The Irish standard., 1898-09-24

Detu army (GFOanS), ana the pest SOL
diers in Europe, on that day left Armagh
on the 10th of August, 300 years ago, for
the purpose of exterminating the Irish
forces, but here he met close to the spot
where we now stand, the clansmen of
ODonnell and of Tyrone, and venture
to say that never in the history of war
was there placed upon the battlefield a
more magnificent force of fighting men
than the clansmen of Tyrconnell and
Tyrone (cheers), who met Bagnal. The
forces on either side, we are tod, we,
pretty equal; but whatever advantage
there was lay with the Saxon, because
he had several pieces of artillery, and
Tyrone had none. But yet on this oc-
casion, one of the few, as I have said,
on which the old race met their enemy
on anything approaching to equal terms.
Even in spite of the artillery, the battle
was brave and the battle was bloody, and
we read in the history of those days that
$500 of the flower of Elizabeth's army
left their dead bodies on the field of
battle cloud cheers, and the remainder
fled in headlong plight with the gallow-
glasses of O'Neill at their rear as fast as
their legs could carry them, leaving
fields heaped with the corpses of their
slain, and leaving behind them 10000
pieces of gold, and all their wagons of
provisions in the hands of the Irish
forces. The next day in Armagh 1900
of the remnant of the army which had
reached Armagh, surrendered to ONeill,
and we read, and this is a point should
like to dwell upon in honor of the
heroes, that the Irish on that great day
We're distinguished as much by their
humanity to the conquered as by bra
very in the field, for after that dread day
they revcrently buried the slain, and
when those who had surrendered at Ar
magh expected to meet the same fate
which their friends had always dealt ou,
to the Irish when they surrendered,
O'Neill did not kill single man of
them, but he disarmed them and told
them to go away and keep quiet. Cheers.)
We therefore stand upon ground hal
lowed by great memories. We stand
upon ground which may we'll inspire us
to future efforts for the cause of Ireland,
for the cause of freedom (Cheers.) We
stand here, say, on ground hallowed by
the memory of a great battle and great
victory, of which any race in the world
might be proud. (Cheers.) 1 remember
reading in the poems of great English
poet of freedom some lines which come
back to my memory today. Speaking of
battle of which we have all read, the
battle which took place $500 years ago
In ancient Greece, the battle of Mara
thon, Byron wrote at a time when the
Greeks were still the slaves of Turkey
THE mountains look on Marathon,
And Marathon looks on the sea,
But musing during an hour alone.
dreamt that Greece may still be free;
For standing on the Persian's grave,
could not deem myself slave"
(Cheers) And may we today not fairly
paraphrase these words and say, speak,
1000 years ago, but only 300, and which
is glorious memory for our people,
also may we not say in the words of
the poet
Standing on the Saxon's graves,
We cannot hold ourselves as Slaves"
cloud cheers.) May these memories in
spirit us to fresh exertions. May they
nerve our arms to strike, if not as great
blow, at least one more effectual for
the freedom of our people. May the his
tory Of 1898 teach us one more great
lesson, and that is that the freedom of
Ireland in the past has always been lost,
not because the Irish people were not
able for the foe, but has always been lost
through the divisions and dissensions
among the Irish people themselves. CAD
plause and cries of "unite') Reading
the history of the great battle, the men,
ory of which we are celebrating today,
it brings the blush of shame to the cheek
Of an 1rishman to read that one Of the
boldest and bravest allies on the side of
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rallied the English army and endeavored
to save them, was an Irish chief, O'Reil-
ly. (Groans) And so it has ever been
through the history of our race. Again
and again, when the cup of liberty and
nationhood was at our lips, it has beer
dashed down, and how? BY the dis
sensions Of our own people. (Groans.)
Let us, then, in this year of 1898, let US
resolve to band together in the spirit
of the men of 1898, and turn our faces
resolutely towards the foe, and let US
expend all our energies and strength in
defeating the enemies of Ireland.
(Cheers.) If that be done, when that
comes about, can prophesy with the
most perfect assurance that the day is
close at hand when the people of Ire
land will be free nation in e:air own
land. (Cheers.) For my part, as i look
around this country today, see on all
sides signs of encouragement and of
hope. (Applause.) l see race that for
700 years has defied the power and the
hatred of one of the mightiest empires
in the world see race that has been
Subjected for hnndradc of voorc to q