Evening journal., 1897-10-18
SPOKE TO THE IRISH.
Governor Taylor Welcomed
Them to Nashville.
A VERY BRILLIANT ADDRESS

SELF THE APPLAUSE OF THOU
SANDS OF THE WEARERS OIL
THE GREEN.
The following is the speech of Gov
ernor Taylor, made to the Irish Ameri-
cans, on the occasion Of their celebra-
ton at the Tennessee Centennial, and
which is said to be one of the most elo-
ouent things the governor has ever
said, and that is saying a great deal for
it:
"And there's only one Bob Taylor,
shouted a red-faced IrishAmerican in
the audience, as Governor Taylor con-
cluded his address.
IF / were a sculptor, l would chisel
from the marble my ideal of hero. /
would make it the figure Of an Irish
man, sacrificing his hopes and his life
on the altar of his country, and l would
carve on its pedestal the name of EN-
met.
III l were a painter, 1 would make
the canvass eloquent with the deeds of
the bravest people who ever lived,whose
proud spirit no power can ever conquer
and whose loyalty and devotion to the
hope of free government no tyrant can
ever crush. And l would write under
the picture Ireland
"If l were a poet, l would melt the
world to tears with the pathos of my
song. / would touch the heart of hui
mauity with the mournful threnody OF
Ireand's wrongs and Erin's woes.
would weave the shamrock and the-rose
into garlands of glory for the Emerald
Isle, the land of martyrs and memories,
the cradle Of heroes the nursery of lib
erty
Tortured in dungeons and murdered
on scaffolds, robbed of the fruits Of
their sweat and toll, scourged by fam
inc and plundered by the avarice of au-
tumn before the keen winter winds, this
sturdy race of Erins sons and daugh-
ters have been scattered over the face
of the earth, homeless only in the land
of their nativity, but princes and lords
in every other land where merit is the
measure of the man.
Where is the battlefield that has not
been glorified by Irish courage and
baptized with Irish blood? And where
Is the free country whose councils have
not been strengthened with Irish brains
and whose wealth has not been in
creased by Irish Drawn?
wherever the flag of war fiutters the
spirit Of Irish chivalry is there, painting
for the battle and eager for the charge
Whether it be Wellington leading the
allied armies at Waterloo, or Ney fol
lowing the eagles of France; whether
it be Sam Houston crushing the armies
of Santa Anna at Jacinto or Dav,
Crockett counting death at the Alamo
whether it be Andrew Jackson, at New
Orleans, or Stonewall Jackson at Chan
cellorsville; whether it be Phil Sheri
dan in the saddle riding like a god o
war in the thickest of the fight, or Pa
Cleburn leading the forlorn hope an
dying at the cannons mouth on tn
breastworks Of the foe, it is the sam
intrepid, unconquerable spirit OF sub
lime courage which flows like a strear
of inspiration from the heart OF old Ire
land to fire the souls of the world
greatest leaders and to burn forever o,
the affairs of liberty.
Wherever the banner of place is un
furled over the progressive English
speaking nations Of the earth, thi
same irresistible Celtic blood has eve
been present, shaping the destinies {
empires and republics.
1T warmed the heart of Edmun
Burke, whose brain was a mighty lOOI
which wove tapestries of glory for Ems
land and for mankind. 1t inspired tn
souls of Swift and Sheridan, who's
dreams will linger in English literatul
forever, like the fragrance of roses thi
are faded and gone. 1t lighted up tf
brain of Oliver Goldsmith, who broH
out in song sweeter than the song
the nightingale It kindled the soul
Tom Moore into flame, and like an al
gel Of light from the realms of dream
he swept the burning strings of Erin
harp, and lol the whole world thrill6
with its melody. The body of To-
Moore was dust long ago, but his spir
lives in his songs, and breathes mo-
hope in every Irish heart and happine
in every Irish home.
''If / were asked why our SOuthel
people are so impulsive. would answ
it is not so much the effect of climate
1t is the preponderance of Irish bloc
in our veins. 1t was this that fired Il
Irish heart of Patrick Henry to preaC
secession from English wrath, and Il
power of English arms.
1T was this that nerved our Iris
American President, James X. Polk,
have Mexico thrashed before brealxfas
1t was this that woke the lion in Il
Irish breast of John c. Calhoun, al
impelled him to thunder the doctril
of states rights under the Constit
tion, and it was this which finally p
South on crutches.
"An Irishman was once shipwreck
at sea, and floated on broken spar
the shore Of a strange island.
dragged himself, half dead, from t
water, and confronted one Of the n
tives. And have you a gOvernme
here? he asked. Yes, sir replied t
native. Well, then, begorra, I'm ag
it,.
THE Irish impulse is first the achieN
ment of liberty, and next the detern
nation to accomplish, at all hazar'
whatever he undertakes to do.
"An Irishman once came from Cork
America and hired himself to a farm
The farmer gave him a box of a.
grease and ordered him to go a
grease the wagon. In about thu
hours Pat returned, weary and drippi
with sweat. Where have you be-
sir?' asked the farmer. 1 have be