The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-06
IRISH NATIONAL ALLIANCE,
Colonel 0'Byrne on the Prospects
of England'S Rule Break
ing Up.
THE PATRIOTS WANT WAR.
Music and 0ratory Prevail at the
Large Meeting of "The o'Neill"
Council.

| Colonel John OByrne was the star
! speaker at the meeting of ''The O'NeilP'
Council of the Irish National Alliance at
the K. r. B. Hall, corner of OFarrell and
Mason streets, yesterday afternoon.
The gathering was a most enthusiastic
one. There was large attendance, and
Irish music, song and oratory flowed with
an agreeable smoothness for over two
hours. 1t was the first meeting of the
council. A large number of new members
took the pledge of allegiance. DR.. O'NeiII
presided. In the course of an interesting
talk the president said:
1t is the intention of The O'Neill Council to
educate the members on historical and scien-
tific subjects. 1t is a common saying even
among Irishmen that Irish history is about the
dryest history known. There may be some
truth in the remark for the fact is that Ire
land, of all countries, has never been fairly
represented on the page OF history. In this
Ireland has reason to complain, Tor although
her sons have done much for the historic fame
OF other countries, they have for the most part
wholly neglected their own. If Goldsmith had
but done for Ireland what he did for England,
then the personages of Ireland's eventful
drama would be as Familiarity known as are
those of English history. The O'Neills and
| O'Donnells would bear comparison with the
Russells and the Sldneys and the Hampdens.
The Desmonds and GeraldineS and DaviseS
would stand on level with the WarWicks the
Percys and the Douglases of English story,
and McMurrough would shine out from
the darkness OF their times with as true
luster as that which guilds the names of the
English Alfred aud the Scotch Bruce.
The 0'Neill Council intends TO remedy this
deplorable want of information existing in
many minds in reference to Ireland's history
by giving lectures and readings on Irish his
torical subjects at all its meetings. By so do
ing the council can accomplish vast amount
OF good, even though their efforts TO redeem
the land of their love should prove unsuccess-
| full. No country under heaven has had more
heroic deeds done for her than Ireland; no
| country holds a higher place in the martyrol-
| ogy of nations. There is no history more
| checkered than IreIand's, or marked by more
striking vicissitudes, more striking events
| deeper shadows or more radlantHghts.
A number of other speakers dwelt on
the musical, literary and artistic achieve
ment of Ireland in the past and then Colo
mel O'Byrne delivered a most interesting
address on the Transvaal question.
at would seem,' said Colonel O'Byrne,
THAT cause which has been treasured for
! thirty generations, the cause of Ireland's
national freedom, Is about to be accom-
| plished. There never was time in the
history of Europe when the symptoms of
England's breaking up were so pro-
nounced as at this time. A French phil
osopher has said that all great reforms
have been accomplished by eccentric men,
and if this be true the young Emperor of
| Germany fits the bill.''
| The speaker then gave minute account
of the pending difficulty between England
and Germany in South Africa; how the
old Dutch settlement of Cape Colony was
broken up by English invaders; how the
people then removed to what is now known
as the Orange Free State, and later to
Transvaal. The settlement was always
| Germanic.
"These people," said Colonel O'Byrne,
"belong to the German community, for the
| German poet, in speaking of the Father
land, says it extends to
Where'er resounds the German tongue,
Where German hymns to God sung.
ain hundred years no such diplomatic
affront has been given to England as that
of the young Emperor of Germany. Ger
many no longer pays tribute to England,
whose rival in manufacture and commerce
| she is.
THE nations of Europe are tired paying
tribute to England. She has never kept a
| treaty."
Colonel O'Byrne next reviewed the Vene-
zuelan issue, and declared that England s
difficulty was Ireland's opportunity. He
declared that the time had come when the
Nationalist should press forward and take
up arms if necessary.
There is nothing common between the
people of the United States and England.
We are their national enemies. They hate
US and we hate them. Let US first give our
loyalty to the country of our adoption, and,
secondly, to the old land where the sham
rock grows on the graves of our fathers