The Irish standard., 1897-03-13
MEMORY Of ROBERT EMME1.
The Irishmen of St. Paul Pay a
Worthy Tribute to the
National Martyr.
Judge Willis and Ignatius Don-
nelly Make Stirring
Speeches.

Life and Character of The r1an
Dw,elt Upon With En-
thusiasm.
the fame of Robert Emmett, who gave up
his life in the cause of Irish indepen-
dnece. An evidence Of this was shown in
1 the large audience which gathered at
Market Hall, st. Paul, on the evening of
the 4th. inst. Never before in it's his
tory-eXcepting on one occasion, when
MI Bryan was there-was the hall so
crowded. It was a. notable gathering,
and many were turned away unable to
gain admission. The event YVES under
the auspices of the Ancient Order of Hi
bernians of that city, and, in all it's de-
tails, was marked success.
The opening portion of the program
was given over to musical numbers. The
A. O. H. band, new musical Organiza-
ton, furnished the instrumental num-
=; bers John H. Willis, Judge of the dis
trict court was chairman. Mrs. Charles
B. Yale sang an alto solo, Killarney"
and kindly gave an encore. Mrs. +. L..
Hoffman touched the hearts of the Irish
men present by playing a piano solo
comprising a large number of Irish airs.
Mrs. S. V. Harris sang a soprano solo,
"The Harp That Once Through Tara s
Halls" and was recalled for an encore.
A male quartet consisting Of Messrs.
Heating, La Pine, Gehan and Morrow
sang several Irish selections, among
them kathleen Mavourneen." A mixed
quartet, composed of Mesdames Yale and
Harris and Messrs Gehan and Keating,
sang two numbers. =.
Judge Willis, in an eloquent opening
address, spoke of Robert Emmet in strik-
ing language He said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: An observer
turning his gaze toward the west, imme-
diately after sunset. could have beheld,
upon recent evenings, "a star of radiance
most resplendant. In the deep blue Min
nesota sky it shone out, alone and un-
riyaled. A benediction upon the night,
a sign of God s.love and glory, 1t claimed
|attention, admiration and reverence.
4, Like this star stands in the armament
of earthly glory the fame Of Robert En-
met. Not until mankind shall cease to
render tribute to chivalrous heroism and
hearts shall no longer vibrate respon-
sively at the tale of self sacrificing patri-
otism, will the memory of Emmett lose
it's imperatiye and majestic claim upon
the homage of mankind.
Recognition of human greatness is a
tribute to lofty ideals. 1t dignihes the
men and women who avow that recogni-
ton. The lives of the great, when stud
led. lend to the world the grandest of all
instruction-that of good example.
In accordance with these sentiments
we join tonight in celebrating the ami
yersary of that day in theyear 1778 upon
which was born man whose life was a
model of virtue and whose devotion to
high principle, earnestness Of purpose
and cruel death have written upon the
scroll of history one of it's most insplr-
ing and tragic records.
In this land of liberty-the land OF
Washington and of Lincoln-celebra-
tions in honor of the great protagonist
and martyr of Irish liberty are of con-
spicuous propriety. The spirit OF I1|e
should suffer no abatement. No sent1-
ment Of conservatism should ever exist
strong enough to invest public abuses
with sacred attributes. The enemies OF
freedom. however they disguise them
selves. should always be in wholesome
dread of the exercise of the people OF the
of revolution.
Nor should passionate adherence to
| the cause of liberty be confined to ma
tionai boundaries. A great writer mas
said: 'The heart or humanity Is one y
Ave. and wherever the shadow OF
throne casts its blight upon the asp1ra-
ton for enlarged popular privileges, all
men, whatever their nationality or local
habitation, should assail that throne and
it's hateful occupant as the patriots OF
the American Revolution warred against
his majesty, George III.
Unless 1 mistake the temper OF this
audience. unless I mistake the spirit OF
the people at large, the hearts OF all true
Americans yearn tonight for the term1-
nation of English rule in Ireland, for the
liberation of Crete from the Moslem
yoke and for the independence OF Cuba
That the propaganda Of liberty may be
advanced, that popular oppression the
| wide world over may be terminated, is
the prayer Of every American patriot IN
lcommemorating the day upon which d = 7 the t''
froat irish revolutt tonist was born, 4! z.