Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-19

ed b. applause. In introducing his subject the
speaker alluded to the day as an appropriate one
to desl with Irish questions, as on this day of
all Others the heart of every true Irishman
turns naturally 10 Ireland turn for the bet
ter has come in the affairs of that country, and
it can be better understood in its fullest extent
by brief review of its history for the last hun
dred years This is an age9of progress, and
calm look at men ard events in the late history
of Ireland will show that genuine progress has
been made. 1t is progress for ireland if she but
stands still, in view of the efforts which have
been made 10 blot her out of existence as an in
dependent nation. The lessons of the last seven
hundred years are that the Irish people cannot
be totally subdued and conquered by the power
Of England, nor made free without mighty eff
fort by her people. ireland has done more than
simply stand still; she has kept moving, and the
fire of patriotism burns as brightly as it ever did.
The condition of the people Of Ireland one
hundred years ago was most deplorable.
They had lost their strength in wars, been
robbed of their property, prosecuted for their
religion, aud left without hope. 1t was a crime
punishable almost with death for a Catholic to
ships on the sea, no Irish manufactures. En-
terprise and ambition seemed crushed, and it
looked as though all hope was gone and the En-
glish conquest complete. The Irish nation was
then in its grave but the resurrection soon came.
Years passed by and the American revolution
broke out, at which Ireland took new courage.
The condition of England at that time was most
critical and Ireland was called on to raise 3d.
600 men to repeal invasion and relieve the En-
glish government. This call was nobly respond
ed to, and the volunteers of 1882 sprung into
existence. The ministry of England was blind
when it thus placed arms in the hands of Irish
volunteers.
These are the results which followed the rails
ing of the volunteers: About this time dissatis-
faction arose in the Irish parliament in regard
to the ondition of the country. Conventions
were called, and the right of independent legis-
lation agitated. The people and volunteers were
aroused, and when Grattan introduced the bill
in parliament that no men could properly make
laws for Ireland except the king, lords and com
mons of Ireland, England though furious,
was too weak TO stamp out this rising agta-
ton, and the bill passed aud received the re-
luctant consent of the king. During the opera
ton Of this bill, peace and plenty once more
smiled on Ireland. Arts and manufactures re-
vived, and freedom stayed just long enough to
show its worth. Then discussion arose in par
lament Factions were formed and the vOun-
teers became demoralized. A new set of men
arose who preached Steiner doctrines, ignored
the old leaders, and formed the society of United
hN tI,a Of
America, took measures to arm and fight for
absolute independence. This was the re-
beon of 1898. Might triumphed over right,
and England was victorious; but a: the cost of
| E20,000,000 and 10000 soldiers. The period
| Of osratiOn following this rebellion was taken
| advantage OF by England to crush out the Irish
| parliament; and in the year 1900 the speakers
| gavel fell for the last time in the parliament of
| Ireland. A few years later another attempt was
| made by some of the society of U United lrishmen
| eXiled in France, to inaugurate a second strug-
| Gle for the independence of Ireland, and that
gallant young patriot Robert Emmett left France
| for Ireland. Within a year he was executed
| upon an English scaifod in Dublin.
The speaker entered upon a glowing eulogy
| Of EmmeTs characters saying that he was not
| so much dreamer and enthusiast as has been
stated, but that he was deceived by France in
| regard to promised help, and that an accident
| forced him into premature revolt. His eXecu-
ton was fatal mistake on the part of England,
| as it widened he gulf of l-feeling in ireland,
| and it can never be closed.
| Hardly a gun was fired in Ireland during the
| fifty wears which succeeded the death of Emmett,
| but the cause of freedom continued TO make
| progress. During the existence of the Irish par
| Lament some slight concessions had been made
| to the Catholics, but more was now want
| ed, and a committee was formed 10 urge the
| matter On this committee Daniel O'Connell
| began his career, and for tine next forty year
his life was spent in a stormy political aglta-
ton. The committee was suppressed by
the government in 1911, but the work
| still went on. The visit of George
| w. to Ireland in 1921 was the cause
of the formation of the Catholic association,
and out OF this came the repeal agitation in 1929.
| In this affair O'Connel, then member of par
| Lament, bore a prominent part He ran for
| seat in the parliament at the time when Catho-
lies were by law ineligible for such positions,
| and by his audacity secured his election and
| took his place among the law makers of En-
| gland. By his efforts the repeal law was passed
and an agitation started, in which monster meet
| ings were held aud doctrnes taught that had not
| been heard since '9S. These doctrines again
| awakened ireland, but the agitation soon died
| out, and O'Coune, who had grown old, seemed
| to have practically given up his efforts for the
re-estabishment of the Irish parliament. The
| famine then came on, and in the darkest hour of
misery O'Connell died in foreign land. The
speaker delivered an eloquent tribute to the
memory of O'Connell, saying he found
| Ireland PROSTATE, and raised her up,
| and found her unrepresented in parlia-
| meut, and became her champion. To his
work IS due the present freedom of religion in
| Ireland, and many other boQps which the people
| had not formerly enjoyed. Quarter OF a centu-
| ny has passed and no worthy successor TO MIN
| has vet been found,
Just before the close Of the famine, party,
under thesname of the Irish confederation, was
| nf IrisbmpO who DrOuOspd uuoiu
a square stand-up fight with England for indie
| pendence, This was what is called the revou-
| ton of 1913. 1t was but petty nSnrreetion,
| and only justified by the condition Of the conn
fry at the time. Though unsuccessful, it was
| not without good results, one of which was the
| complete change of sentiment which ensued.
The events of the last twenty years are so en-
| craven upon the memory of living men that it
| is needless to enumerate them at length. The
| speaker alluded briefly to the PheniX troubles of
| $50, and the FeniEn troubles of '65, GO and 6S.
| He then spoke of the present condition Of Ire
| land, saying the condition OF the laborcr there
was as good if not better than in England, the
| Irish establishment repealed, the Catholics
emancipated and the Irish mind educated, re-
| fined and expanded. The lecture closed with
brilliant picture of the future of Ireland. The
speaker was satisfied with the gradual progress
| which the country had been making and said
when independence does come it will find people
ready to receive it.
| THE SUPER.
| At ten O'Clock company of about q hundred
ladies and gentlemen assembled at the Bay
State house to participate in the annual supper,
at which the exercises of the day were brought
to pleasant close. The banquet was rather a
peculiar one, as no meat of any kind was in
euded in the bill of fare. Oysters and all va
rieties of fish RbOunded however, and were
served in a style which made the absence of
meat hardly noticeable
When the supper was disposed of and every
body present was in state of happiness and
content which always follows a hearty meal,
Mr.. J. J. O'Gorman, chief marshal of the day,
called the meeting to ORDER in readiness TO hear
the speaking and songs which were to follow.
Mr.. O'Gorman spoke briefly and in happy
manner, welcoming those assembled, and spoke
of the importance and benefit of meeting once
| year to think over the progress made during
the past twelve months, and compare notes in
friendly way. He closed his remarks by intro
| ducng Mr.. ?. W. Ford as ioast-mastep Of the
| A., No. ,,-t /,