The Northwestern standard., 1886-04-03
Meagher's Sword.
General ThCTnns Francis.

General Thomas Francis.
Now that the sword OF Meagher, used
by him so effectively in the late rebel
lion, has been presented to the Young
Ireland Society OF Waterford, his na
tive city, by his widow, it may be a lit
time in connection with the presenta-
ton to give the rea ders of The STAND
ARD his magnificent speech on the
Sword, delivered during the repeal days
in Ireland.
| dissented from those peace resolu-
tions, as they are called. for felt that,
by asserting to them, | should have
pledged myself to the unqualified re-
pudia ion of physical force, in all coun-
tries, at all times, and under every cir
cumstance. This | could not do; for,
nv lord do not abhor the use Of arms
in the yindicatiou of national rights.
There are times when arms will alone
suffice, and when political amelioratlons
| call for drop of blood, and many thou
sand drops of blood Opinion, / admit,
will operate against opinion; but force
must be used against force.
The soldier is proof againstan argu-
ment, but be is not proof against a bullet.
The an that will listen to reason, let
him be reasoned with. But it IS the
w,.aponed arm of the patriot that can
alone prevail against battalioned des-
/ potisn.
/ Then, my lord, I do not condemn the
use Of arms as immoral; nor do con-
ceive it profane to say that the King of
Heayen--the Lord OF Hosts-the God
of battles-bestows His benedictlon
I upon those who unsheathed the sword
in the hour of a nations peril.
4 From that evening on which in the
valley OF Bethulia, he neryed the arm
of the Jewish girl to smite the drunken
tyrant in his tent, down to this, our
day, on which he has blessed the insur-
/ gent chivalry Of the Belgian priest. His
Almighty hand hath ever been
stretched forth from His Throne of
! Light to consecrate the flag Of freedom
to bless the patriots sword. Be it in
the defence, or be it in the assertion of
a peoples liberty, | hail the sword as a.
sacred weapon, and it, my lord, it has
| sometimes taken the shape Of the SER
pent and redeemed the sIlroud of the.
! oppressor with too deep dye, like the
anointed rod Of the High Priest, ii has,
at other times, and as often, blossomed
t into celestial flowers to deck the free
mans brow.
/ Abhor the sword stigmatize the
sword No my lord, for in the passes
/ Of the Tyrol it cut to pieces the banner
of the Bavarians, and through those
cragged passes struck a path to fame
| for the peasant insurrectlonists of Inn
spruck.
AbFior the sword - stigmabize the
swordl No, my lord, for at its blow, o
grand nation started from the waters
of the Atlantic; and by it's Tedeemfng
magic, and in the quivering Of it's GRIM
son light, the crippled Colony spraDg
into the attitude OF a proud Republic--.
prosperous, limitless and invincibIe.
Abhor The sword stigmatize the
sword No, my lord, for it swept the
Dutch rnarauders out Of the fine old
towns Of Belgium scourged them back
to their own phlegmatic sWamps-and
knocken their flag and sceptre, their
laws and bayonets, into the sluggish
waters OF the Scheldt.
My lord, learned that it WAS the
right of a nation TO govern herself. not.
in this hall, but upon the ramparts Of
Antwerp This, the first article sof a
nations creed. learned upon those
ramparts. where freedom was justly es-
timated. and the possession Of the pre-
cious gift was purchased by the effus-
ion Of generous blood. My lord, honor
the BeIgians. love the Belgian5 for
their enthusiasm, their conl age, their
success; and I. for one, will not atig
maIize; for do not abhor the means
by which they obtained a Citizen King,
St.nv ,rr.EY feO.