Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-15
America and Ireland.

THE BANQUET IN IRELAND TO THE OFFICERS OF
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF CONSUL BROOKS
OF WASHINGTON.
Consul E. P. Brooks seems to be quite sue
cess as consul to Cork, and as an after dinner
speaker. if one may judge from the Cork Consti-
fWj0n'S report of his speech at the magnificent
banquet given to the officers of the United
States relief ship Constellation. In responding
to the toast to the President of the United States
Mr.. Brooks said: The President OF the United
States of America, gentlemen, has but feeble
and unworthy representative In me- / would
that some other and more competent person
had been called upon to respond 10 the toast In
BIS honor; Nevertheless, l am confident that
descendant OF the Sweeneys, OF RoScommon,
which 1t is my proud boast to be Cheers will
be heard by you with generous forbearanca on
this occaSlon. l doubt not. ii the bottom facts
Were Known, that Rutherford BuIchard Hayes
twentieth Z, esiGent Of the United States, also
has some Irish blood in his veins. (Iear hear }
At any rate his name has an IriSh-CertainIy q
Scotch-Irteh--jingle about it, and | add, in a
whisper as it were, that he has been accused
by some OF our American politicians Of ule
signdlly Irish characteristic OF Blarneylsm
HoN ever this Elay be- he owes his election In
pait to the votirg support OF many loya.
Irish-AmeIican citizens, and In his efforts to
be President OF all the people he has not neg
lected , pay due heed to our foreign born popu-
iaflon. lrishmen and all alike. In fact there is
no country On the face OF the globe. not even
In their own native land where Irishmen are
so we'll treated or thought more OF aud more
courted than in the land you are accustomed
ciprocate that gOo0 treatment by becoming
good citizens. and proving, as the Irish legions
did in GU" late unfortunate civil war, their de-
Votlon d republican principles. by the sacrifice
oI Ire plOOO upon the battletieldS of freedom
No one knows this better than the President
himself, for In bis commands during the war.
fist in his regiment aud subsequently In his
br1gades and divisions, there were IriShmea
hnlr hty,1f IN ~
officer, as they also helped him TO win the viz
tory vouchsafed by Providence for the cause OF
true Seif-gOyernment-S2lfgO government gentle
men, wherein the will OF the majority Is the
Abiding law (hear, hear. and wherein every
honest citizen has the right to vote, regardless
OF all other qualifications. AS the chos IN ruler
OF more than fifty millions OF people, one-half
OF whom, II Is safe to say. are more or less d.
rectly or remotely akin to the Irish race he
cannot fail to be interested in your affairs.
But aside from this, his most genei Jus nature
was awakened.b by the cries OF distress from this
fair land, and s. you are aware his efforts In
support OF the relief movement. as 1t Is caicl
were worthy OF especial note. In those efforts
however, he only proved himself to be a r.
SponSlVe ruler and a true American President,
for he simply joined the popular Impulse ard
was moved to do his part In the great charity
the same as any other citizen. 1t was only In
his Official capacity AS the Executive OF the
people that he ordered through the Navy De-
partment the Constellation, and its gallant
commander and crew to your shores but It
was as plain citiZen-R. B. Hayes-that he
made his contributions to her cargo. (Hear
hear) know that his heaIi is with you 10 all
your sufferiDgs, anAieties, and troubles, and
that his sympathies, ike those OF the entire
American people, are always enlisted In your
behalf, whenever aud wherever you assume the
bounden duty OF every man. or of every commu-
nifty, to ameliorate social conditions, and assert
the proper independence OF true manhood. But
were he here with us t0-night he could say no
less, nor more than do in welcoming to our
broad ana bOundless continent, the thousands
upon thousands OF Ilisbmen, who are now
leaving this port intent On immigration: and
add that this same port is open to them as it
was to my Kos common grandfather. when he
left-suddenly, TO be sure 10 '9S, when the
troubles were granddaughter and cheer5)-if
they ever desire 10 return. Thanking you
gentlemen for the courtesy OF this toast to the
President. and for your kind wishes In his be-
hail. subs ide. (Renewed cheers)