The Portland daily press., 1864-02-01
Monday Morning. February 1. 1864.


At banquet recently given to the Irish
Brigade, at Irving Hall, New York, a few
days since, Gen. Meagher gave as toast,
Abraham Lincoin-by the will Of God and
the vote Of the People President of the Unit
ed States.' The toast was enthusiastically
received. After the applause had subsidized
General Meagher thanked the men for their
patriotic manifestations and their gallant de-
votion to the cause of their adopted country
He is reported by the Times Of that city as
saying:
The soldiers life was almost penal one,
and nothing would sustain him 10 his duties
but the proud consciousness OF being en-
gagged in a holy purpose-for the defense of
their country. Applausel The General then
pictured the trials OF the private soldier, the
vicissitudes connected with camp life, and the
great merit of the rank and fle who, without
anticipating any special monument to their
gallantry, were foremost in the paths of peril
and death. They might not have municipal
authorities to welcome them at the gates of
the city; they might not have fine regiments
to attend in grand paraphernalia to receive
them, but they had the blessings and greet
Ing of their families. The success of the oiii-
GERS of the brigade was owing TO the fidelity
of the soldiers, for the trophies of the officers
we're reared by the private. lie had declared
before that no distinction could be given him,
however high it might be, than that which he
felt he had as commander of the Irish Br-
gade. Cheersl They were now returned to
the city to spend recess among their fami-
lies, before they again marched TO the field TO
meet the dangers Of which they had had such
a long and eventful experience. They had
come to a city in which the enemies Of the
Republic have pitched camp-a camp all
the more dangerous because it was intangible
and insiduous. They were in the midst of
the enemies of the Government under which
they had served. Then let them beware of
the reptiles called copperheads: have no par
ley with them; scotch the reptiles; loud cheers
and cries or "scotch themnl. They had known
what II was to meet danger, and they respect
ed even the bravery of the rebels, though con-
nected with mistaken cause. They could
bear tribute even to the fidelity of the
women OF the South, whose hostility was
evoked by their mistaken ideas created by
their local institutions. But for the rebels at
the North they had no respect; they had
raised an Infamous revolt in this city against
the government while they were fighting the
battles of the Union on the Susquehanna.
The Irish portion of them he deprecated,
loatled, execrated, IApplausel Traitors to
the Republic, they were still more traitors
and dangerous TO the land Of their birth. Ap-
p,ausel
In closing he asked the soldiers to be true
at all times to the flag for which they fought.
Let them strike down the man who would
assail it, or who would attempt to shake their
loyalty, Let them not listen TO disrespect-
ful word against the President, the
Commander Of the Army in which they had
soinobly served. Applause There were then
but two parties in the country-the Federal
Army under Abraham Lincoln and he Rebel
Army under Jefferson Davis, and the latter
and the rebellion would be evenly crushed
lCheers. Gen. Meagher then alluded to the
denis of the Know Nothing party remarking
that it received its irrevocable sentence OF
damnaton, and sat down amid loud cheers.