The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-06-08
ar EIonuent Yribstte.
DECORATION DAY ADDRESS CT HON. RICH
ARD O'GORMAN.

atIOHS v hich The ceremonies OF Dccpia'iuh
day ca He'd forth, we have seen none more
eloquent aud touching than the following
delivered by Hon. Richard O-Gornan at
Calvary cemetery, Brooklyn, \. Y, which,
although in q special manner tribute
to tie gailantiy OF the brave Irish soldiers,
is witbal broadly national in tone and
spirit in which all trace of partisan or sec
tioual hate is buried in the ample folds OF
the white mantle Of charity and fraternity.
1t is proper to say, in explanation ot
reference made to that fact by Mr.. OGor-
man, that among the graves visited was
that of an unknown Confederate soldier,
over which the Sixty -ninth's veteran corps
planted Il palmetto tree that had been sent
to them for the purpose by the Irish v"iun.
teers of Charleston, ). c. The ladies ot
that city also sent magnolias to be scattered
over the graves of Union and Confederate
soldiers alike. Following is Mr.. O'Gor-
mans address:
MR.. O'GORMANs ADDRESS.
There are DAYS in the summer time, calm,
clear. still, in their soft and dreamy spicn-
dor, tnat il seems as II cloud could never come
TO daTken their brightness, nor storm. Win
( its rude breath, disturb their rcposc Yet all
/ the while far away in the lonely ocean the
I tempest may he hrooding and mastering its
forces and driving before it The cruel biasts
that shall stake the lofty stceples and HciiI
and break the grOauin2 forests, and turn the
s.niliug day into night Of terror ana desoiH-
. tion. 81, 100. a nation, in its hour of pence
ana prosperity is SLOW to believe that era
happy may not last forever, and can hardly
dream of the dark conspiracies that may men
I ace its E"curity-ut the growing aHtugoHl5lHs,
! whose rircned point may be civil comm"ti"n
4 or foreign war. Ana not more quickly d"ts
/ the summer sky darkcn at the first breath ul
the coming ste. III, than does the heart ~ snce-
! y tTemilc with alarm. when II hears the C!dn2
; Of arms. the boom Of cannon and the stern
/ simmons OF the trumpet and the drum. Them
4 The w'ukur-S and the sircnGth ni The hhtIon
/ become apparent. Then, wealth, aftiRhtcd'
flies to labor for prot cctiou. Them nom p!ungh
4 and loom fnd i"' &c and anvil comes l'tth ne
stanch and sturdy munhCoi OF the nation. 70
( defend its rights and enard its honor. A!CH-
! the sous OF toll. cleNattd ana tnnohltI IN ire
glorious c0mpiniOnshIp Ui arms ll!t up their
/ pinned heads 20 the level O.! the htEh"ai IN the
iaHd' rival ihetn ih yai'r snare WIN 'u'i tilf
fierce delight OF battle. the cXultanT joy of vic
! tory. The agony OF defeat. or sleep with them
/ side 10y side "a thg s9I iIer 8raTt'- ArNC-Gh bE
/ the great CT isis. all the innate b croism OF me
/ people fishs ont. and daring deeds are done,
s'cfiuc3s huarI one III X Chuu! - ti
which men ia after days read with wnu'i"r and
I admiration. For such services no adequate re-
! they are the title deeds OF the nafiun's honor.
the proofs of her right to wear the sccplFe ana
/ take rank ain"Hs me S"Neitleh t''Nt ina
guide ana ruic mankind. Of such crisis. of
! such gallant deeds done in our own times III
! TINS American laHd' We are mere %. GA! tc re
new the remembrance. We are here to show
! that mankind does not forget its hrncfactOr=,
. when their w'rk - done; but chrrlsher the
( memory of Ghcin ia its heart OF hearts fresh
and living us are the far and fIag rant hpTcrs
! which we strcw to-day upon their honorcd
( 2r"vcS.
! sixteen years have gone by since the Amcri-
/ can people found themselves divided int" hos
/ tile armies and arIayyd against each other in
J aiifHErNlSn q
thi u a generation has pta-td away ara ) q ~
| seems to me bpt Yesterday when the streets of
/ yondcr great city echoed 10 the frcqU, nt tramp
! "l armed men a. rcSInrnt after - ElmyHt ui
citizen soldiers hurried on to the scene pt con-
| hict 1t was April l5, 1861, thar Fort Sumter
! capituatcd to The Southern forces. The die
cast, the last hope of reconciliation was
! gone. ana both siGcs prepared TO meet the ter
/ rihic ordeal Jhe seventh regiment OF New
! York State militia. corps unriVailed. almost
pefjrTt IN 3 kad 5stL NJ G i'lt f
families OF \ american birth. with chepri u! and
! gallant a!acrity rendered their services to the
Federal Government, ana on he i9ih OF ApTI!.
