The Irish standard., 1902-02-22
The Brilliant and Eloquent Young Rebel
Declined an Ovation in the
CITY of New York.
The Hospitality of the White House Was
rendered to the Patriot by
President Pierce.

Thomas Francis Meagher arrived in
New York on May 26, 1852. He came
on the American brig Acorn directly
from Pernambuco, where he was land
ed from Australia by the Elizabeth
Thompson. From first to last it took
a good deal of money to enable
Meagher to escape, but it is only just
to say that all the expenses We're
borne by himself, while most of the
details We're carried out by warm
friends and fellow-patriots.
In America Meagher began the Sec
ond part of his life-a young man, in
his 29th year. He came here, as John
Mitchell said, with the ardent desire
4 land resolute intention to bear aloft
the Stars and Stripes against all enc
mics, but especially and particularly
against our hereditary enemy-Eng-
land.
Meagher's reception in New York
was one of the most rapturous en-
thusiasm. All classes of citizens, ma
tive and adopted, We'd with each other
in extending to him the warmest of
welcomes. Never since Lafayette paid
his farewell visit to America was
there such joyous, spontaneous out
pouring Of the people to do honor to
a foreign-born visitor. Invitations
poured in upon him from all quarters
and from all sorts of public and pri-
vate bodies, even after he made it
known that he felt compelled to de-
cline all public ovations, says a writer
in The National Hibernian.
Soon after his arrival committee
from the corporation of New York
waited on him at the Astor House and
presented him with the resolutions Of
welcome adopted by both Boards of
the Common Council, and also request
ing his acceptance of a public recep-
tion and the hospitalities Of the city
of New York.
Meagher felt compelled to decline
the public reception. His reasons
for so doing are beautifully stated in
the following paragraphs Of the reply
he made to the committee:
"Gentlemen-For the little I have
done and suffered I have had my re-
ward in the penalty assigned me. To
be the last and humblest name in the
litany which contains the names Of
Emmett and Fitzgerald-names which
waken notes of heroism in the coolest
heart and stir to lofty purposes the
most sluggish minds an honor
which compensates me fully for the
privations have endured. Any recon-
pense Of more joyous nature it
would ill become me to receive.
"Whilst my country remains in sor-
row and subsection, it would be in
delicate Of me to participate in the
festivities you propose. When she lifts
her head and nerves her arm for a
bolder struggle, I, too, shall lift my
head and join in the hymn of freedom.
Till then the retirement I seek will
best accord with the love 1 bear her
and the sadness which her present
fate inspires.
"Nor do forget the companions Of
my exile. MY heart is with them at
this hour and shares the solitude in
, which they dwell. While they are in
prison shadow rests upon my spirit
and the thoughts that might otherwise
be free throb heavily within me. For
these reasons you will not feel dis
pleased with me for declining the
honors you solicit me to accept.
ut pains me deeply to make this
reply, being sensible Of the enthusi-
asm which glows around me and the
!. eagerness with which a public oppor-
tunity of meeting me has been await
ed. But am confident that after
I little while the public judgment will
sanction the act as a sacred duty I
owe my country, my companions, and
myself.
| "To this land I came as an outcast
,sto seek an honorable home-as an out
I,Aw to claim the protection Of a flag
:. 1T is inviolable. To no other land
could re heart, which has felt the