The Irish standard., 1894-12-15
POET TANDORATOR.
An Enthusiastic Chicago Audience
Greets T. D. Sullivan at Gen.
trail Music Hall.
HIS STORY OF THE OLD LAND,
1t Was Strikingly Original, Brilliant
and Filled With Sarcasm
and Keen Wit.

and Keen Wit.
Enthusiasm marked the audience
which assembled in Central Music hall
last night and listened to talk on Irish
history, political and economical, from
I. +. Sullivan, member of parliament
poet and songster, says recent issue et
the Chicago Herald. The. talk was
like the talker, strikingly original, bril-
liant and full of yelled sarcasm and keen
wit. From the time of Dsuiel O'Connell
to the present day, period Of more than
ordinary Importance to the Irish race,
MIR. Sullivan has taken part in the public
life of the Emerald isle and acquired a
| knowledge OF the needs of. the people
and the way to get at their hearts In a
manner all his own. He is the last of
the race of minstrels who sang Irishmen
into and out OF life with quaint 'lament-
ations" of heroes deeds and love hlts to
the fair maids OF Erin.
Though the attendance was small the
charm of the speaker compelled frequent
outbursts Of applause. He told of the
doings of O'Connel1, the various attempts
at armed resistance, recited verses and
sang for the entertainment of his hear
ers. He sang the "La,nentation" con-
cerning the case of Myrtle Hynes, who
"grabbed" Birmingham's little should
IN after the latter had been eyicted in
Galway, and told in song how the land
league induced bim to join the great
boycott. Verses, epierams, quips, sharp,
incisive cuts at the lords and the British
usurpers fell from his lips, deligsting his
hearers. +.....
One feature of the talk-forit it was not
q set speech-was the evident earnest.
ness Of Mr.. Sullivan in his belief that
the dawn Of Irish independence cannot
be delayed much longer. He prophes1ed
that the time is almost here when the
people Of the kingdom will find means to
muzzle the opposition of the lords to the
plans of the government and that the
peers will find many Of their ancient anG
unnecessary powers sadly curtailed. His
knowledge OF The past and his keen in
sight into the signs of the times as bear
ing on the future were some of the traits
of man remarkable as orator and poet
He spoke without notes and apparently
without preparation with the readiness
of a master of his subject and of an ora
tor we'll versed in the art of pleasing his
audience
Judge T. j. Moran introduced Mr..
Sullivan by saying that history of the
speakers life would be history Irish
political lite Of quarter OF a century
He then spoke Of the struggle OF Irish
mon against their traditional oppressors
in recent years in the battle f,r home
rule. He said the fires Of patri tlsm had
been kept alive, for while the laws were
made at Windsor, the songs were writ.
ten by the orator of the evening.
Mr.. Sullivan was greeted with pro
longed applause as he rose to speak. He
said he proposed to speak briefly of Irish
politics within his own experience. He
| said he had attended one of Daniel
O'Connell's g meetings. He was mem-
ber of an Irish national club in 164S He
said he was still q warm advocate of
Irish independence and Irish nationality.
He said that in O'Connell's time the peo-
pie were full of hope. They ha q mag
nifcent leader, and were united in the
work. Then came the "Black Famine
Death became the lot of many, homes
we're broken up and in the general Gala.
nifty politics was lost sight Of. A period
of seeming despair settled over the land:
But this was not to be for long. The
Irish people never would remain quiet
until the hope of freedom was realized.
A few young men were ready to take up
the work. It was decided to make an
effort to free the land by an assault at
| arms. Such q movement could only
fail, said the speaker. Without treas.
ury, without arms OF resources, it could
make no headway against power itself
one of the most powerful in the world.
It failed, but it left the Irish people
memories Of which they would ever be
i proud.
! Then followed the Irish Tenant League
he said. It was agrarian and worked fol
harmony in advancing the hopes, wishes
and demands Of the people. This league
movement, however, was broken up b,
the selfish and treacherous acts Of som,
OF those who had been identified with it
Then another physical force movemen
was organized and for some time gaines
onsi'derabl impo rtance e caused ith