The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-12-07
A Gigantic Audience Assembled to Honor
the Distinguished Visitors
from Erin's Isle
Senator Vim. E. Mason of Illinois Makes a
Patriotic American Address
on the Occasion

Six thousand persons crowded into
the Auditorium Theater in Chicago on
Sunday evening, Nov. "a, to listen to
speeches, pass resolutions and take a
part in the exercises held in honor of
the thirty fourth anniversary of the
death of the Manchester martyrs-Al-
len, Larkin and O'Brien. 1t was Il
demonstrative crowd that packed the
large theater. Every seat was filled,
even to the topmost gallery, and hun
dreds of persons stood in the aisles
and in the rear Of the house, but their
enthusiasm never abated, and they all
held their places, although it was mid
night before the exercises closed, says
the Inter Ocean.
The shouting and cheering com.
menced when the Seventh Regiment
detail marched upon the stage. Shortly
after this John f. Finerty, president
of the United Irish Societies, under
whose auspices the meeting was held
called the meeting to order.
His appearance was the signal for
another outburst of cheering, and ii
was some minutes before he could
make himself heard. But the climax
came when John z. Redmond, the
leader of the Irish party, was introduced
to the assembQage. Cheer after
cheer greeted him, and it was with
difficulty that he persuaded his enthus
iastic friends to cease their noise and
give him chance to talk. Their
feelings seemed to carry them away
and during the first part OF the speech
Mr.. Redmond had to stop many times
to allow his hearers an opportunity to
give vent to their ardor.
John +. Finerty, President of the
United Irish Societies, called the meet
ing to order, substantially as follows
My Friends: In calling to order this
meeting 1 thank you most cordially
not alone in the name of the United
Irish Societies of Chicago, under
whose auspices this demonstration is
held, but also in the name of liberty
for the magnificence of this gather
ing of the friends of freedom.
have seen many meetings of Irish
Americans in this city, but never any
thing so majestic in numbers, so su
perb in coloring, and so thrilling il
it's enthusiasm as this. prolonged
applause.) 1t gives assurance of ever
greater things in the future, ant
sends a message Of hope, of pride, ans
of joy to expectant Ireland. (Cheers.
Fifty-three years ago, in the ancien
city of Dublin-once the capital of {
sovereign Irish nation-that most EN-
u inent of modern Irish orators, til,
a late Irish patriOt-eXile, and heroic
' American general, Thomas Franci
ksNIeagher, of eloquent and glorious
memory, said:
elm this, our island, the English nev
er, never shall have rest. The worl
begun by the Norman shall not b.
completed. Generation transmits t,
generation the holy passion that pant.
for liberty, that frets against oppres
sion! From the blood that drenchet
the scaffolds in '99 the felons of a
have sprung! cloud applause.)
4 And that splendid prophecy ha
D been fulfilled. Generation has trans
y mitted to generation, intensified by tn
sacrifices of each epoch, "the hol!
passion that pants for liberty, tina
frets against oppression"
The martyrs of Manchester, VIII,
gave their blood for the honor of Ire
land, for the liberation of their chiefs
in the heart of England itself, wer
the heirs of '98 and of ~. A full
/ generation has passed since they per
! ished on that English scanold, but tn
cause they died for still lives on, un
j conquered and unconquerable. (Grea
applause)
We meet here tonight to honor thei
martyrdom and to bear on to victorl
GUS consummation the flag and tn
cause their devotion and courage con