New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-05
THE IRISH LIBERATOR.
CELEBRATION OF THE OCON-
NELL CENTENNIAL.

Rrooklyn last evening by meeting III 'le Ao'"y
Of Music, where Richard o"orihah ,,a
an address large assemblage hlied '"e
.,n floor and lower galleries, composed
i,cr,lv Of members Of ST. Patricks Mutual Aihaipe
and the Ancient Order Of Hbernans, besides Representa-
tiyes of various religious societies. ana ohc' mo"
Gems Of Brooklyn and vicinity. There was aiso '"s'
,onres,ntaton O, the Irish residents OF uis ci'!'
The stage and speakers stand were decorate" VIZ"
~ md American flags While the audience was
canning in music was furnished by Me'or"iVNs vi
.hestra OF Brooklyn, which played the IoIown's ans
With others: "savourneen Deelish,' " Inc hnP '"a'
Once in Tara's Halls" "Cooln, Inc wearing
=, he Green" and "Tho Last Rose OF sum
merp Among the large number OF persons sea'e"
~ tho stage were Mayor Hunter, Bishop Lough-
a.. ,he Hon william T. Robinson exJudge Joseph
AZ greenwood. Coroner Nolan, Assemplymah y hce'c'
,ustce Thomas NJ Reilly, exA!dermen flsnel anu
n W C. Boges. ex-Assemblynan Richard Lalor' ro'oc
Comu,ssioner Hurd, DR.. Henderson, President OF o.
paricks Mutual Alliance; John Norton OF the Ancient
o. 81 Jyibornians John Courtney, President OF the
-, forveotion the Rev. Fathers Fr!e Hickey, keegan
pondon NcCuIom McGnniss, Mcclure Mcsherryo NeH'
sheehey Taafie ReardOn, and Rhatgan J'J McO'shc!,
Jobn Long Mel McGoldrick. Bernard Peters, FehN NC
Closkey, Charles Doyle, Thomas hlioh' l. " A'A''
and william A. Sullivan.
,orr minutes after 8 o'clock Dr. Furd with Richard
oCorman and followed by large number OF gentlemen
appearedu upon the stage and was greeted Win eh'huss
He said: Ladies and Gentemen-I have been very
nuch srprsed tonight 10 have been called upon 10 pre-
side AT this meeting For some unaccountapie feasoh
the person expected here this evening Is not preseh.
Had had slightest intimation of this should nave
endeavored 10 have prepared myself in manner 10 nave
been passaby interesting TO on this occasion AS
is YOU will receive my excuse, and permit Inc 10 intro
duce the Hon Richard OGorman"
when Mr. OGorrnsn arose there loud and long
continued burst of applause. He was interrupted
freonently in his speech when touching upon the pat
riotsm OF OConne and upon the love OF country avs
played by the Irish people, with the most enthusiastic
demonstrations of approval In substance MS auieSS
as follows:
ADDRESS OF RICHARD OGORMAN.
YOu have invited me tonight 10 speak aDOnt
Daniel o'Connen. What can say TO you' Other men
,,o dsnoushed the theme far more. II is left for
only 10 CLEAN from the harvested field; and yet now
could refuse you for heard his voice long aso' l's
music sti fingers in my ears seem again 10 1eei inc
hearty grasp OF the old mans hand. loved MIN ana
bonored him while he lived and it seems to me almost
ha duty TO say what little be said by me to do DIS
,nernory usce will speak Of him In plain truth ana
sincerity and vet in and gratitude for l. too am IN
freshman and Catholic, and Catholics and Irishmen all
over the earth owe double debt Of love and gratitude
u him.
Toenabe YOU 10 comprehend with any degree OF clear
ness the plan and purpose Of OConnes he the dlicul
ties against which he had contend and the full measure
OF success he achieved il is necessary that you should
have some idea OF the political condition OF ireland "heh
he commenced his 1t is not pleasant story 1or
an Irshman to tell The first years of the Nneieenth
Century nearly the darkest and drearest lh IRE
land had known. Ireland had bteh TecohqutIou
and conquest, in all cases the browning calamity OF ma
tons in this peculiarly meIclIess cfue ana
Illuminating As Curran said the Irish Catholics were IN
sand from I iSe bench the eye Of the law Catholic
existed Ireland;" Chief Justice Robinson held,
The law did not suppose sueh person DIS d hoinan
Catholic To exist in Ireland . .
