The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-18
st. PArRTCK's DAY.
A BRILLIANT CELEBRATION.
PROCESSION, ADDRESSES, AND BALI.

apart throughout the Irish world In honor
of St. Patrick, the Blest. The programme
WIGS fully carried out, and the celebration
attracted more than ordinary attention.
The Irish citizens assembled ct The ap.
pointed rendezvous in each ward ,s.and
marched thence to Broad street, between
10th and 18th, where the line was formed.
The nucleus of the procession was the
Catholic Beneficial Association, and the
march was. directed by Capt. VIM: English,
chief marshal, and Jas. Hayes, +. Boyle,
p. Tennessee, 7. w. McMahon. .Mm.
Kelly, ind Jas. Rankin, his deputies. In
the line were borne the green flag of Old
Ireland, the Stars and Stripes, and the Viz
gina State flag. Every man in the process
sion wore green rosette, or ribbon, and
many had in addition the sprig of ever
green in the button-hole.
After marching through the principal
streets, u halt was commanded On gu
lstIest. het EN- !. ne and feapkiin. and
| the procession filed into Assembly Hall
where large number Of ladies and gentle.
men had previously assembled. The audi
ence was called to order by Capt. English
who introduced Mayor Kelley, the orator
of the day.
ADDRESS OF MR.. KELLEY. 80
l Ill UpculuS Ills uuul Coy, 1ui ItClFry Sdlu
that there were some in his audie5&e who
stood nearly 80 yearsago at the foot &c Ta-
rah's royal hill in the midst of one Of those
monster gatherings that sWelled and surged
under the magic of that matchless voice
with which Helands great tribune sum-
moned from death to life the patriotic aspi-
rations of his countrymen. There were
some, said he, who joined their plaudits in
that sublime acclaim with which proud,
though oppressed, people responded to the
invocation of that consummate orator rs he
scattered broadcast the seed which, whether
sown consciously or unconsciouSly, was
the germ of well-nigh every useful fruit that
has since been born for freedom in that I'M
happy land and though that marvellous
| tongue has long been stillcd, and though
that heroic form long since passed out into
silence beneath the fair italian skies, none
who saw or heard him will ever forget how
| wildly an enthusiastic people hung on the
| lips of the great liberator-Daniel VCon-
nell.
To-day, said he, d" / summon you to the
same great plain of Berg, and to-day l ask
you to stand with me in the shadow of the
same hill Of Tarah, and rolling back the
tide of more than fourteen hundred years,
to mingle again with Il thrOng Of Ireland
sons, filling its fair fields and sunny slope.'
"ThiS," he said. "was seven centuries be-
fore Saxon king had ever set hostile foot on
Irish soil-not, as in our day, had they as
sembled to protest against England's ra-
pacity and bewail Ireland's wrongs. Their
mission was to celebrate with Pagan rites q
Pagan festival, and that accomplished, to
assemble in solemn counsel and enact such
laws as the rude justice of that day seemed
needful for the veal Of the barbaric king
DOM"
The speaker continued briefly to give the
history Of the life of the patron saint of the
Green Isle, and concluded as follows:
"But, my countrymen, interesting as is
the character of our patron saint in the as
pect in which l have briefly considered it,
there is another view to which allude to-
day with a pleasure scarcely less profound.
T mean AS the emblem of Irish unity. Here
we may all join hands on Il common plat
form. Though not native Of Ireland, and
although entering the country 1T middle
age. be was model son Of Ireland. Never
again did he turn his heart or his foot to-
wards another soil. From the hour he land
ed at Dublin bay until, amid the lamenta-
lions of the whole island, he was laid in his
modest tomb, he devoted himself to the
welfare of Ireland with a single purpose.
He was called in the fifth year of his resi-
dence to the Parliament at Tarah, and in
that capacity and as member of council
to revise the laws and collect materials for
the history of the island he showed the
depth of his devotion to Ireland.
So thoroughly did he incorporate himself
with the people that he had the eXcep.
tional fortune Of being able to convert a
whole nation 10 Christianity without the
ef'usion of one drop Of blood.
TO woman's gcntlenesS he united a
martyrs herOism. His generosity, love oil
truth, humility, and opcn-handed hospi.
tally, live still in the traditions of his PEG.
pie and so profoundly had his sanclity
Impressed his cOuntrymen that for many
centuries after his death an oath by the
staff Of St. Patrick was regarded us OF
equal solemnity and obligation as though
taken on the Holy Evangelist.
In these qualities he was the type of the
brightest example of Il true Irishman, and
who can tell how much of all that the name
of poor Ireland, despite the unexampled
suffering and long ensEvement. an honor
| amid the nations may be the fruit of that
have not lost sight Of in all their wander
ings.
LII the day Of their short.lved public
happiness, and in the long night OF their
oppression, this glorious name has been the
pillar of cloud and OF fire towards which
| the eyes of her people, however scattered
and wherever found, have always turned.
Informs rallying point about which all that
| is noble, and true, and patriotic of Irish
blood, regardless OF party, or creed, or cline,
may traternally unite for his great name i
| the common heritage Of us all. God grantit
| may one day be the conquering sign under
which her noble people of every party and
Of every province may march triumphantly
to happiness, prosperity, and liberty
1t remains for me, my countrymen and
countrywomen, only to congratulate you on
this second exhibition of the unity and har.
| mony which even in a more marked degree
should characterize the children of Erin in
Richmond. 1t is a subject Of just reproach
! that while all other societies and organiZa.
| lions flourish among us, it is impossible
| to combine the children of Ireland into any
| unity of action or sentiment. l trust that
| the day is coming. and is near at hand,
| when all this will cease to be true among
us; for amid our differences and with al
our controversies there is surely enough
| that is the common heritage and common
pride of all to form the foundation of q
union that shall bind together the sons
| of Erin OF all classes and creeds. Let us
cultivate their feelings, assured that a man
is no more citizen of this great Republic
ucChuse Lib ueaI U IulllS Win 1ONQ ana a1fCC.
tionate recollection to the green isle of his
| birth or his ancestry and let us remember
| that to these arrangements and jealousies
/ and differences among her own children,
far more than to the power or proves OF
| her enemies. are the calamities and misfor.
tunes of Ireland due. Were her people
| united, even now there are grown men
within sound of my voice who would live
to see her the free Commonwealth for which
the peerless Grattan lived and gallant En-
met died.''
~ REMARKS OF NIB. DooLEY.
i l. hnx, i.,knn I,,nnG