts, all our means
| and, II necessary, the last drop of our blood,
must be given to uphold that unity, that nation
ality. [GrGat cheering
l did not rise to make a speech, but simply
to express my warm and most csrdlal thanks
| for the greeting with which have been honor.
ed. l will therefore thank you again, and then
make way for ADLER and more eloquent men who
will plead the cause Of your country tonight
This is the first speech that Gen. Mcclellan
has ever made, to our knowledge, except In
reply to some presentation or in response to
SerenAde.
Several eloquent speeches were made, ant
Judge DAILY announced that SCI, ,s95 had beer
collected within the past week by a single so
ciety.
Horace Greeley offered a resolution to thC
meeting, and supported II in a few well-recelvet
! remarks