The Irish standard., 1900-09-08
Antiquity of the Organization
is Eloquently Told.
DOWNFALL OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
American Flag the Symbol of a
Perpetual Republic.

The following address WAS recently
delivered by Mr.. T.. II. Moran, Nation
al Treasurer of the A. o. H., at IIar-
lem River Park New York, before II
large assemblagc Of the exiles of
Erin:
These gatherings are especially dear
to Irishmcn, for they not only revive
and replenish cur love for the old land,
but they will tell the world by our
intelligent and patriotic assemblies
that we are Il distinct and uncOn-
quered people, that our union with the
English is that of master and slave,
and that the Irish race but awaits the
opportunity to inscribe the epitaph OF
the illustrious patriot. Robert Emmett.
Years, and even Il generation may pass
before our country takes her place
among the nations of the earth: but
the time will come as the history of
the British empire repeats the history
of the Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian,
Grecian. and Roman empires. Moth,
ing now remains of these but the
sepulchres Of departed greatness.
May the greed of conquest. which is
the vulture that pursues all empires,
so cntangle the relations of the Brit
ish crown that her fall will be COM
mensuratc to her crimes. Then the
martyrs of her civilizing greed will
be avenged. Ireland made a desert,
her children cXterminated and ban.
ished, will be there to mock her Plague
and famine stricken India will
arise with new life when the lecch
sucking her lifc's blood is no more.
India's ruined reservoirs will stand as
monuments to tell future ages of the
criminal neglect of the English gov
erDment to provide for the drOughts
which frequently visited that unhappy
land. And the heroic Beers, the last
of her victims, will shed no tears over
the tomb of departed greatness, who
would eXterminate their heroic sons
to obtain the gold and diamonds of
their rich land. And now, great ana
glorious Republic of the United States,
will you, too, follow in the footsteps
of these hated empires, ancient and
modern? Will babes yet unborn
pray for your fall from greatness ana
glory? Will slaves raise their shuc-
kled hands in malediction over your
flag? Forbid it, O, Thou God of
Justice. Our flag will be the symbol
of a republic forever, and Il despised
and selfish empire, never. The op-
pressed and prosecuted of all races
will always find friendly assistance
in our land of the free. The home
of the brave will always offer an asy-
lum to oppressed and cxilcd patrl-
ots and to humanity's call the de-
sccndants of our revolutionary sircs
will never turn deaf ear.
Wherever Il flag is raised in the sa-
cred name of liberty Irishmen are al
ways found ilf the ranks. They
fought with desperate courage to free
their native land, and, failing to do
that, have served their adopted cOun.
tries as only men of their ardent,
and fearless calibrc
can. If we visit the Transvaal we
see Blake and his 1000 1rishmen fight
ing side by side with the heroic Beers
for 1ircside and liberty. Every bat
tlelield in American history was wa
tered by the blood of the exilcd Irish
man. Mcagher, Sheridan, Shields,
Rutledge, Sullivan, Corcoran, and a
host of others covered their names
and race with glory. Even the seas
have stories to tell of the bravery of |
Irish American sailors during the
struggle of the colonies for freedom.
Jack Barry's reply to the
English captain OIL the high seas has
become n household legend, while
thousands of Macs, O's and Fitz's
found watery graves in the cause of |
and died unwept, unhonored,
and unsung."
: Now, let us turn from the picture
Of the liberty loving Celt, battling all |
over the world with tyranny and op-
preston to the cause of his exile from
his beloved land. 1t is true there
were no diamond mines and gold dig.