St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-05
THE MEMORY OF THE LOYAL
IRISH PATRIOT KEPT
" GREEN. s
A MONSTER MASS MEETING
AT MARKET HALL TO CELEBRATE
THE ANNIVERSARY OF HIS
BIRTH.
ELOQUENT, PATRIOTIC SPEECHES
By Several Leading Citizens-FuIIy-
1000 People Fail to Find
Room in the Hall.

Robert Emmet's epitaph remains un-
written, but far more beautifully eX-
pressiVe than any epitaph ever carved
in marble was the sentiment-to which
no words can give adequate expression
that brought to Market hall last
night upwards of 1900 people to do
honor to the memory of that high
minded martyr to the cause of liberty
in the Emerald Isle. 1t has been a
long time since such a meeting has
previously been held in this city, and
nothing equal to it has ever before
been held on any similar occasion. 1t
was gathering of which the Irish
men and their descendants in st. Paul
have just reason to feel proud.
Yesterday was Emmet's birthday,
and the various st. Paul divisions of
the Ancient Order of Hibernians made
arrangements to celebrate the occa-
sion by giving an entertainment in
Market hall last evening. By o'clock
every seat in the hall was occupied,
and standing room was at a premium.
Only few Of those who came later could
gain admission, and fully 1000 people
must have been turned away, Ordi-
narily, with such a crowd, it is hard
to preserve perfect quiet, as people
become tired and keep dropping out,
thus keeping UP constant noise. But
not so on this occasion. Packed like
sardines in box, this immense gather
ing of men and women remained so
completely absorbed throughout the
meeting that scarcely a single one left
the hall, and one could almost hear a
pin drop while the various addresses
were being delivered.
On one side of the platform was
portrait of Washington, and one of
Lincoln on the other, while at the rear
was a banner, on which were portraits
Of Washington and Emmet, with the
motto, UNITED we stand, divided we
fall" inscribed beneath. On one side
Of this banner was the flag of Erin, and
on the other, the stars and stripes.
Above the stage was. another portrait
of Emmet on a green banner. On the
platform were seated, in addition to
the chairman, Mayor Smith, Judges
Kerr, Kelly, Egan1' and Willis, Tim
Reardon, Assemblyman Robb, Edward
Darragh, G. D. O'Brien, Father Danehy.
Moses E. Clapp, John Dowlan, Father
Wood, j. G Donnelly, William Delaney.
f. A. Tierney, John Mccarthy, of Still
water; Pierce Butler, P. T. Kavanagh,
A. H. Rogers and a few Others
1t was nearly $50 o'clock when F. A.
1lefney called the meeting to order and
announced that Rev. DR.. Heffron would
act as chairman. In making the an
nouncement Mr.. Tierney paid the rev.
erend gentleman nice compliment in
the name Of the A. o. H Father
Hebron made an unusually good pre-
siding officer, being especially happy in
his manner of announcing the various
numbers on the programme. Even
some of his most intimate acouaint-
ances remarked that he was in a
humorous mood beyond anything they
mad ever witnessed in him.
On assuming the chair Father Heff-
ron SAID there was no more fascinat-
ing character in history than Robert
Emmet, though in English law he Is
known as conspirator. So would
nave been the patriots of Bunker hill
robert Emmet's action was foolhardy,
but whatever may have been his err
rors, he handed to posterity an exam
pie of beautiful devotion to the cause
In which he was enlisted. It was not
the name of Emmett alone that was
being honored, but the cause of liberty.
Tor Which he rendered up his life The
cause of liberty was one that always
nad the support and sympathy of the
American people. If Ireland could be
fhn
planted where Cuba lies, it would be
1ree IN tWenty-four hours. (Applause)
After selection by the high school
orchestra, Father Heffron announced
that the audience would have the pleas
ure of listening to Columbia, the Gem
OF the Ocean," "by a stranger" John
F. Gehan. Mr.. Gehan's ability as q
singer is too familiar to the people Of
81. raul to make comment necessary
Suffice to say he was given a hearty
encore.
Hon. Judge Kerr was next intro
duced. He said that any man might
we'll be proud to address such an au-
d1ence on such an occasion. He did
not propose to trace the history of Ire
lands struggle, nor did he intend to
dwell on the long line of her noble mar
tyrs. Never drop of martyred blood
had been shed in vain, and though
the seed scattered by those martyrs
had not yet borne fruit in Ireland, it
would in time. But if it had not borne
fruit in Ireland, it had elsewhere, and
1T was of the product of this seed in
the United States he desired to speak.
America might well be proud of her
patriotic foreigners. He desired to
make no invidious comparisons, but
the condition from which the foreign
born people in the United States sprung
were widely dissimilar The German
loved his fatherland; the Frenchman
never tired Of dwelling on the histor-
ical events Of his country; the Scandi-
navians reverenced the governments
of their respective sections, but the
poor Irishman, God help him, he had
no country. He was born in rebellion
against his government; against op-
preston. Yet no class of foreigners
in the United States make superior
citizens. In conclusion, Judge Kerr
said that in the harbor of New York
stands a statue representing Liberty
enlightening the world, and he hoped
that the uplifted hand might one day
be raised high enough to illuminate the