The Irish standard., 1900-01-13
FRANCIS mEAGHER.
His Brilliant Grafton Delivered on st. Pat
riok'S Day.

INKS Udys
The following Grafton was delivered
by Thomas Francis Meagher on St. Pat
rick's day, 1866, to large and keenly
appreciativc audience in Virginia City,
Mont. The address is reproduced YER
batim from an old Montana newspaper
OF the time
Colonel Thomas Thoroughman,
president OF the Catholic committee.
came forward and introduced Major
General Francis Meagher as the orator
OF the day, doing SO i'll /, most compli-
nientary and eloquent speech.
The general, on coming forward, was
greeted with the most enthusiastic
cheering. after which he spoke as fol-
lows:
Sixteen years ago | spent the 18TH
OF March in the forest OF Tasmania-a
very beautiful island, several thousand
miles from here, which her gracious
majesty OF Grca, Britain enabled me to
visit, having placed sloop- at
my disposal for that delightful purpose
Cloud laughter and chccrs.)
"A lake, as large as this county,
spread itself away among the mountains
that overlooked my solitary dwelling.
The wild birds, flashing and whirling
over the waters, were my only compan-
ions, il one can call such shy and Eighty
things by that congcnal name. (Laugh-
ter.) But peopled the lonesome scene
with friends who were far away, and
made it TEEN with memories and Wis
ions OF the dear land OF my birth.
loud and continued checrs.)
That lake became to me the Lake OF
Killarney. Mangcrton lowered above
me with its uniathomablc punch bowl
the devils own punch bowl. Cloud
laughtcr) Ross castle threw its stern
shadow into its bright depths. Up from
those depths arose the O'Donohuc on
his white charger, and the air grew
sweet with the fragrance OF the myrtle
and arbutus. The bugle sounded clear
and strong, calling the echoes from the
Eagles Nest; and as they replied i'll a
countless chorus | saw the 1.-the stag
break from the waters edge and disap
pear far up the mountain side. Gap
plausc.)
An island in the center oi the lake
was changed TO Innisiallcn. The ruined
cIo'ster of the monks, whom Crol,on
Croker has somewhat proiancly immor-
talized, stood upon its rich sward; nor
was the Bed OF Honor wanting. on
which Sir Richard Courtney, the hui
morsomc old guide. being once be-
nightcd there, received his title.
daughter and chccrs)
After Il little, a boat swept bv,
trcightcd with Il gay and handsome
party and there, in the mds, OF it, sat
Ganscy the famous piper OF the lakes,
with his great blind eyes, his snow
white beard and his maddening music.
There he was in his ecstacy, making the
boat fairly dance to the tune OF the
Fox Hunters Jig. Cloud cfccrs.)
The visions and memories | thus in
dr!ged ill., are just the memories and
visions which every lrisllman, whose
heart is i'll the right place, and who is
far from Ireland, INDUCES in. whcrcso-
ever lie may be, this day. A glorious
day, ii is. sanctiticd and illuminated by
lc recollection that on this day nearly
600 years ago ireland was vouchsafcd
her great apostle cloud chccrs.) On
this day nearly 1900 years ago, the lurid
fire OF the Druid began to pale and the
cross appeared in the kindly Irish sky.
Cloud and enthusiastic cheering.)
Well may the Irish people celebrate
this day, for it is a duty which, at CIV
cry recurrence OF ii, attcsts the noble
fidelity OF that people to the faith that
has sprung beneath the axe and BIOS
somed in the blast-0oud chccrs)-the
faith for which, stcadfast and heroic,
they have borne centuries of ruthless
pcrsecution-(rcncwcd cheers )-the faith
which. identified with their ancient ma
tionalty as it is, has been their fountain
OF consolation in the midst OF bitterness,
and their jcwclcd crown, radiating ctcr-
nal rays from the depths Of their misery
and dcsolation. ("Hcar, hear, hear"
and loud cheers.)
"My Protestant fellow countrymen
will not, am sure, understand me to
claim that this day is exclusively Cath
ole festival in speaking as have done
1t is their day as we'll as ours Cloud
chccrs), and I have no objection to
their appropriating St. Patrick as a
Jealous member OF their church, for l
we'll know he would convert every
mothers sowl OF them with that mirac-
ulous crozicr OF his, should lie ever get
among them. (Great laughter and
chcers.) 1t is, say, their day as we'll
as ours, for it has been dedicated from
time inmcmorial to the nation at large
TO the celebration OF Irish nationality,
as we'll as the commemoration OF the
particular event from which it derives
its religious designation. loud ap-
plausc.)
"But was saying that the memories