The San Francisco call., 1896-03-05
FINERTY TALKS
ABOUT IRELAND,
His Brilliant Address at
metropolitan Hall Last
Night.
THE CHICAGO ORATOR.
What ireland Has Achieved in
Times Of War and Peace
Set Forth.
FOUGHT BRAVELY FOR LIBERTY
How the Irish Soldiers DISTINGUISHED
Themselves on the Field
Of Battle.


dred and eighteenth anniversary of the
birth of Robert Emmett at Metropolitan
Hall last night. The great auditorium was
packed with the American friends of Ire
land and the eloquent and distinguished
Chicagoan was given an ovation such as
few visitors to San Francisco have ever re-
ceived.
.. Mr.. tlnerty has gained prominence as a
journalist, orator, soldier and statesman,
and his coming to this City was made the
occasion of great demonstration in favor
OF the national independence of Ireland.
Similar demonstrations were held through
out the country yesterday, as Emmet's
birthday has come TO be regarded as a day
OF national importance by Irish-born citi-
Zens the world over
The hall was beautifully dec GRATED with
the coiorS OF the United States and Ire
land Gas jets in the form of harp aided
IN making an effective background.
Among the prominent citizens of Irish
blrth and extraction present were the fol-
lowing:
J. ]. O'Brien, Thomas B. Bannerman Thomas
crowley, Father Ferguson, J. ]. Dwyer. Colonel
0,ByPne, Senator Mahoney, Judge Campbell,
Dr. B. J. o,Neil, Thomas Desmond. J. ].
Stephens Father o'Connell Father Car
iShi%sl P + 1Sasa aSdq1hiot' .'' IzasR EssR
y.
J, Donohoe and J. F. Mccain of Santa Clara,
Ihomss Degnan, I. J. lyman, Father Crowley,
PatneT P Comings, D; Condor; J. c: o'Gon-
Hanrahan, Colonel Stone, Judge Cooney. F. T.
Shea J. J. Coniffe, D. ]. Costello, James Gildea
CAPTAIN Deasy, Jerome Deasy, Charles Mcguire
and others.
J. ]. O'Brien, in introducing Hon. NJ.
NJ. Estee as the chairman of the evening
said
The orpenizstion ,,odar whose orsnioae ,,a
nave met tonight to perpetuate the memory
OF Robert Emmet has selected as its chairman
man whose name 1t is hardly necessary for
ne to mention. He is known from one end of
the state TO the other, and he is well and
Iayorably known. He is friend, and has al
ways been q friend and a consistent friend OF
the Irish people.
Mr.. Estee was received With great cheer
ing. He said:
You can hear me any time, but you cannot
always hear our distinguished friend. who has
come here to help to commemorate the dust of
an illustrious Irishman, an Irishman who died
that liberty might live. Freedom knows no
country, no nationality, and we are here to- |
night 70 recall the memory OF an Irishman
who lived and perished for his country.
This sentiment was loudly applauded
Nine. Ellen Coursen Roeekel then sang
the "Star-spangled Banner in manner
that elected the applause of the audience.
For an encore she sang "Love's Young
Dream" "Emmet's Last Words" was
next sung by G. V. Wood. He was
obliged to respond to an encore.
Miss Mary L. Kimbau gave some selec-
tions on the harp and D. Manlloyd sang
Gne Minstrel Boy" Colonel John
O'BYrne then read the following self
explanatory letter:
SAN Francisco, Cal, March 8, 1896.
Ny Dear Judge Cooney--I am very thankful
of the celebration of the anniversary of Robert
~Emmets birthday. Unfortunately L am
obliged to remain in the house on account OF a
severe cold. Wishing the celebration every
success remain, yours, truly,
P RIoRDAH.il
Chairman Estee then introduced Colonel
Finerty. who, attired in evening dress,
stepped to the front of the platform, while
the audience applauded rapturously. He
spoke for two hours. In the course of his
address he said:
Mr.. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen: The
object OF our coming here tonight has been
sufficiently announced and the story of The
tragedy OF Robert Emmett, much as it involves
is but passage OF Irish history. In order to
properly understand that history and what led
TO the sacrifice OF Emmett, 1t viii be necessary
for me TO go back few centuries, at least in
order to place before the American people tn e
circumstances that have surrounded the more
recent history of Ireland.
Time will not permit me to begin with the
teginning-the first settlement of the country,
the conquest of the Druids, the invasons of
the Danes and others and the conquest of the
ruption and treason of bad Irishman- I can
only come down to that portion of her history
with which the people of the modern world
are more or less familiar.
He then dealt briefly with the reign of
Henry VIII of England, adverting to the
fact that be was the first foreign ruler the
Irish had acknowledged, adding: ''They
have always believed9and still believe that
God created Irisnmen to be the equals OF
all other men, and to enjoy all the bless
r Dafo 10
he said he was not recognized as great
warrior nor as great statesman. Zone
characteristic" he continued, "that more
than any other endeared him to the Eng
lish people, was that he loved every other
mans wife better than his own" This
monarch's six marriages were reviewed,
and his fckleness and cruelty to his
spouses were dwelt upon at some length.
Speaking of Henry's last matrimonial
alliance the orator dryly remarked:
He would have probably destroyed all the
marriageble women Of England If he had not
run across a widow who had twice before been
married. Catherine Parr, however, had had
some experience with bad husbands and she
settled Henry. He only lived year after that,
and soon after she married again, so we had
ten marriages in one family.
Henry VIII tried to bring Ireland into sub
lection, made war on her people and succeeded
in almost wiping them from the lace OF the
earth.
Edward VI succeeded him, but lett no i'm
press on history. When he died with con-
sumption he was followed by Catherine of
Aragon, lovingly called "Bloody Mary BY the
English She was fierce Catholic, and went
about presenting the Protestants with great
violence One of the most honorable pages
in the history OF Ireland is the TACT
that when Catherine drove the Protest tants
from England to Ireland the people OF Ireland
opened their houses to them and protected
them against the cruel bigotry OF the English
Catholics / regret 10 have to observe, how
ever that when the Irish received the same
kind Of treatment from the successor OF aBloody |
Mary" they were not given the same k1nd OF
treatment by the English.
Elizabeth was perhaps the egreatestsoverelgn, |
intellectually that ever sat on the throne OF |
England. She had the faculty OF attracting 10 |
her court the best men of her kingdom, wnom |
she skillfully used to carry ont her proJects-
She was a vehement Protestant and broke en-
nrely with Rome. Three-d quarters OF the pee, |
pie of Scotland followed her lead, nearly al /
of Wales and most of England. But she IN |
sisted that the Irish, too, must accept the new
doctrine, end while the Irish never sougnl 10
impose their creed on other people they re- |
fused TO take up another creed at the dlctation
of an English Queen. Then she ordered her
general TO 20 into Ireland; to go TO the |
places of worship: to massacre the congrega
lions at their prayers; TO level the affairs 70
the dust, and fire the churches over the heads |