Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-11-10
AN IsHM ON IRELAND.
A sentimental, Sarcastic, Sori0-
Comic Address.

The following unique address was
delivered by Mr.. Mike Ballard, ex-
City Attorney of Louisville, before
the Celtic Literary Society Of that
city a few evenings since:
Fellow oUNTRYMEN:-A long
lived man might employ his lifetime
in counting the litany of Irish martyrs
who have laid down their lives for
ireland. That litany is too long, and
yet there seems to be a feeling among
Irishmen that the height of patriot
ism is to emulate these gentlemen and
and lay down their lives for Ireland.
The man who lays down one English
soldiers life is worth q million who
lay down their own lives. 1t is time
we got up a new litany, unless we ex-
pect the martyrology of the world. l
believe in a litany of dead English
men. | believe England has no mar
tyrs. Successful nations have no use
for them. The way we get up our
rebellions would indicate that We
relied on a miracle to aid us at the
critical momeHt. There are no mira
Giles on the battle fields. The bullet,
the bayonet and the policeman's baton
will disrel ell illusions on that head.
The leaders of an Irish revolution
airy movement are expected to be
above the ordinary scheming and
triekery of spies. They are expected
to be open-handcd men of honor,
who would scorn to take a mean adj
vantage Of the enemy by secret means.
They are expected to name a day
when they will fight, and indicate the
place where it will commence. If
they do not commence it then and
there, why they are traitors. When
an Irishman gives fifty cents for the
purchase of arms, he expects hostili-
ties to commence Immediately, If not
sooner. He becomes impatient. Each
one expects some o~therfellow to begin
the bloody work, for the simple reason
that each fellow expects to live to see
Ireland free, and how could he wit
ness that great event if he went out to
ight2 The ten-cent contributor is the
most vigilant man in criticizing the
funds. He gave half a dollar in '4S,
another to the Fenians, and they lave
not freed Ireland yet. lie is getting
old and cute now, and will send a
committee Of three along with the
next half dollar.
There are two or three things, how
ever, upon which we are all agreed
first, each to be suspicious of the otll-
err, and all seem to be doubly suspi-
clos of their leader; second, if your
leader does not consult you with a
copy Of his plans and an itemized
account of his operations, set him
down for tyrant and a knave; third,
pay nj man a salary, for we can free
Ireland between times; it would be
unpatriotic, and if he succeeded, you
would lose the opportunity of denoun-
cling him; fourth, attack England when
she has nothing else to do. 1t would
be mean to take advantage of her by
waiting for a foreign war; fifth the
leader, must find the arms, and the
army must capture the guns and find
themselves; sixth, beware Of military
leaders. 1t was military leaders that
conquered Ireland. Ihave only block
ed out few ofthe most brilliant max
inns Of Irish revolution. Ireland is
prolifci in orators and poets, and each
one of that large class of gentlemen
has a divine mission offreeing Ireland,
some Of them as sublime as Don Quix-
ote's crusade for his Dulcina. Mr
Dsyitt Matched the plans for the last
crusade, which, by the way, was inau-
gurated in behalf of humanity. Ire
land was to lead the van in abolishiug
Landlordism, from which the freedom
of Ireland was to flow as a corrollary
from the immortal seat of logic.
0'Connell freed Ireland some forty
years ago, but it is one of the
blessings of the o~Fatorical schemes that
each generation has the pleasure of
freeing Ireland on the lines laid down"
by the orators. When you run against
a bayoDet on this scheme you can
stop, and if you are sent to Jail your
friends can get up an Indignation
meeting, The indignation meeting is
a good thing, especially in America.
1t is safe and sure and prudent. and
affords you mournful pleasure of ap-
pealing to the opinions Of the world.
Of course the world will not let you
90 to Jail. This is the Nineteenth
century, and if there is anything it
opposes it is putting Irish patriots in
jail. This is an age of progress.
There is no Poland, no Algiers, no
nationalities penned down by bayo-
nets. France is propping up the lib
critics of Tunis; Russia those of Po-
land; the English Democrat is always
worried about the liberties of Ireland.
He always takes sides with any people,
especially the Irish, against England.
The moral sense movement is a little
inconsistent. but it is brilliant. You
are bound to talk about the butcher
les Of England, her lack of moral
sense, and yet you appeal to what she
has not, which is all the more bril-
liant because difficult and contradict.
DRY. England argues with the 1bayo-
net. Ireland stands on the lofty pin
nacle Of words, words, words" Eng
land pulls aside her Constitution, and
Ireland is face to face with the ordeal
Of battle, where 0'Connell faced the
warriors of Strongbow. England, l
am sorry to say, will not let us slip
around the ordeal Of nations with
soft words. There is no international
tribunal to which fellow nations may
appeal for a restoration of their liber-
ties. IT'S sad, It's sad,
''Butthey would be free
Themselves must strike the blow"
There is no need to suffer with
rheumatism, lame back, neuralgia or
spraiDs, when such a remedy as Cous-
sens Lightning Liniment is at hand.