The Irish standard., 1901-05-18

We're compressed into the period of q
few years. 1t was the stormfest time
In the history Of the country during
all it's struggles against foreign domi
nations since the days Of the volun.
teers in 1882 and the revolution OF
1898, of which Wolfe Tone, Fitzgerald
Emmett, Hamilton Rowan and othe,
leaders Of the UNITED Irishmen" were
the inspiration.
| From 1915 to 1S4S Meagher Iabored
Zealously with other leaders of the
Young Ireland party, whose object
was to obtain Irish independence by
force of arms. In the summer Of 1S4s
Meagher was captured with arms in
his hands in the county of Tipperary
while engaged in an effort to array the
peasantry against. the authority of the
British crown after O'Brien's attempt
ut Ballingary. He was tried for high
treason with Smith O'Brien, Terrence
Bellew McManus and Patrick O'Dono-
ghue, and was convicted, of course,
to be hanged, drawn and quartered
and his remains placed at the disposal
to her majesty, the Queen, to be dealt
with according to royal pleasure. His
speech upon the passing of his bar
barous sentence will be remembered
Tor Its unflinching spirit, its calmness,
its dignity and splendid justification
OF the acts for which he was con-
demned to suffer.
BY special act Of royal clemency,
however, Meagher was released from
the extreme penalty, the punishment
of all the conspirators being fixed at
transportation for life to the convict
settlement at Van Diemen's land. III
the spring Of 1852, after nearly four
years Of penal exile, he made his es-
cape and landed in New York in the
latter part Of May.
Meagher soon became distinguish
ed lecturer and writer. He studied law
with Judge Emmett and in 1854 be-
came member of the New York bar,
which practice he gave up for time
to undertake an expedition to Central
America. In 1852 Meagher published
a volume of his speeches on The Legis-
lative Independence of ireland.
AT the outbreak Of the Civil war he
organized a company Of Zouaves for
the national army and Joined the Six
ty-ninth New York volunteers under
Colonel Michael Corcoran. He served
during the first campaign in Virginia
and at the first Bull Run had a horse
shot under him. In the latter part of
1861 he organized the Irish brigade
and became its colonel. In February,
1862, he became a brigadier general.
He and his command fought bravely
during the seven days battle around
Richmond, and at the second Bull
Run, Fredericksburg and Antietam,
where again horse was shot under
him. After Charlottesville his brig
ade was so decimated that he resigned
and was out of actual service until
early in 1864, when he was recomm1s>
stoned brigadier general of volunteers
III assigned to the command of the
district of Etowah. In 1865 he was
ordered to report for duty to General
Sherman at Savannah, but the close
OF the war put an end to further mill
tary service.
In July, 1866, he was appointed by
President Johnson to be secretary of
the territory of Montana and later be-
came acting governor in the absence
Of Governor Sidney Edgerton. His
first official act was to call the legis-
lature together at Helena, February
Il. 1866, to provide for the expenses of
the government. The attacks of the
Indians upon the residents of Fort
Benton, on the Upper Missouri, COM
PEELED him to call for volunteers, and
it was in procuring the armament Of
these that the circumstances occurred
which led to his death. He had trav-
eled 30 miles in the saddle under a
scorching July sun, after superintend-
ing the arrival of arms and munitions
for the militia. He reached Fort Ben
ton the evening of July 1, 1867, wear
led from his long journey, and there
being no accommodations at the post,
he took quarters in a stateroom on
board the old battered Missouri steam
er, G. A. Thompson. That night he
attempted to leave the boat. The
night was dark and he stumbled over
coil Of rope on the deck and fell into
the dark, rushing water. He struck
the guard on his descent, which prob
ably disabled him, and, although a
gallant swimmer, and despite the ef-
forts Of willing hands, he was swept
forever from the sight of man. The
body was never recovered.
CALL UP MEAGHER & GO.
If you want good dry pine wood. Ev-