The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-01-24
Father Ryan's Lecture.

L So @oo inteIugens audience greete
the Revd orator last Sunday evening, on til
occasion OF his lecture upon The Great Men ,
the South.
Being introduced by Mr.. wiltz, the speaks
oissne Louisiana Legislature, the Lecture
paid well.merited tribute to this noble South
erner who SO graudly protested against tyrar
ny, In the nsme of liberty, justice and his ns
| tive land.
Commencing with the great men of N
Father Ryan sketched the early life of PATROL
Henry-whom he designated as the Voice o
| the Revolution, whose inspired utterances On
| klndied the fire Of patriotism and famed IL int
burning fame over the entire land PATROL
| Henry was Southerner, born in Virginia, an.
| the lesson he taught in those heroic days wa
being repeated now by Southern hearts will
the same earnest discrimination
give me liberty. or give me deathr
III we arc freemen in the true acseptation OF
the term, if liberty is reality and not q
dream, then We ask it as our right, We claim
1t as our best prerogatiye but If, while prof
fered precious boon, we are denied it's en-.
joyment, if our souls are to be Knocked by a
name and our manhood deluded by q sound.
then give MS death in preference to this deceit.
But in that grand movement of Justice
against tyranny, of right against wrong, q
sword was needed to lead men to victory. to
ensure success, and the South gave-Wash-
ington, the Sword of the Revolution.
A mind was also needed-cne which con1d
reason out the consequences of events, which
could plan combinations necessary to SUCCESS.
and Virginia gave-Jeferson, the Mind of the
hevoiution-the iIustrious author of the De-
olaration of Independenoe-of that embodi-
ment of high and holy principles, which,
terminating in Southern State, bring forth
their fairest fruits on Southern soil.
Passing in review, with few brilliant re-
marks for each, tho honored names of Madison.
Monroe and other great men of the South who
lived in the elder days, Father Ryan described
the second Revolution which had also evoked
Sword, Voice. a Mind, worthy to inspire.
direct and guide q brave and noble people.
Virginia gave all these in the person of
ROBERT +. Lee-the man made of the purest
marble of human nature-whose sword flashed
Ear Earl in the front of the glorious fight.
High DER the brave in the cause Of right"
and which, stainless in its drawing, was AZ
stainless in its sheathing.
We can not follow the glowing argument
which showed us the character of the peerless
eader, the chivalrous soldier, as one worthy |
IT our deepest reverence. We all know the
'ecord of Lees life how, being offered the
command of the Northern Army, he refused |
hat proud position in order to cast his lot |
With that of his native State
The Hector of the Southern Cause, Lee az.
'mplifed in his person all the virtues of that
llustrious hero, for "the gentless manners
With the bravest mind" may be written now
IS justly of this great Southern Leader, Ga
when Homer wrote it of ais Trojan prince.
Around this central figure, Father RYAN
ronped the great Confederate chieftaips.
rominent among whom he placed Louisiaua's
ood and gallant General Polk, in whom. in
pite OF wars asperities, the zeal of the soldier
Ias always blended with the piety of the
christian.
But 1t was while referring to the graves of
Or unknown dead, that Father Ryan gave
teerance to his finest thoughts. Among the
'oly great men of the South he placed those
aunaess heroes whose record finds no place II
pom the page OF history. They gave no name
hash adown the ages; but they gave some
ing better-semething as deep as a life. as
ide as q heart. ,
AND among the living, he characterized "a
eat men of the South, all those who scorn to
," before the shrine of policy, but are will I
TO kneel down and worship at the feet of +
inciple ; who did not measure a man bv his
oney, but by his mind, and who found q
ander riches in the poverty of principle than b
the afauence of policy.
among such mon, he placed again the mama a
Speaker Wiltz, who had spoken grand a
ltns' not for himself nor for party policy. or
for free people and for the principle of a d,
bic cause.
nero were many anecdotes interspersed of
oughout the lecture, which served to amusa nj
audience, but which were only accidental an
rkS sent off from a steady, glowing fame Of ur
riotic fervor. ,;f
.eferring to the Goddess Calypso who re- en-
TIED that she was immortal, the lecturer
his audience that they did not roc
Q the same cause of regret in regard to VII
ain characters of the present time. Neither Ho
Mt nor Sheridan, Emory nor De Trobriand GA,
like Calypso, but the record of the Atb of Iir