Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-05
EMMETT'S CENTENNIAL.
THE ST. PAUL CELEBRATION LAST
NIGHT.

THE ST. PAUL CELEBRATION LAST
NIGHT.
by Father Stanley, Hon. I. Donnelly and
Others--Resolutions Adopted.
Last night the meeting in Armory hall to
celebrate the centennial Of Robert Emmet's
birth, was well attended, there being some four
hundred present. Hon. w. Dawson was called
to the chair, and thanked the audience in
few well chosen sentences, and spoke in eulo-
CYSTIC glowing terms of his ;countryman whom
they had come together to honor. Mr.. O'Con-
nor was elected secretary by reclamation The
chairman, calling the meeting to order, request
cd the secretary to read letter received from
Hon. J. B. Brisbin, as follows
ST. PAUL, March 4th 1878.
Messrs Manning and other COMMITTEE
GENTLEMEN: An unexpected business sum-
mons to Wisconsin prevents me the pleasure of
speaking at the Emmett anniversary and par
ticipating in the "reminiscences and felicita-
tions Of this evening. The occasion is sadly
grateful, not only to Irishmen. but to the devo-
tees of liberty and the admirers of manhood
throughout the world. Robert Emmett was at
tues. Young, eager, ambitious, brave and pious,
he gave his life with rapture for cause in
which it was ''joy to die His career and
death potently recall the beautiful lines of his
classmate an friend:
''Oh, if there be on this earthly sphere
A boon, an off ring heav' n holds dear,
IT'S the last ibation liberty draws
From the heart that bleeds and breaks in her
cause"
S,s1gess is too often, even with kind judging
posterity, the criterion of merit, but the royal
manliness of such as Emmett enwrap even lit
tleness and defeat with glory imperishable.
We must not, however, judge him from the
apparent hopelessness of his cause, the made
quacy of his means, and the brevity of his life.
His president sagacity seized upon fortunate
conjuncture; but for the failure of the expected
French invasion of England, he would have
liberated Ireland, and tonight the laurel and
cypress would vie in the heroic crown.
Even this prime disappointment would not
have countervailed success. The Patrick street
explosion, exciting suspicion and unusual vigi-
lance in the authorities, and at the same time
preventing united rising in the counties, pre-
cipitated the design upon the country, willing,
but unready. In spite of all acknowledgements
a blow would at least have been struck and
Dublin castle taken, but for street brawl
When we inspect the slight causes, which, in
the order of Providence have depended immor-
tai consequences, how infinite our littleness
seems in the presence of wonder working
God spiders web drawn over the mouth
Of a cave, releases Mahomet to domineer over
the world with the faith and sword of the Sara
cen. The relations of means to ends therefore
are not the true criteria. The mysteries of Prov
idence dispersed the French feet under Admiral
Hoche, and the same agency, at later day, en-
ployed in the same manner, destroyed the
Bavarian armada; events, but for the happening
OF which, in the language Of Lucien
Bonaparte Theobald Wolfe Tone would
,ofp IF
Ireland. We may yet congratulate the memo
ries of such men as Tone, Emmett Fitzgerald,
Rowan, Napier Tandy, aye, and not least on
the imperishable catalogue, the devoted Nc
Allister, and the slashing Dwyer, that they did
not fail of their mission.
'"They never fail, who die
In great cause; their bones may sodden in the
Their limbs be strung to city gates, and castle
walls,
But still their spirit walks abroad
Such martyrs the undying, ever entreas-
ured seed of liberty, which keeps alive it's
trunk. The vestal fire goes out upon the
altar Of an Irish heart, and we plainly discover
in the events which are coming up around us
in this century the wisdom Of our God. ''He
maketh the wrath of man to praise Him.
England, with her Gothic mind upon which
is engrafted the spirit of her Roman nurse
empress of the sea; secure and solitary upon
ueE lSldIlu UIEOuc-ccu never DC conquered Dy
arms, nor be substantially weakened by rebel
lion; but there is a conqueror more mighty
than armies The public opinion of the WOrlc
is mining against her strength. A peaceful
revolution, such as O'Connell gave body ano
voice is working it's sure way to the very
Ireland is dead; the savagery Of the tenan
system has been mitigated-it will die, and tn,
man is now alive who will see England IRELAND
and Scotland, the ocean graces, embracing thu
world with their united arms.
1t is hit and happy that such anniversaries al
this should be celebrated upon American soil
The success of our own revolution gave life tx
the hope, and Drawn to the arm OF Irishmen
and has transplanted here a race full of til,
noblest manhood-which steadied into self-re
lance by our benign institutions-with the fac
of freedom; with unfettered license of aspira
ton and act-will go on with moderation, bu
unfaltering step to the end.
The stability OF the French republic, nov
well assured, is also of happy augury. Kinfoll
and friends of Ireland, that great and gallan
people, if the emergency should come, (which
may God avert,) will not stay its now un
shackled hand from the unhesitating swort
which has SO often cleaned in triumph owe
Europe The epitaph Of Emmett will soon b.
written. The spirit has gone forth, the decla
ration is planted, and though great men should
apostatize, yet the cause will live; and though
the public speaker should die, yet the immorta
lire shall outlast the organ which conveyed it
and the breath of liberty, like the word of tn
holy man, will not die with the prophet, bu
JOHN B. BR1sB1N.
three be appointed by the chair on resolutions
The chair appointed Mr.. Mccarthy
Martin Delany and James Dillon
1t was then proposed that while tn
committee were preparing their report, tn
speech Of Robert Emmett be read by the secre
tow Nta sxz,I
plause, and Mr.. O'Connor proceeded with tn
reading After the reading Mr.. Charles Shanle,
was called on to address the meeting. He salt
he did not come to make speech but came t.
hear Brisbin and Donnelly, but he was willn
to add his voice to the praise of Robert Emmett
the honored and revered. "The noblest plac
for man to die is where he dies for man.
Those, are the sentiments which guided Rober
Emmett Those are the sentiments which guide
every patriot He said the same kind Of pei
seCution still exists shown in the death O
Mccarthy few days ago. He believed th
time is not far distant when the epitaph o
Robert Emmett will be written in letters of liy
ing light.
James Dillon was next called on, who steppe
upon the platform and said he did not come t
speak, for he was one of those timid mortal
who have no desire to speak. They had Assem-
bled, he said, to honor the most honored O
martyrs, and they would never be satisfied til
Ireland stood one Of the proudest nations q
the earth. Fellow friends and citizens he said
England still has desire for pillage and plum
der, and poor Ireland is without u parliamen
and without resources because of England
oppression. It is the duty of Irishmen to thin
on this, and it is the duty Of the country W
are in, America, to take some measures to ri
ieve Ireland. When this gentleman resume
his seat, calls were made for J. G. Donnell,
Messrs. Kennedy, Mccarthy, and others, non
of whom responded and an intermission q
ten minutes interviewed, when
FATHER STANLEY