But the niquty Of this perversion OF government was
themselves Dean swift had poured out upon lhe peiitl
laws all the vias of his bitter sarcasm and wrath In
Ingand Edmund Burke sheridan, Fox, JOhnsoIl-cach
in his own way-had denounced trcm aud IN the Pailla
and Punke Numbered against their continuance 1t was
to these sagacious men that the ndePendencs OF
ireland could secured by the union or all her peo
pie OF full and equal ciyll ana Ifgions Orry
70 all The great Pat or se characterization and for
The scenes Of terror shame and despair which passed
before the ewes of a Young lish Catholic gentleman who
lad been called the Irish Tar in 1885, under the Ena-
bling act of I793-one the few who had awaited them
selves Of that indulgence-are recorded III history. His
name was Daniel OCOnnel lie was an orphan, aud had
nherited an estate in land vich had somehow escaped
Ae ss S M S e WITH all he
energy of his From the friendship OF judges or
patronage of the Government ne had nothing 10 eX-
pet as we say here, " He had 10 paddle his own
canoe :" but he had a sangline nature, undaunted
something also frank genial. and generous about him.
that soon hIm friends and clients On the Munster
pressing to professional eninence ana wealth he
was hone the earnest in the performance OF his
duties cZen-to his race, Lis country, ana LIS Ie
Igon. ,ooo
we find him addressing meeting of Irish Catholics
smblcd to express their opposition 10 the Act of Union
between the kingdoms, England aud Ireland, which
the Government tLen pressing. Looking back, now
at O'Connels whole career ii is easy think to discern
plan and purpose clear and consistent lie believed
that the dignity, the prosperity, the happiness OF the
shOud he restored that in order to achieve that Hde
pendence and keep it secure aud permanent Wien
achieved, necessary to enlist in Its defense all the
people that the Catholics, great of the people,
should be completely eniranchised That Catholics,
lrOtestants Presly erians-men OF all religions and
eIeedsshould be equal in the eye of the law, equally
titled to share in the grand council OF the nation.
The success OF Ireland in struggle with England by
force Of he utterly reudated as hopeless He had
seen 1t tried and fail lie had seen that no reliance
secret plans of the patriot leaders had beendulged
Mp is mind therefore thai all successful political effort
Al Ireland should necessarily be open pubhc and above
ing violation OF the law. He believed, Also that there
SaS IN political warfare weapon which had been as yet
but little riod-the power of public Opinion-the power
Of well disciplined intellect appealing to the public
Of humanity against public wrong. He believed in mora
force with these principles OF action, lie flung himself
that could be called mOvement-which did not advance
but only industriOuSly marked time.
OCoincn the central figure of all Ireland. Indeed
h. Ireland, the embodiment OF Irish character, of
Iils. leelngs ana aspirations ny degrees there gath
cred around him a body OF Catholic gentlemen whose
S 1nO In and Ts e
once, pledged TO resist the Catholic claims. Tie King
1eOrgc ~, was OF the same mind Things had come TO
aefisis II decided in the Catholic association TO
oppose the Government candidate at the Clare election
Tn part of the Catholic Association, When the idea
.addenly struck oConnell 10 stand for Clare himself
ne Was elected by an immense majority, presented
AiseH IN Parliament, and refused 10 take tie
oath which denounced the Pope and Popery
"a danuaDe and idolatTous. Tho excitement
grew and vas spreading over all Ireland, England
Europe Wellington and Peel grew alarmed. TO the
abatement Of every they introduced the Enanepa
non MI into Parliament II passed. and when they
brought TO the King TO sign, his Most Gracious Majesty
IeN INTO passion, cursed and swOrc, and when ut
ngth he did amy his signature threw the pen the
moor ana stamped II, became the Defender OF the
TAIN ana The fret gentleman in EnrOpe. Thus OCOn-
..u had fought and won the good fight But he had
nVugnt OF Iep0se On the contrary he rcdoubled his
SuS!y, Only oLe-baf OF the purpose OF his life had
sch accomplished. Catholic emancipation gained, now
~ III