The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-04-14
IRISH MAIL NEWS.
pnblin Nation. MArch as .

The National Festival mas Cnle year been
marked by notable celebrations in Ireland,
England, Scotland, and also, no doubt
though we have not accounts from beyond
the ocean-in America and Australia. No
way in which IL has been possible to de-
monstrate the devotion of the Irish people
to the cause of faith and fatherland has
been neglected. In only three or four
places do there seem to have been any dis
turbances in consequence of St. Patrick's
Day demonstrations. Those places are,
of course, precisely those in which Orange
men constitute considerable eection OF
turbance the Orange party have been mn
doubtedly the aggressors. We may add
that nowhere was Orange ruftianism al
lowed to carry all before 1t, and it 10 GER
tainly somewhat amusing to read that IN
the course of putting the ugly thing down
in Derry the authorities were obliged to
do violence to the royal ensign.
The celebration Of the Emmett centenary
in Dublin on Sunday was highly creditable
dimensions of such demonstrations as the
Mccarthy funeral, but the procession which
wound it's way from Beresford-place
through some of the principal streets OF
the city was nevertheless one OF respect.
those who took part in it was marked by
the strictest decOrum.
At about o'clock having reached
Beresford place, the banners and flags of
the associations were brought alongside
| from an open carriage Father Thomas, ex-
chaplain of Chatham Jail, addressed the
| vast assemblage. He said:
"Men of Ireland-It is my high privi-
| lege and honour to close the proceedings of
this time e-honoured day, and honoured now
| as it never has been before, because you
have linked with the reyered name of the
immortal saint the imperishable name of
the chivalrous soldier. Your committee
very wisely saw fit, as they termed it, TO
the saint on this sacred day-sacred in
double sense, on this occasion, but not too
sacred for us to revert for a moment to the
: name which every man breathing may, and
| does honour-the glorious name of Emmef.
Little over one hundred years ago he who
was to be the pillar of patriotism in Ire
land-a pillar growing grey, but grander
and more immutable, through the lapse OF
| time-was given to the scene of his i'm
mortality-to this dear land of ours, for
which his courageous soul sought its early
flight to heaven. In the dock In Green
before which the head and heart of this
nation in reality and in spirit bowed rev.
| erentially this morning, Robert Emmet
erected pillar on which the weight of the
worlds patriotism and purity might be
sustained-the standard around which all
/
kind may rally-to which all may cling,
and ne'er o'ertopple or touch it's lofty sum.
NIT and, as time rolls on, our admiration
deepens and its inspiration widens, and
that depth and width must attain complete
ly to the realisation of the fond hopes he
30 ardently cherished (hear). It is need
less for me to 60 over the sad story of En-
met or Emmet's time. We commemorate
to-day the birth of the man who planted
the germs of the liberty we now enjoy, and
who laid down his life that those germs
might take root in the subsoil of the heart
} of man, and in this he succeeded. The
freer we are, the more we thirst for free
, dom-national freedom-and every link in
that freedom-and link by link the chain
is stretching-is a concession to the spirit
which actuated Robert Emmett he IN one
swoop sought for what three generations of
} men have given martyrs to and have not
attained - liberty and Independence.
Liberty those generations have acquired
that liberty must still be stretched, for
the spirit of Emmett is still abroad. Grad
liberty is being conceded and the cli-
max of liberty is independence, and it, too,
, must be reached, and will be reached pro-
5 baby within the day Of Thousands here
assembled. The sword of Emmet and of
right must prevail! Men of Ireland, keep
5 which Emmett sought to raise, and in which
q besiegers are weary-they have yielded
~ this town and that-here little and there
4 a little-nowa right, again a privilege
" =. bit by bit we have gained what was the
daring ambition Of his soul-hour by houl
n oppression has yielded, and the terrible
thraldom which blighted his vision is now
no more in existence than the darkness
q which fed this morning before the bright
"a sun of heaven, and which called US intC
- existence to honour the natal day of hin
% who is the luminary of this land, until thu
y goal is reached, and liberty is crowned b.
le Independence. Men of Ireland, will no
10 detain you. Yom know the man .yo1
a. honour it is due to his spirit in other
- that you dare honour him and you know
=, the cause you love. Strive for it steadily
% wisely, and we'll. There is no need to b
of rash or excited in this work now. TIL
Id cruel causes which drove Emmett to despai
of and madness are fed for ever, and mel
a can think and act nntortured by the Sigh