Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-08
CHICAGO LETTER.
Special Correspondence Public LEDGER
CHICAGO. March s. 1852.

trail Music Hall. The attendance wa
very large and enthusiastic. When
ever the.name of the great Irish patrio
and martyr was mentioned, the ap
plause was CHEEKY and heartfelt, full.
demonstrating that the acts and inten.
tions ofthat noble soul, born 104 years
ago, are now as fresh and green in the
hearts Of the Irish Of the present day
as they were when that grand young
soul fell a victim to England's hated
tyranny, because he dared proclaim
the horrible outrages heaped upon his
country By the soulless despot whose
iron heel was crushing out her dear
life. On She stage were quite a num-
Der of Chicago's distinguished men,
among them being Hon. Carter H.
Harrison, the Mayor, United States
Commissioner Phil Hoyne. Judges
Halves and Barnum. Reverend
Canon Knowles, Hon. W. X. Sui
livan, of the Evening Journal; ex.
Sheriff Frank Agnew, General Martin
BEEN, Hon. Michael Kelley, Hon.
NJ. w. Ryan, county delegate of all
the Irish societies; Hons. Richard
P~rendergast and nj, Prendergast and
Others. General Thomas +. Burke,
who came near being hung in 1913,
failed to be present on account Of
sickness. The ceremonies opened by
a voluntary from the grand organ.
Then Mr.. r. Prendergast, in a few
appropriate words, stated the object
Of the gathering; after which he in
troduced the lecturer of the evening,
Mr.. D. r. Locke. universally known
as Petroleum v. Nasty" the satiri-
cal writer of the Toledo (0.) Blade.
As the prominent figure of the orator
bowed before the large audience the
applause that greeted him was long,
1eafening and appreciative. AT one
Mr.. Locke had been quite skep-
tical as to the business of Ireland's
protests against England's countless
,utrages upon her. and to satisfy him
self made a pilgrimage to explore
behighted island. What he saw
md heard during hat visit formed the
subject of his discourse on this
occasion; and what he saw was so ut
.erly un-American, SO entirely devoid
# civilization, so purely denuded Of
anything humane or Christian that he
'eturned to his home more thoroughly
than the Irish in his hatred Of
hose who have for centuries ruled and
'uined Emerald Isle, and made her
outcasts and wanderers all
,ver the world. To sum it all up. he
vas simply Mortified at what terrible
lights he witnessed, and only wondered
Why an Advise Providence should so
ong tolerate the devilish acts of Eng
and toward a people from whom she
tole their country and robbed of all
heir God-given rights. But he be-
ieyed hal the right would soon pre-
all, and Ireland would again be free,
nation among proud nations, with
he gloriied harp proclaiming in
halls her long sought delyer-
nee from foul English bondage. The
main point Of the address was
he declaration of Mr.. Locke's con-
-ersion to the cause of the Irish 10
heir struggle for independence from
sngland's cruel domination-and this
.fter be had witnessed with his own
yes the shocking barbarities prac-
iced upon the Irish by the monster
hat has been, and is. using every
device to stamp that beautiful
sic out of existence. And this point
DR.. Locke fully demonstrated in the
lost forcible language denunciatory
t the inhuman practices of the un
oily conqueror.
After the lecture, Miss Hannah
Heartily, one of Chicago's most gifted
mateur vocalists, sang shes far
rom the land" a very stirring patri-
tic air, for her superb rendering of
Thich she received one OF the most
altering encores ever accorded to
Their than the most gifted of the
grandest songsters. Her bow
t acknowledgment" would not satisfy
he enthusiastic audience, but she was
breed to appear again, and signify her
attention TO sing again, before the
pplause ceased. Her sister accom-
anied her, in artistic style, on the
iano.
Mrs. Anna Cowell Hobkirk. a re-
red professional disciple of Thespls,
endered the stirring poem, "We
lean to Take the Land in a manner
hat reflected renewed credit upon her
elocutionary powers. and in
D heartfelt a manner as to leave no
oubt in the minds of her admiring
uditors that she was heart and soul
raped up in the cause of suffering
The encore she received
as a grand ovation, accompanied by
large basket Of lovely flowers. Her
endition Of the concluding portions
t Emmett's speech before his execu-
onary judges was so fine and realistic
5 to quiet the hall to awed stiffness.
nd cause a shudder to steal over all.
) if the voice Of the long and silent {
cad was whispering a prayer Of hope =
,r the land he 80 much loved. In the 4
Of General Burke, Hon. {
lichard Prendergrast made a few elo- {
uent remarks on the life and exalted !
.haracter of Robert Emmett. who. {
c~orporeally dead. still
we'd, the embodiment of pure
atriotism in the person Of lreland's .
son, Hon, Michael Davitt.
.ow an inmate Of an English bastilei h
he land Of his birth. He said that
Ihen the plans Of Dsyitt, Parnell. and
he other leaders of Irish independ.
nee arrived at full fruition, and Ire.
and was free from England's tyran.
ical yoke, the souls desire of the i'm
Emmett would be glorifed.
nd his apffoN M ~ ~