: in all the pride of arms. in all the flush and
glow of young enthusiasm, they LETT Now York
for the defence of Washington.
! Bot The population Of the city OF New York
/ was then. as il j. now, largely made up OF men
! not-of nativehu OF foreign birth, on whom the
wise aTd liheruI prov isipHs of the Federal Con
/ stitufton had imposed the duties and conferred
! Ihe rights q! cliEchshp, so tnat 'u'S ,iiISht
feel uli citizens intcr' st in what should con-
Germ the common veal On these foreign born
/ citizens. then, the unSi..us eyes OF American
statesmen we're cast. They had taken little
share in the strife Of factions from which The
/ quarrel had sprung. They felt no srcfianGI
pre- iIdiccs: of bitterness hctweeG Nurihcrn
and Southern men they know but litllc. Th"ir
hearts. grateful and loyal. beat with equal love
FOR all the great republic, and hooked ou It, IN
hcritauce of their children. Wha: would be
! their conduct now? Would they stand alo0f,
cussiou had come to blows and the very exist
cnee of the Republic was impcriilri
There was IN the city Of New York in those
days e regiment of miiitia composed altogether
OF men of Irish birth lhcv were hurt at the
| time. aud offended at what they regarded as a
gratuitous insult to the historic sentiment II
/ their race. Their Colonel had refused To pa
( radc the regiment in military dispiHN to wei
come The representative oi the BRUSH Crown.
( and Vas smarting under the apprehension OF
{ military ccuSurP. How would thcS act The
moment war critical. On their conduct very
much depended lhc course OF thS W.'"le lrlsh
1 ninth Regiment did wHs this: They forgave
the afTront; they forgot the slight; they saw
the danger to the ItepuhliC. aud tney heard its
were ,itizciIs ortiz l. STATES pledged To- defend
a Igi
ana with one impulse, one heart, one NUice,
they answered The summons. I'VE are rcndv;
( count on us to the deathl One thousand rncG
were called for, above six thousand at
vuIunt ecred. and on April y the regimen win
| VtrtluwiuC ranks OF sfaiwurt men. hurricdiy
armed, hurricd.y equipped, impatient of celay.
rough aud ready tor any work with smiles on
! their lips and in their hearts, wheeled COM
parry after company, Into Broadway, and wfth
universal acclutnHt Htiou. with 2rasping OF hands
and tears at puiTiug. ana words OF encourage
mont aIid good vhrcr, with all the exuHcrHnce
of emotion " hlch irish feeling San display. !n
storm aud whirl ot excitement, took mp the
line OF march to the front. This was he quicE
reply which the mcn OF Irish race in n w York
madc To the appeal 1t was echoed all through
the United states. from the Hudson 10 tine
MISSISSIPPI: ana all through the war. wherever
! that starry banner waved, iriShmen were found
among its most loyal soldiers ana defenders.
How they bore themselves through that ficrc"
struggle, through battle after battle. contested
with valur and tCnacity Of purpose rarely
shown but on Arnt rican soil, il is not tor me
10 tel you to-day. Time woiIld not permit me,
nor il Il reCdcd. a more eloquent tongue thun
m;ne has rnriral ed the character of the Irish
.nldirr, aud done justice to his proves. Thar
he was fearless, ready, gallant in action,
cnI!iuR from no peril breaSting the strges Uf
battle with a Nignr that never failed enduring
with light hcart the tolls and privations and
hardShips OF the campaign; that ne was gener-
Gus merciiul ana pitifHi TO the vanqui9hrd--
thls Is the concurrent testimony Of friend AMI
Zoe. These are bUt the imuicTuOral traits OF
me lrlsn soldier. known and recognized in the
EUROPEAN wars. In many hard fought .clI.
, from FonieHoy TO Waterloo; ana If he bad
acted otherwise here. he would have shs med
ms lincage HfIC. cast iiScTCdt the charactp or
OF ms race For not for himself alone. not for
, tne passing hohr nione, not for the sake alone
OF this republic, " hiCh is his dear and honorrd
homc, ola the Irish soldier strive q achieve dis
. tl@ctton. FoI the sake Of the weil-rcmem bPred
, island of his birth to uphold her ancien; re-
n0wn, TO keep her his oric fame uutarnished
10 prove that her arm in battle Is as strong as
/ of yore, that though diScrowued. lisa rm ed, nd
denatIonallzed, there is life in the old land Ct
For tins. wherever the Irish soldier marched
or fought, there waved above his head another