The anti-monopolist., 1877-05-03
ATYPE OF THE TRUE AMERICAN


US that the Peruvian Government has
authorized Mr. Meiggs to form a compa-
nv-capital, two millions and half
sterling, and guarantees to it a yearly
interest of seven per cent. The purpose
is to finish up a railroad and drain and
utilize the inundated and abandoned sill
yer mines of Cerro de Pasco. This he
willldo by tunnel forty feet beneath
them, and where geological law indicates
great yield of silver. And this man
to day is in his 18th year!
Now, Mr.. Meiggs is, in one respect,
the most extraordinary man ofthe age.or
indeed of any age after the building of
the great Chinese wall. South America
was an untrodden desert-untrodden at
least bv the iron horse, till Mr.. Meiggs
laid his hand upc'n it, What ne accom-
plished, what forests he pierced. what
mountains he cut down. what swamps
he filled up-to describe them would
take up the whole of the Irish World
Besides, every man who keeps up with
the grand advance knows already about
them.
But there IS an earlier history of Mr.
Meiggs. Il less. seen though not less
honorable. history. In 1910 Henry
Meig-s was President of the Trustees of
Village Of fWillamsburgh, Kings country
n. Y. What are now crowded thor
oughfares were then picturesque hills
| and gleas and cornfields and orchards.
Few people lived in it, and those few
were mostly poor. There were some
rich and ariss ocratic enough. however,
to take exception to poor mems pigs, and
and even goats windererlno along the
were-to- be sidewalks Ordinances were
promul gated, pounds built, poundmaS-
ters elected, and the vagrant animals
shut up. Petition came tor release, and
Mr. Meiggs volunteered as their counsel.
Il don't like myself to meet them, he
would say, "but then | think they are OF
more use TO the poor owners than they
are of Inconvenience to me. That's my
motion, what gentleman will second Ii?
1t never wanted second, and never
failed to pass, to the great consolation
both OF the pigs and the goats and the
owners. The goats, indeed. paid for
this good will by eating up and extermin.
atiny: the forest OF stramonium poison
weed that overshadowed the fields. and
one Leaf of which would poison you or me
However, the goats got dominion over it
But Henry Meiggs did more than that
He helped every thing and every man
who was in need OF help to more than
the extent of his ability. And he die
more than even that. In AS, when The
great agitation in Ireland and here fol
Ireland prevailed. Mr.. Meiggs was
J foremost man in that sympa,hizing move
ment. He favored rifle organization
) here to meet weekly for military drill
J and target practice He maintained
, that it was by ~ armed descent from tni
! country that Ireland ought to be rescue,
from her slavery, and he inspired ant
| got printed at his personal cost pam
phlet to enforce his views-2,Oo0 cope
| of it. 1t was entitled Revolt in tn,
. British Islands-How to Aid It," On,
copy OF it still exists, and the though
. then put forth by Mr.. Melggs is or ough
; TO be the thought of the present day-lh
r thought that ought to precede the act
4 and that we trust will precede it.
4 We claim Mr.. Meiggs. therefore, a
& one OF us-claim him by a tie evel
s stronger than the tie of birth. We CLAIM
l him by the tie of brotherhood. Blade
t can now lift up their fronts in New Yorl
e and all round and affect airs of pride an,
: almost of insult to the very men to whom
l they owe all they possess of real o.
/. imaginary position. Let them-let th
!. whole batch of them-go into one scale
: We will put Henry Meiggs quietly int,
e the other, and he will outweigh them all
h 1t was true greatness of soul that sen
n him to our side. To the side of Ireland
: Him and America growing up out G
!. settled centuries. That greatness ha
). since commanded the world to look O
# and wonder. Ths little men, too, hav
kept In their sphere A diminutiv
audience looks at their little selfish move
5 ments. and even that limited audienc
T looks at them with contempt, in tryin,