Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-30
JOHN mitchell.
The Memorial Meeting at Emmett Han.
Patriotic Resolutions Adopted and FL
Oquent Panegyries Pronounced.

stand was suspended a neatly framed pic
ture OF the deceased patriot draped in deep
mourning.
j. McGOvern was called to the chair and
before taking his seat made few remarks
explanatory Of the objects of the meeting
and returning thanks for the honor con-
feTed upon him.
N. j. Mckee was elected Secretary and
the Reporters were requested to act az as
sistants.
On motion of Mr.. NJ. T. Bryan com
mittee OF five was appointed TO draft reso-
buttons declsratory. Of the sense of the
meeting.
Messrs. NJ. T. Bryan, J. Mclaughlin,
III. j. DOlin, James johnson and T. +. Be-
han were appointed said committee. The
committee retired and soon brought in the
following resolutions, which were reported
through their chairman:
Whereas, we have heard with profound
sorrow Of the death of the illustrious pa
triOt and martyr John Mitchell; be it there
fore
Resolved, that in his death Ireland has
lost one Of her bravest and nOblest sons.
and Republican principles an ardent and
sincere advocate.
AA0oOAhCAs LAAltb III Ills carter IiOll youth
to age be gave proof Of lofty character, an
unselfsh devotion to the sacred cause of
liberty and an undying love for his native
land.
Resolved, that after once having suffer
ed imprisonment and exile from his mother
country, his return to her, after an absence
of more than a quarter Of a century, to re-
new again the battle of his youth, attested
his sincere and unalterable opposition to
British rule in Ireland, and meets with
our hearty appreciation.
Resolved, that we greatly deplore his
loss and do deeply sympathize with his be-
reaved family in their great afIliction.
MIR. Bryan said that he could not let
this occasion pass without saving a few
words commendatory Of the character of
the illustrious deceased. Seldom indeed
were the Irish or any other people called
upon to mourn the loss of a man who was
truer and nObler patriot than John
Mitchell. Applause He was, indeed,
devoted TO liberty; b. loved liberty for lib
erty's sake. Had consented to aspire
10 position in his native land, his birth,
his character, his education and his talents
would have at once commanded for him a
position equal to that Of those who rule
unhappy Ireland. [Applause.l But, sir,
he early imbibed the spirit Of liberty. In
the year 1913, because be loved Ireland, he
was borne away in chains and eXiled. He
cametO this country, and even our own
State could claim the honor of having been
the home of John Mitchell. TApplause. I
Not cOntented in his home in the Ale
ghenies, he went to Knoxville and edited a
paper there, and afterwards went to the
metropolis Of the United States, his whole
principle being the ameliOratiOn and adj
vancement Of his countrymen. Applause
Going back TO Ireland, at the command Of
his own people, to advance their interests
as far as be could, he died martyr to the
cause of Ireland.
Father Meagher was introduced, and
said that the reason for his appearing was
because he thought it was right that
Catholic priest should pronounce the
eulOgy Of a Protestant who had shown him
self to be a good Irishman. Applause
And next because he was a Tipperary man,
and Of course John Mitchell died member
Of TipperaTy. The first time that John
Mitchefs name appeared in the public
prints as public man was when he deliv-
cred the address to O'COnnell, who had
been thrown into prison by the British.
But John Mitchell did not agree with
O'COnrell in politics. Mitchell was
always what he died-a rebel; nothing
more nor nothing less. Applause.
Mitchell was too noble to throw his failure
in the face Of O'COnnell. Mitchell met the
immortal Davis with some Othels who
were giving 4 tone to Irish literature.
Only some years before that it was penal
for an Irishman to learn to read or write,
and it was penal for any one to teach an
lrishman to read or write. The British
destroyed all historic "reminiscences that
could make an Irishman feel what Ireland
was before the English put her foot upon
her soil.
The old men Of Ireland said that it was
essential 10 create an Irish literature, so
that their own people could read about the
history Of their country, and learn that it
was fraud and not force that brought Ire
land into subsection. One of Father
BuTke's famous lectures, delivered while
he was in this country, was "The History
Of Ireland from its Ruins" Enough Of
the ruins remained on the hillsides and
valleys to trace the history of Ireland there
by. Davis did his part, and the moment
he came in contact with John Mitchell he
found that he was the man that could write
the literary part Of Ireland, and he wrote
the history Of Hugh O'Neil
Mitchell was from the very commence
ment Of life a rebel, and was never what |
was called a Cancellation Hall Repealist." |
Mitchell was for extreme measures and |
in lis articles exemplifed Robert Emmet's |
ides Of pulling the government up to the |
people,"
Many people were in the habit of sign |
ing themselves "YOur most Obedient ser
want, but Mitchell was man that always /
his exact meaning, and one time !
writing to Lord Clarendon, he signed him |
self "Hour most deadly enemy" By no
Dility was meant a high and lofty percep-
ion Of what was noble, great and dis
inguished. There were what were called |
natures nOblemen, whose souls were cast
N such mOulds, that it was impossible for /
hem to aspire to anything but what was
yrand and great and such one was John
Mitchell. If nobility was not of the right
tamp it could not be proof /
lgainst sel6shness. John Mitchell i
vas one Of the bravest and truest sons of
Ireland. Since his death, he had seen sew
,ral accounts in different newspapers stat
nc that he was a supporter of the Lost
Cause. If John Mitchell did join the Lost
Cause no one ought to hang his head in
hame, for everyone must acknowledge
hat it was an honest cause. Applause
Even though it be lost cause, Mitchell
,nly proved his principles to Republican
lation by bein. an advocate of the Lost
Jause. [Applause.l The Irish, as peO-
lie, generally sympathised with the South
IN cause. They instinctively felt that
be black Republican was something like
CrOmwellian, and that these irOn-clad
,aths, suspension of the writ of habeas cor
Jus and everything else looked so much
Ike the treatment that Ireland had
eceived, that they naturally sympa-
hised with the Southern cause. ZAP
,lause.1 In the beginning of the
vas the speaker was in New York city and
net a general in the United States army by
he same name as his, who was selecting
n Irish brigade to fight against the South.
lie very often went to the CAMPS, acting in
lis clerical profession, TO hear the confess
ions Of the soldiers. He asked Gen.
Ieagher one day how il was that he was
DING out to hgh. against the Southern PEG.
lie, when it was Wise, Of Virginia, and
jheatham, Of Tennessee, and Others who
mt down kn- W-N0thingism. His answer
vas that be was not going to fight against
Wise, Of Virginia, or Cheatham, Of Ten
lessee, nor any Of the people who put down
Known Othingism, but this country was a
Teat country and the English hated it, and
the South separated from the North