The Irish standard., 1900-01-20
THOMAS FRANCIS mEAGHER.
A Brilliant Grafton Delivered by Him
March II, 1866.
CONTINUED from last weekly

rigorous conditions to test and vindi-
cate it. Heaven has been most bounti-
full to that land As it came from the
hand of God, it has all the rare excel
lencies that make singularly favored
land. Under government OF its own
sons-,partial and generous as they
would naturally be to it-no land would
be happier-no land be more profitable
to its people-(hear, hear, hear,)-for it
has been endowed with all the advan-
tages-serenity OF climate and wealth
OF soil, safe and spacious harbors in
denting the. whole circle OF its coast,
the more essential minerals and super
abundant er-power-(renewed cries
OF hear, hear)-all which, under gen.
ial administration and favoring laws,
would not only make it prosperous, but
give it greatness. cloud cheers.)
when we reflect upon the career it
has been compelled to run, under the
mailed arm of a foreign power-the dis
abilities, penalties and crueltes that
have been rained, necessarily, upon it
the savage treatment it met with in
former times-the crafty and treacher-
Gus treatment it has experienced in lat
ter days-and then reflect what hap
py, honorable, noble little nation it
might have been, had there been no
England at its gates-(cries of hear,
hear, ')-it is no wonder that conspir-
acies and outbreaks, heroic daring and
heroic sacrifices. should be the order OF
the day in ireland. For the brave young
men-strong in intellect as they are
bold in spirit-who have lately been Wis
tied with the turbulence OF the English
law in Ireland, l have the warmest SYM
pathy and the highest admiration. EN-
thusiastic cheers.) God grant that the
days OF their barbarous Punishment may
be short, and that, with the liberty of
Ireland, their own shall be gloriousy
redeemed (Renewed and immense ap-
plause.)
have spoken OF the means which Ire
land abundantly possesses to be strong
and prosperous nation. Her intellectual
wealth is fully commensurate with her
physical. The fame of her more gifted
sons revolves with the planet, and it is
no eNaggeration to say that it has a
recognition which is co-extensive with
civilization. Has not the "Vicar OF
Wakefield" gone round the world Does
not Edmund Burke loom up in political
history with stature too colossal not
to be seen from every section OF the
globe? "Lala Roohk" has been trans
lated and is volume of gold in the land
OF the fire worshipers themselves. Sher-
idan has written his name in letters OF
inextinguishable light upon the desecrat-
ed temples and plundered palaces OF In
dia. cloud cheernig) Never, in any
country, was there so superb an assem-
bly, OF orators and wits, statesmen and
gallant gentlemen, as the Irish parlia
ment was in the few years of its indie
pendence. There was Harry Flood, Of
whom it was grandly said by his great
rival, that, like Hercules, he failed with
the distaff, but with the thunderbolt he
had the arm OF Jupiter. There was
Harry Grattan, OF whom Lord Broug-
ham declared that no orator, of any age,
was his equal, and who, communicating
to Ireland the pentecostal fire with
which he himself was inflamed, beheld
his country, to use his own magnificent
phrase, rising from her bed in the ocean,
and getting nearer to the sun! (Enthusi-
astic cheering.)
"Thee was Curran-the most thor
ough Irishman OF them all-the ex-
haustless wit--the dauntless and defiant
advocate-whose marvellous eloquence
threw over the darkest cause the most
copious streams OF splendor and en-
chantment-and who was as true to Ire
land as; he was to the saddest client who
sought the shelter and defence of his
blazing shield Byron, comparing him
with Erskine, has we'll described the ex-
traordinary wealth Of his mind, and the
variety of his powers.
"'There also were two wits by acclama
ton
Longbow from Ireland, Strongbow
from the Tweed
Both lawyer, and both men OF educa-
ton;
But Strongbow's wit was more OF
polish'd breed.
Longbow was rich in an imagination
As beautiful and bounding as steed,
But sometimes stumbling over potato,
While Strongbow's best things might
have come from Cato.
'Strongbow was like new-tuned
harpsichord;
But Longbow wild as an Aeolian
harp,
With which the winds OF heaven can
claim accord,
And make music, whether flat or
sharp.
OF Strongbow's talk you would not
change word;
At Longbow's phrases you might
sometimes carp;
Both wits-one born so, and the other
bred
This NV his heart his rival by his