Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-19

tlemen. The Gospel we preach is older than
christianity it was preached on the plains
Of Marathon, where ten thousand Tree born
Greeks, in defense of their homes and fire.
sides, put to route and defeated with slaugh-
ter the myriad hosts of a foreign invader.
1t was preached ct the Pass ofThermopylae
where a Spartan band Of three hundred
men resolved to immediate themselves rather
than allow the foot of foreign oppression 70
pOlute the sacred soil of their native land.
1t was preached on the alpine heights Of
Switzerland, among the dehles and valleys
of the fyrol, OIL the plains OF Sarmatla. on
the ramparts Of Antwerp, in old Fanieul
Hall, at the village Of Lexington, where the
brave women of America, gathering from
their fields and fresides. decimated the
ranks of the hirelingS Of King George, and
drove them in disorder and dismay within
the Qualifications of Boston. 1t was preached
on the plains Of Saratoga, at the serge OF
Yorktown. on every battlefield IN
this county, made classic and i'm
mortal by the successful effort OF this
glorious nation to achieve and preserve
It's independence and its unity. 1t was
preached by Cardinal RInuceini. the envoy
of Pope Clement, before the confederation
of Kilkenny, when he counselled unceas-
| ing resistance to British power in Ire
land. It was preached by his Holiness,
Pope Plus the Ninth himself, when he sent
words of sympathy and encouragement to
the insurgent Poles, and uttered his scath-
ing invective against their oppressor. In
defense Of this Gospel laymen and the
Amounted of God have laid down their
lives, and by their blood have sanctifed
the scaifold. In defense Of this Gospel the
fighting Bishop Heber MeMahon preached
on the hills Of Ulster. In defense of it
| Bishop Plunket laid down his life before
the walls of Sligo. In defense OF it Fathers
Murphy and Roach led the insurgent
ranks Of our brave countrymen in '9S against
the hirelings of another Fool by the name Of
| George. In defense Of it the brave and
patriotic Hugh 0'Neil kept the green flag
floating for fifteen years, and sleeps the
exile's sleep in the Convent of st. Isidore.
In defense of it Sheares, Fitzgerald, Russell,
Tone and Emmett, those Bayards OF IreiaHd,
her chiefs, "LoHs peUr, 8dRs reprOche," have
laid DOWN their lives. What is that Gospel2
It is self-government and independence Tor
poor, impoverished, down-trodden Ireland.
In a word it is liberty, liberty for all classes
and all creeds-ltberty, not li-centiousness ;
liberty consistent with every right, public
and private; liberty that our native land
should live and prosper, and not be a beg
gar-seeking elemOsenaTy aid from the ma
lions of the world; liberty, that all the
advantages which the God of nature has
granted our beloved country, should be used
for the benefit of her children; liberty, that
the peasant should enjoy the the fruits Of
his labor, and not see those fruits carried off
T. a foreign land, while he and his children,
by whose sweat and toll they were raised,
%starve; liberty, that our merchants should
not be all bankrupts; liberty, that the
mineral and manufacturing resources of
ireland should be developed liberty that
We may have a native flag, under whose
folds we may find protection, and which it
VIII be our pride and honor to defend with
our lives. We say with Mr.. Gould, one
of the most gifted members of the
Irish bar, when addressing the mem
bers of that profession in 1898, on
the question of Irish independence ave
want not the assistance ofdivine inspiration
to ~foretell, fOr we are enabled by the visi-
bic and unerring demonstrations Of nature
10 asser. that Ireland was destined to be a
free and independent nation. Our patent
to be a State, not a Province, comes direct
from heaven. The Almighty has in ma
jestic characters signed the great charter OF
our independence. The great Creator OF the
world has given our beloved country the
gigantic outlines of a kingdom. The God Of
Nature never intended that Ireland should
be the slave of England and, BY heaven
she shall not be-"
Those are the principles, ladies and GEN
tlemen, Of the Fenian Brotherhood 1t is to
achieve those that we have resolved.
To watch and labor and unite,
TIL banded De our Nations might,
Her spirit steeled
And then collecting all our force,
Wen cross oppression in her course,
And die, or all cur rights enforce
On battlefield.
Are those principles at variance with the
laws of God or the Just laws of man? The
man who fwould say they are, I care not
what position he occupies, be he King or
Kaiser. Priest or Layman, speaks not the
truth. The Almighty himself affirmed them
hedsy he engulphed the hosts ofPharoah in
the Red sea-, because of the endeavor of that
desPot to keep the people of Israel in sub
lection.
And now I turn to our native-born Ameri-
can citizens here present, and ask them
Do those principles beat in unison with the
great American heart? If you say they do
not, you are not true sons Of your sires of
l7I6. Il is their noble example we desire
t, emulate. We desire to do as they did,
bid our native land rise up from the tomb
of prOvincialism, shake off the garments of
the grave, and put on the habiliments Of
nationhood.
Patrick Henry, the great Apostle of Amer
lean Liberty, speaking il the Virginia
~AeNNC Va ONANE&ANo 11AA AAC AfAA E1AN
from the North may bring to our ears the
of resoundiBg arms. Our brethren
already in the field, why stand we here
What is it that gentlemen wish ?
What would they have? Is life so dear or
peace SO sweet as to be purchased at the
price of chains and slavery? Forbid it,
Almighty God! I know not what course
others may take, but as for me, give me
or give me death"
MI T-.s-- n--.L--l--I -
nen:, and now all we ask from this govern ]
is neutrality a Ia Ahglaiss. That Is, a
proclamation that is never intended to be
carried out. while at the same time arms
ans munitions Of war are being conveyed /
10 the Fenians, and iron -clads are being &
by American seamen, to sweep, &
with the Green flag floating from the mast !
mead, British commerce Off the seas. Aud
with that neutrality, the Fenian Brother I
lOOd may be able to add, before many .
moons may have passed away, a couple Of
and plant the Green Flag on the ramparts !
# Dublin Castle. !
Song: "You will soon forget Kathleen. a" =
Louisa Bragelman. +
Song: THE Pledge" by Thomas Reilly. +
C. The Army and Navy Of TIE United States. Il
Air: HAIL Columbia" Col. Nugent was r
tc respond to this toast, but was t
lbsent. l
I. The Heroes and Martyrs of ireland -
"Who fears to speak OF '9S7 .
WHO tremtles at the name? a
When EDWARDS mock the Patriots Fate, "
who hangs his head for shame ~
Air: "Marseillaise."
Response by P. Hussey, ESQ. -.
Song "The Harp that once thro' Tara's :
Iall, /" by Charles F. Long. i
6. Prosperity OF Cleveland, -our BEAUTIFUL For t
st City. f.
Air: Home, Sweet Home" l
Response expected from Hon. D. A. Dan n
Ter, who, however, could not remain. n
Song: "Come where my Love lies Dream n
1g," by Miss Bragelman and Messrs. 2
Ieady, Knacks and Long.
. The Ladies'. =
Air: ''The Girl I left behind me-" r
Response by VIM. Mathews, Esq. /
10. Tho Press. 4
Air: "The Press" Al
Response by W. ". Armstrong. Esq, of .
le Pain Dealer, in an excellent speech.
Song: Gently Signs the Breeze, =" by Miss
ragelman and Mr.. Long,
We have not space or time to characterize
performance as VT would like and as 4.