The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-11-12
The Young Irelanders.

The Young 1relanders.
( The seventy ghth anniversary Of TIL
birth 81 Thomas Davis, and semi cen
5tenary Of the foundation of the Nation
newspaper and the creation Of the Youna
ireland Party, was celebrated in Dublin
! last month. Mr.. Henry Dixon presided.
In the course Of 3 patriotic address the
|tchairman said: We are met tonight to
commemorate the seventy eighth ami
vereary Of the birth of one Of the great.
est Irishmeu Of the century; q man Of
whom it has been said he brought q soul
into Ireland; man to whom we are in
debted more than any other for educat-
ing our people in the principles Of true
Nationality. It was true that the road
to natiouhood had been made by Tone,
and by Fitzgerald, Emmett and others,
yet it is probable that the lessons OF
Tones work might be as sealed page
I of our history as that of 500 years ago
butfor the labors of Thomas DAVIS.
The greatness of Davis's character was
not yet properly appreciated; the depth
of his love for all classes Of his country
men had not yet been recognized. He
was no Nationalist in any narrow sense
of the term. The Nation he desired
should be one that embraced all Irish
men, regardless of cast or creed. Though
an idealist, he was no dreamer; and
though in his early days book stu lent
only, yet his three years labors for Ire
land show more work than the lifetime
of an ordinary man. We have also met
to celebrate the establishment OF the
Nation newspaper and the creation Of
the Young Ireland Party. It is unnec-
essary to remind you how that paper
came to be started, nor of its mission,
nor of it's influence. It was to be regret
ted that the great journal became at it's
close contemplate rag-the very oppo-
site to that which Davis founded. The
establishment of this paper was practi-
cally the creation of the Young Ireland
Party--a party that comprised the
brightest intellects of the time, and to the
influences OF whose principles the sue
cess Of the subsequent National move
ments were due-a party, the members
of which were called heathens, inidels,
and priest-hunters of the time, but
whom, unfortunately too late, the coun-
try learned we're her .benefactors. One
other lesson of his was of very great i'm
portance just now, that was his advice
on the necessity of an Irish foreign pol
icy. 1t had lately been preached that we
we're powerless to deal with England.
and should, like mendicants, take what
ever she would offer us. Davis preached
q different policy. A foreign policy
could be made to do enormous good in
dealing with England. In the United
States the Irish race were, while sup
porting the interests Of their adopted
country, all powerful to control a policy
antagonistic to English interests. The
Irish in the colonies were sufficiently
strong to compel the adoption of poll
cy in the interest of Ireland, and similar
tactics could be adopted in England it.
self, and the support of many other
countries OF the world could, in many
other ways, be obtained.
Mr.. Arthur Griffith said, in the course
of his remarks consider Davis to have
been the originator of the truest spirit
of Nationality. O'Oonnell's movement
would have failed from want Of life but
for the work Of Davis. 1t should be re-
membered that before the last Repeal
movement, O'Connell had started two or
three previous movements for the same
purpose but there was no Davis to
breathe Nationality into them and they
died. His efforts were to revive National
life in Ireland, and he succeeded. Az
time advanced his memory will be more
revered. His essays should be in every
village in Ireland. They. would be
incentive to all to discharge the d.
owed by each to Ireland
Mr.. W. ]. Leahy, Mr.. Johh J.O'
Mr.. VIM. P. Barden and Mr.
Quad also addressed the meet
During the evening numb
of Davis and other Young
ters were rendered, and rec
given, Mr.. Mcnamara Sc
Awake"an Mr.. Rooney"
Mr.. Casey recited "Font
sang "A Nation OnceA
"Rory of the Hills"
"a 500 -