Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-22
THE LATE STEPHEN J. MEANy.

w AlERDUh | EV EIN
 THE LATE STEPHEN J. MEANY. A Tribute from the Pen of an old Friend
 of the Patriot.
 To the Editor of the DEMocRAr:-
 DEAR S1R:-Death has invaded your sanctuary, has erected his purple altar amidst us, and the truest, the purest, the noblest of Irishmen has been the victim The fiat has been roTounced, the requiem has been sung, we have followed his funer al car, the spirit of Stephen J. Meany has winged it's flight to better and brighter world. Two weeks have scarcely waned since in our midst and presiding as chief editor over the DEMOCRAT, his manly form, his warm heart and genial countenance shed their lustre upon us. That manly form has been stricken down by the icy hand of death, that warm heart ceases to beat, that genial countenance is dimmed forever, and all that was perishable of the dead patriot is now upon the sea, and Ill some days the funeral ship which bears it will reach his native land, on whose be- loved bosom he will peacefully sleep his last sleep beneath the shamrocks. In writing of the many traits that adorned the life of our departed friend, and the many virtues that endeared him to us, l feel how incompetent l am to express on paper my conception of his noble qualities, for feel that anything I can write falls infinitely short of his just merits. Yet at this time cannot but remember how all that was good and great in his character stand out in strong relief and brings to my recollection his struggles, his perseverance for the freedom of his native land.
 It was just previous to the AS movement that l became acquainted with him. and acquaintance ripened into sincere friend ship, and during my intercourse with him I always found him the same, honest, con scientious, unbending friend. He came to Waterbury as I said above, as editor of the DEMOCRAT. How he acted in that capacity is sufficiently tested and answered by the great sale of that paper. He infused into it life and vitality, he gave to it prestige and character, which had he lived would be second to none in the State. His every hope and aspiration was identified with its prosperity. It was his ambition that the DEMOCRAT should be what it ought to be,a paper worthy of the name of that great party. No man was better suited for the position than he. By association, by char acter and by nature, he was a man pre- eminently endowed with the qualities of 8 great writer, and especially where the name | oI 1iela1lu or al IHlAS WHICH "oulu Cenu to elevate moral or patriotic character was concerned Born in Ireland, bred in the prescribed and persecuted religion of that country, his sympathies and feelings were intensified by the recital, from parents lips, of the wrongs inflicted and the pen alties endured by a race and creed whose grand destinies are not yet accomplished. At the hearth of such parents, from the instructions there received and inculcated, was laid the soundest, moral and religious foundation that could adorn the life or character of a man, so much so that in the sick chamber when the sable banner of death fluttered it smurky folds over him and shadowed the evening sun of his ex= istence, he could look up to Him on high with a true Christians fortitude and exclaim in the language of the psalmist, "Oh, death where is thy sting"
 He was one of those men who made it his constant rule to follow the road of duty which his conscience dictated to him. He was guided by a fixed principle of mind which determined him to esteem nothing but what was honorable, and to abhor whatever was base and unworthy in moral conduct You always found him the same, a true Christian, good citizen. He sought no mask to cover him, for he acted no studied part, he was what he appeared to be-a man of truth, of candpr and of hu- manity. In all his pursuits he knew none but the fair and direct one, and would much rather fail of success than attain by reproachful means.
 To write his domestic life feel it would be almost a sacrilege. It is of too sacred nature for me to approach. I shall not invade the circle of which he was the cen tre. I feel to do so would be entering a garden where from some act of mine | Io1i and I, flowers around. But in everything have stated have drawn no exaggerated picture. Yet 1 have Sone great consolation-one great pride-that every word which have written has been endorsed, and it is but the re-echo of the sentiments ennneiated by the priest ill the temple. It has been proclaimed by him from the foot of the altar amidst the imposing ceremon- ies of the last rites of the church to the soul of our departed friend. It has been spoken in the fane from which no false hood ever issued and in which no spurious doctrine was ever preached. Therefore am content. The ocean steamship now contains the remains of man who has left behind him 6 reputation which it would be we'll for all or many of us if we could approach. The DEMOCRAT in his death has met with loss. a great loss which hope will soon be replaced.
 He is now, hope, receiving from the dispenser of all good the reward of we'll spent life. From his example let us en- deavor to initiate those actions which made him honored and respected by all with whom he came in contact. He was true man, he was faithful one. Peace be with him.
 The men of Waterbury have endeared themselves to every true Irishman at home and abroad for inaugurating this glorious undertaking, of bearing tue dead patriot, Stephen J. Meany, to the shrine of his affections. From the planting of the seeds of the martyrs there should spring a golden harvest Amen w