Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-18
FIELD OF POLITICS.
.sH ELUQUENT IRISH ADDRESS.
Ures,ins Governor Cleveland "A Notable
Event.

Grestina Governor Cleveland - No's"'e
Event.
The Herald OF yesterday says: One o!
the notable events OF the afternoon occurred
In the dining. hall Of the Rideewood Park
Hotel, where Governor Cleveland, the in-
yits d guests. and the ReceptionsCommiltee
had assembled for refreshments. The incl
dent was the presenfation 10 the Governor
Of an address In Irish. and was regarded as
very significant in the light OF the cliims to
the Irish vote tbss are constantly made by
Republicans. The address was deliy-
cred by captain Thomas G. Norris, OF the
sixty.ninth regiment, and formerly OF
Corcoran's famous lrish Legion. Gov
ernor Cleveland took possession OF the
manuscript and o; the translation, assuring
the delegates Of his beet wishes and OF his
interest in the subject Of immigration. He
expressed bis earnest sympathies and said
he would always treasure their address.
Tne address. translated into English, was
as follows:
Your Excellency,-W greet you at this
festival with O Cedd Mjfe FdiHe! You
learn hy our speech that we at least are true
representatives Of the Irish race. In this
language. which ~ only known to scholars.
and row onIy spoken by those who are re-
garded as the humble and tOiling masses In
ireland, we heartily greet you! Our ira
ditions recall scenes like this rs among our
national characteristics. History, verified
by our ancient poems and legends, might
be cited 30 show our claim TO the barbe-
cue" as an original Feuian institution. 1t
was among the high usages OF the PelasgIan
races, and II reaches these shores 10 eniven
the strife OF politics with that genialitv and
good fellowship, that joyous hilarity which
brought the soldier, the Brehon. the Druid,
and the bard from gloomy duties, from the
battlefield. or the judicial seat. and made
bardic songs and rejoicings tue most cher
ished medium Of generous public life.
At these feasts--whother the Irish Fenian
tournament at TaIlaght. or the Greciln
Olympiad-it was the praise OF brave men.
the exultaiion OF public merit and Of hon
orable deeds. that prevailed. We have
come here to like duty. We speak in our
sacred and venerable language, not the
words OF envy; VIC mean TO testify Of truth
and justice, not 10 huri the ribali shafts OF
malice.
We greet your Exeellency as the chosen
representative oi the greatest OF Demo.
cratic States. Unprecedented maiorites OF
hundreds OF thousands lifted you to be onr
thici-the true leader OF invincibIe Demo-
cratic hosts. The Convention OF n nat ion
Of nations sends you to us again. We bear
witness TO the right. You are our stand
ard-bearer. We pledge our answering
fealty to you and to our chosen party. May
your victory be again as signal as il WAS
before. Let the fanatic and the bigot, the
public thief and the public fraud, be put to
fieht and infamy by your triumph. Exult-
ing in the pride OF our place-eyen in the
ranks OF the sovereign people. in this their
primary gathereIng. we hail Grover Cleve-
land as our leader-our uprigh. and fear
less Chief Magistrate Of the Empire State.
We soy TO the deceivers aud impostors VINO
speak to us OF treachery, "Fag an bea-
lach!"
In many fields OF bloody strife have we
fought under foreign banners; mar ! a for
lorn hope have we led. Here at last let us
taste the rewards Of liberty. Our race to-
day-as in the primitive days OF the Pels.
gian people-boast OF nobler claim than
blood or war can give. As foremost in the
march OF cOlonists, foremost in the battles
oi the toileTs. the cOnqueroTs by tue sub.
iugating might OF labor; foremost among
oxiles for libeIty's sake; a. pioneers and
settlers, diggers and miners. builders OF
cities. and citizens OF new States; in the
march Of our race from the seas 10 the
Sierrss, we have planted the interlaced
iron ways, where thousands OF thunder bolt
chariots I'll the night and the morning with
the vast ovtr1lowing riyers OF yellow m1ize
and Of milled whest from the lmit!ess titled
tleIds-wider tLan kingdoms-and measure
less 10 all but the degrees and cllen-
dars Of the receding sunsets. Addressing
your Excellency, proud am | TO say, in
the presence Of the candidate Of the Demo-
cratic party, that ten millions OF our peo-
pie Of the Irish race citizens OF these
gone before me in the proies-
sion Of their fidelity 10 that party and its
leaders, duly chosen, fealty which | con-
tidently assert they Will maintain lnviolable
now az ever. Proud am to utter these
words. bearing wound. upon my scared
fesh, proving that l also stood up, with
fun and ample quota Of the Irish race, in
the battle for the Union and for urtrium-
phant flag OF the eyer-rising and unnum-
bered stars. Asking at your hands the
Democratic equity OF ''fair play aud no
favor" we renew, with YOU, the compact
Of the Revolutionary fathers, in the hatred
Of British tyranny and the love Of liberty