Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-13

Gen. O'AeIl's Address Last Nj hi.
Large and E0tIusiastIe FeniRn
Meeting.


PROF.. Mitchell, DR.. Riley, and Messrs.
Doyle, Loag1e, McLeary, Cannon, Sc
vsns, Roach and Coll. He was received
| with loud and prolonged applause, snlid
which he took his seat, and Mr.. Bernard
Coll stepped forward and said he knew
the ASSEMBLY was anxious to hear the
distinguished gentleman whom he
would have the honor Of introducing u
them. He then, in a very few words,
explained the nature and object OF the
meeting, and introduced Gen. O'Neil,
who was again received wlth prolonged
cheers, at the CESSATION OF which Gen.
ONail spoke as follows:
Ar. Chairman, Ladies' and Gentle
men : The object Of our Assembling here
this evening is to talk of Ireland and
the mans OF liberating her from bond
aga and slavery. The question may be
ssaed, why the Irish people in this free
country, enjoying the rights and priVi-
lsges OF American citizens, should
trouble themselves about a land over
5000 miles Away should trouble them
seives sbJut their native land. l hold
that the Irishmsu or Irishwoman who Ia
capable OF forgetting his or her native
country, ia not fit to enjoy the rights
and priviegEs OF "a American citizen.
[ hold that the best guarantee that the
American people can have of the love
and devotion OF Irishmen TO the
land of their adoption is that they
cannot forget the land that gave
them birth. Aud in this free land
we are permitted TO do that which we
are prohibited from doing in cur own
native land. Here we are permitted to
hold meetings, orgGniEs and -oODGentr2ts
our forces with the view of one dsy re-
turning TO make Ireland a. free and IN
dependent as the Uaited States. Hsrs
we are permitted To organize and to drill
our forces that we may return and drive
the invader from the sacred soil OF Ire
land. (Applause).
AZ to the right OF the Irish people to
protest against the rule Of England, there
is hardly g question in the minds of the
American people or the world. EJg
la4d invaded Ireland Ia the eleventh
century, and came there as 3 eOnquerOr,
as a roOber, but the Irish people never
recognized her right to govern
IfeiaRd, and by the blessings Of
God they never shall (Applause)-
Tonight Irish peoplef no matter where
their lot ia cast, whether on the Missis-
sippi river, in Memphis OF in New York,
are IS thoroughly Irish as their ~forstathers
OF sever haodrea years ago. Tonight
the Irish people driven from their native
land, cherish 1t with a fond remembrance
and are firmly resolved that England
shall not forever tyranis5 over IL, anu are
firmly resolved 20 resist her oppressiOne.
The only question is how best TO serve
u nation how TO succsed in driving
the robbers from the land Of ouT birth.
On the main question all agree. Eng
I'D haa NO rTsrhf IN IrnlanA mr. To
govern il. There Is no dissension or III
vision il this. As 20 the Nss means to
De adopted the Irish people differ, IS
they have q perfect right 20 do. When
men say we are divided and cannot ae-
cOmplish our ends. they say Whist il
,alse. The Irish people axe thoroughly
unitsd. People who for seven
hundred years have protested
against England's right to rule
Ireland, are united, and must be
on the main question. 1t is a csiumry
to our RAGS TO say We are divided and
cannot accomplish sur tSss. Ag to ex
psdianey-the 3raetie9i neans-there
are certain differences.
til is nav nearly three years since q
few ae1 left tnis city 20 90 10 Canada
and light for irish freedom. At that
time there were d If ceness Ct opiGl0n as
TO whether Canada Was tho tIus point to
attack. Honest men differed on this
point, as they had q right TO do. CuEin~
the iats wsr the most celebrate military
men dilHs@4 IS 70 the pest NOSE to crush
the rsbelliOn, IS it WRs called by come
the Confederation OF States by
others. When Grant went 70
Washington Sherman wrote from
the West for him TO come TO
the West, that there was the place TO
crush the rebellion. He q d not think 50
sndstsyed in front of Richmond. Sher-
mar stayed at the West, marched down
through Georgia in the rear Of Rich
mond and Giant and sherman
finally forced Lse to surrender.
The sbless Generals Of the SJUsh diff
f5red as TO the course of wsgiBg the war.
Seine were in favor Of one plan and
some another. Gen. St0neWall jackson
u this name evSry man in the house
~sSplsuded, and FOR q minute and more
tie house rang with TREMENDOUS cheers
snd s~ppiause.) An, we'll you may cheer
as that name. (ApplEuse.) Il is one
that will stand forth pre-emipeut in HE
tory, and will live when the ~pTejudiees
of to-day wall die and be forgotten.
(Cheers.) Although L fought against that
man I love and revere his name. zap
plsuse.) / regard him as the ablesC sol
dier d modern times. He beiieved, Sc l
am informed, that the South should in
wade the North at once. The Rbiest
Generals differed as to the hest meaos OF
carrying on q war why shall not Irish
men differ IS to the point where a blOw
10 TO be stuck Some thiak Ireland,
and Ireland alone, should be the point.
nEEa-u nVN Z Tor ~ FhTnE Lfn.r.nrA
should be attacked wherever Irish pe0-
pie conld Feash her. They should attsck.
the English flag wherever it hoated.
Consequently 1 went to Canada with
my companions. Wherever we beheld
the emblem OF tyranny and oppression,
wherever floats the red cross Of England,
the Irish peopls had 2 perfec. right TO
tear down the hated emblem, whether
it 1lOated in England or Canada. l
held then az nov, that wherever tioated
that emblem OF seven hundred years OF
tyranny and oppression, the represents
tive OF a nation thst has held and holds
my native land in bondage, no matter
wheIe it floats over English soil, Cana
dian soil, Australian soil, the irish people
have q riglt to tesF it down and whip the
men that are ready to deiend il. (Cheers }
| hold that the Irish people nave the
same right TO tear it down from Ridge
way as from Dublin Castle, as we did on
the "a of June, 1866. Some may ask,
what benefits will IL bs to the cause
Of Irish liberty tbs taking of
Caoads-how = IL would advance u
cause ? They say England cares moth
ing for Canada. and would give it up.
Il is not SO. While Canada il no benefit
to Eagland-fnancialiy speaking she is
S lUss-yet the ideS OF giving II up to a
pereel OF rsgamuhins, cut thToats, mur-
dereTs-to the Fsnians-would humble
Their national pride too much. They.
would never consent TO 1t. gnen they
would have to sen dsoldisrs there to defend
it, and that would be drawing just SO
many soldiers awsy from ireland. AgsiE,
il homes are 10 be made desolates CHILD
rem sre to be made orphans, women to
bs driven with their little ones into the
roads and fields to perish, homes TO be
Ievslsa, [ prsfer tat it should be in
CaDads rather than in Ireland. There
is misery enoagh in Ireland. There Is
hsrdiy an Irishman in the house but
what have seen it. There are the nat
ural conse quenees OF war, and there is
long and bloody wsr before US before Ire
- - - - O. -Ea,aA 49, 80,