The Irish standard., 1898-02-12
OF THE IRISH INsURRECTI0N
He Delivers an Eloquent Address
on the Heroes of '98.
PRAISE FOR BOLD INSURGENTS
And Pays a Grand Tribute to the
Priests Commanding.

The following eloquent address Gil
'9S was recently delivered in the Wex-
o. S. T., Cork (the historian of the
Irish Rebellion. who is native Of
gallant Wexford. The patriotic priest
was accorded Il rousing reception when
he came forward to dc liver his lecture,
He said that just 100 years ago Eng
land was metlitating the great crime Of
dcpriving Ireland of her native parla-
ment, by force or fraud, or both CON-
bincd. England hating this country
with the hatred peculiar to the njurcr
conceded the independence of the Irish
rarliamcn: through ftur alone, but
when he saw her hated rival advance
Ing rapidly in prosperity she resolved
to destroy that independent parliament,
to undo the work OF Grattan, and to
effect what was we'll called the union
OF the shark with It's prey. To effect
this tho minister of the English crown
descended to the lowest depths of
treachery and baseness. English his
tory had no darker page than that
which tells how the union was brought
about by the British ministers to frus-
trate the work of the United lrishmen
to unite the whole population Of the
country in one grand effort to shake off
the yoke of England and to assert
hnf >tfy1t hNyf rFn 1,
to be done by driving the people into
premature insurrcction, and to drown
their indignant protests in Il deluge of
their own blood. Since that time the
history Of this country was told in The
words coercion and plumber. since thar
period ireland has been plundered of
G25O, 100000 of money, making her to-
day the poorest of European nations:
she has been subjected to upwards of
30 coercion acts many Of them of afro
cious severity; since that period the
only liberty the Irish people knew was
that OF starvation and einigratinn; since
that period England had evidently aim
ed at the total destruction of the people
OF Ireland. Perhaps She would never
achieve 1t. There is mercy and justice
In heaven, and vengeance too for ,1c
crimes of nations as we'll as individuals.
In 1898 Ireland might have offered her
neck to the sword or England and
chosen the martyrs crown, but she was
not bound to do so. and part of her peO-
pie chose to assert their national rights
to defend their lives and property.
England had resolved to drive the Irish
Hecple into armed resistance to her
Eower. confidng in her ability to crush
their efforts under the weight of her
powerful armnmcnts. Having bribel
the rcprrse matives CT their country.
EnSland's next step was to divide her
people. to sow dissension between the
Catholic and Protestant population. as
1t was the aim of the United Irishmcn
to unite them. 1t was by the constant
use of this crazy policy that England
has been able to ho.d this country in sub
lection for 50 many centuries IAN
phulsc). Had the people had the wis
dow to forcso for the common good
the foolish and mo:s unreasonable
feuds arising from religious differences
always zcalc:lsly fcstcrcd by England,
ireland had lCng since ! zen mistress of
her own dcatinies Now that they were
assembled to homer the memory of their
dead patriots he appealed TO their Prot
estant brethren to forget the woeru1
past, with its ignc5lc jc.lOusies and
lE<3ine hatrcis, let them remember they
were children OF the sane land, that il
Ireland prospers she prospers for all:
and that they co',ld not separate their
interests from hcrs, without being trail
tors to her cause (applause.) He would
ask his Protestant brethren what was
Eagenal Harvey (applause), the Vener-
able Grogan (arrlause), Anthony Perry,
of Inch. the noL!e Geraldine, the gal
liant, the gencrous-hearted Lord Ell
ward, the daring Of the Irish race cloud
chcars). Were n3. these gentlemen
protcstants? What were the high-minl-
cd Munrce and the devoted M'Cracken
tarr.ausc)? Were not these Protest
a%.s, and did they not gives their lives
for Ireland? why" said the Rev.
Lecturer, "should we hate one another
because we differ in religious beliefs2
(arplause) If savage and cruel dee.is
were done in these darl: days lay the
blame Of those deeds at the door of the
real culprit-Eng:and, who, by lies, by
ca!'lmnies, by every crazy device. in
famed the passions of Irishmen and. set
pa. c. CIR population against the other
that she might deprive both Of liberty
ccUd cheers). Continuing, Fr. Kav-
'.-ash said that in '9s the great majority
L.