Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1867-08-03
q ne raj Thomas Eranels Meagher and
the Irish Re Y O luton Of ls49.

umns The decease Of the Irish patriot and
brilliant Orator, General Thomas Francis
Meagher, which occurred at Fort Benton, NJ
T., on the Is, Of July. General Mragher
had been absent from home on public busi-
ness for about two weeks and was on board
the steamer Thompson when he accidentally
fell from the deck and was drowned At
last accounts his body had not been recov-
cred =. At tn, time of his death he was Sc
cretary Of Montana Territory, and Acting
Governor. The death of this distinguished
man calls for more 'han a passing notice
Thomas Francis Meagh was born in
Waterford, Ireland, August Sd, 1918. His
preparatory education was received at the
Jesuit College of C'ongowes, caunty Kildare,
but he finally completed his collegiate course
at Stonyhnrst College. near Preston, Eng
land, and he was considered soon after bis
advent to the bar-having chosen the law
for bis professional the most eloquent advo-
cate of his age in Ireland In the rebellion
Of lS4S he became especially cons picuous
1t will be remembered that the "Repea :"
agitation in Ireland eliminated 10 1913
when monster meetings were held all over
that landlord-cursed portion of the King
dom. The monster meeting which was to
have been held in .ha, year at Clou,arf was
forbidden by the Government, whose troops
were present and prevented it.. Under P,eI's
administration O'Connell and big fellow
sgiators were ia January, 1874, convicted
and sentenced TO a short term OF i'm, r,son-
melt, but an appeal TO the House of Lords
set them at liberty. There was great dis
content among the people, though the patent
fact that Great Britain would never consent
to a separation Of the two countries. the de.
cIining health Of O'Conncli, and the absence
OF great leader corslired to cause the agi-
tailon movement apparently TO die out
guishsd they smoldr,ed in the hearts Of the
people who longed 10 shake of the shackles
of tyranny which their masters had im posed
upon them.
in 1916 the "Ir-h Confederation took pal
rahle shape, and the Irish people rel iced IN
the prospect OF a speedy delvernnce. But
deep shadow fell upon the Iand A famine
swept thousands Of Irish uen women aud
children from the face Of The cath The
Emcr I'D Isle was vast cha mel hous" filled
with thousands who wer" diving and de I'd
H.. TLot T.
hbery. Parliament made successive grants
OF aid, amounting IN the ayg esate to ten
million pounds sterling. Large sums were
subscribed by the wealthy men Of En- glanJ,
and the feeling towards b" governm-n, grew
less hostile tn crops in lS41 were short
In 1913 almost every oppr ssed nation on
the globe att. mrt,d to emerge from their
night OF despot'sm. |, may we'll be styled
the year OF revolutions. The young lawyers
of lie at d seem to be carried away will,
enthusiasm over The event which France
asto;',bed the word with ~ establishing Ia
provisional republican g"vernurnt A
league was fr,m,l pf which the Irish Con-
federation' was tLe germ, ard n. ovemeu's
:or separation with Great Br tain were
speedily set on f. /. No revolution was
ever entered into will, S. little caution a
charac'errz j tie efforts Of tie lea 3ers c'
l,ish member Of The Hngse If Commons,
ILou,as F,ancis Meagler, Richard o COT
III n. and o,h"r', constituted "A Reputation to
soiclt from the French Rrpuhnc cou..,e-
nance to tie "cptre>s ed nationality Of Ire
IaLd' These movements "A armed he GOV
eminent, troops were poured into Ireland,
O'Brcn WAS arrested ut B.Li"garry, County
Tipp.rary IA reward Of $500 Was off red for
Thomas Flancis Men.her, who was soon
arrested, then followed the arrest Of John
MITCHELL editor a lie "United Irishman,"
McManas and y D"nahu", ali on the Oh ,rge
of ,r, ASH. Mitchell was sentenced TO II
years transportation, hu, Mragher, NJ Manas
aud o DDnohue ~ere sentenced TO be hung.
drawn and quartered. while hundr. is of
others i'm Iira,"d hcl to the United Stats
W. have before US a newspaper published
in 1913, which we have careiuil, treasured.
becau*e it contains The foil proceedings OF
the Stale t'i"ls of The patriots. I. B. Nc
Manas, y. o Donoghue aud lhnmas Francis
Meagh,r had been found guilty, and the re-
por, states that the Solicitor General asked
for judgment against them.
Queen Vic uria commuted the sentence Of
the court to lfhnsl ortation for life, and none
Of the prisoners were executed. General
Meagher was sent 10 Australia in ls49 but
in 1853 made his escape to California, rh, re
he rapidly won distinction as an advocate
and orator lie went 10 the State of NV
York about 1856, where he was soon united
in matrimouy to tue wealthy and accom-
pIished Mss Townsend Of Albany IL 1856
be became The editor Of a weekly journal in
New t,rk. devoted to tie inter&ts If Irish
II ,tinnalny, called the Irish Ners The
following year he visited Central America,
and made a protracted stay in Nicaragua
and Costa Rca
We became personally acquainted with
General Meagher, in Wisconsin, in the year
1857, at which time be was delivering, in
different cities of thu Union, n series Of leo
lures on the French Revolution, which were
we'll received, and ut the time very highly
compnen'eI by the press
At the beginning Of the war he joi.ed
Colonel Corcorau S Irish Regiment, the Goth
New Y rk, as Captain, and was promoted to
be Maj or was in the battle of Bull Run !;