The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-08-18
ePEECH OF MR.. M'NERHANY.

Mr.. CHAIRMAN ana LGdieS GRd Gentlemen ::
l desire at the outset to remark, that l wish
you to be silent to hear me for my cause, and
if you do not desire to hear me- [ relinq uish
this position to Mr.. Given, or any other gen.
tleman you desire.
| wish you to uude rstand, thogh, that if
do commence, my voic skall not be drowned
L could not be drowned in the days of Know
nothingism, and it shall not be drowned in
any Irish assemblage. Cheers
| came here tonight in obedience to this
call to address to you words of truth and So
berness. If I understand this call, you are
invited here, as Irishmen of the District of
Columbia, to express your undated conf
dence in the policy of Andrew Johnson
Not only is that policy applicable to the con-
dision OF our own country, but also in its re-
lation to the cause of Irish liberty and indie.
pendence, as sought to be effected by the fs-
MAN organization. Cheers. And heartily
endorsing, as | do the policy of President
johnson, and earnestly wishing a God speed
t. any movement which has for its object the
liberation of Ireland, l have come hero to
night to give this movement my approval, and
to lift my voice, however humble, in its de.
fence. Now, fellow citizens, | am not here
to recte to you the story of Irelsnd's wrongs.
L have told you that story over and over
again. You know it; it is as familiar to you
az household words. You know that for long
and weary centuries that beauti ii land has
rested beneath the blight and shadow of
merciless tyranny.
You know that it is q land enriched BY ma
ture with the choicest gifts, but impoverished
by British misrule. You know that it is
land illustrious for its orators and poets.-
You know that it is embslished with seats
of learning with temples of religion. and
that it has acquired the name of scholars and
of saints. You know that even in the depths
of its gloom, over the dark shadows which
have surrounded it, the light of its intellec.
tual glory has shown forth upon the nations
even as the brillisnoy of q star upon the dark
ness of night that her sons and daughters
-soms of the latter are here to night
great cheering, and when they smile on US
what radical shall dare to be against us p
Cheers. You know that in the dark and
bloody days In our revolutionary struggle,
when your fathers fought for the liberty you
now enjoy, the valiant sons of Ireland ran to
the standard OF your county and helped her
through victory and defeat to a glorious tri
umph. You know that in 1872. in the May.
can war, and in the late unfortunate .t,nv.
gle, the glorious sunburst of Ireland advanc.
ed side by side with the glorious stars and
stripes. And. fellow citizens, beoause Won
know these things you sympathize with Ire.
land in her present struggle to throw off the
bondage of tyranny. And. fellow citizens,
you know more than this. You know that
tho Iish citizen is devoted, heart and SOUL to
the powers of this Union. You know that be
cherishes the love of this Union in his Utmost
heart, and that even his aspirations have
sought expression while blending our nation
81 with that of his native land: e Erin, PlMr-
.ous, Erin ununa 60 bragh. And, fellow cit
lens, In the late struggle through which we
nave passed, you know how vaIiantly the