Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1902-03-22
Entertainment.

an entertainment and sOciable given un
attic company in Ravenscrofts' Opera
House at s p. III.
Notwithstanding the short public
notice given the auditorium was well
filled by an audience determined from
the start to make the affair enjoyable.
The rear of the stage was literally
hung with the Irish and American flags
while the arch and sides We're decorated
with bunting and smaller flags. y re,
cess in the centre rear furnished il fitting
picture frame for the handsome chair
man.
The u numbers were brief. Beside
the eloquent address of welcome by the
chairman, d. F. McMullcn, there were
"A chorus, four solos, Irish airs, five reel
tations, three fancy dances, two duets
four songs and four orchestral selections.
the Dramatic company, Daily's orches-
ira. Misses Esther Jackson, Regina and
Lillian Feldnan, Diana Brode, Kate
Durkin, and Messrs. Martin Brown,
John Spates, l.. n. Meadows, Leo Cham
beers, Lynch hurry, Thomas McGraw,
James and Edward Barry and John
Cannon took part and all earned the APP
plause they received i'll liberal style.
"Refreshments" were an enjoyable
feature.
Considerable disappointment was felt
over the non-appearance of Hon. George
A. Pearre, who had been invited to
speak, but he was too i'll to venture the
trip from Washington here. In ii letter
of that day to Messrs. ID. +. McMullen
and John Chambers, who had extended
the invitation on the part of the Order,
he wrote:
Nothing would give me more pleasure
than to have been present and testified pub
licly to my high opinion of the Irish race.
Their persistent fidelity and brilliant capabil-
tiles are written on every page of British
history. Contrary to what is the common
opinion. a review of Irish and English his
that the Irish people were the most persist
emily faithful to British interests of any of
the races that have gone to make up the
British Empire Through murder, oppres-
sion and the studied injustice of centuries
the Irish people were faithful to the English
Crown and lost their liberty in the [ niOn of
$500 by rcposing too much confidence in
British honor The forbcarance of an armed
nation in the shape of Il hundred and fifty
thousand wcl-armcd, wcll-equipped, we'll
differed and enthusiastic and patriotic
Irish volunteers, led by such men as Graf
tan Flood, Chcrlcmont, Curran and host
of other free and brave spirits during the
struggles of 1850 and l7S3 finds no parallel in
the history of the world And yet the Irish
people are called mpetuo,S and rash Dur
ing that time with arms III their hands and
with justice At their back, they had the Eng
fish King at their feet vet there was no dis
turhancr in Ireland and no violence from
one end of it to the other. Pcaceably and
patiently they plead and argued for the
recognition of their ancient rights. They
claimed, and justly claimed that Ireland and
England were separate nations; that each
was to be governed separately by its own
independent National Parliament and that
the only connection that existed between
them was that the Sovereign of the two ma
tons WAS the same man. They claimed,
and properly claimed, that he as King of
Ireland was to govern Ireland through an
Irish Parliament and as King of England
he was to govern England through an Eng
fish Parliament. TO this the English King
appeared to consent through his willy minis
tiers. but only consented long enough to
create discussions in Ireland and finally To
disrupt the Union of the Irish people.
The forensic and military life of England
in its most brilliant pages are cmbelliShed
by Irish talent and hcroism. The early
building of the new civilization in this
country was largely contributed to by Irish
wisdom and valor The roster of the sol
dierS at Lexington and Bunker Hill con
tain numerous names Enthusiastically Irish
But why dilate upon this matter any
further? | should have been glad to have
added my tribute to these qualities of the
IriShman in a public address at Frostburg if
had been permitted, but the doctor has
just left me, and although | am up in my
room he forbi,s my going out yet
With assurances of my high regard and
again expressing my deep regret at not be
ing able to he with you, | am
Very truly yours,
GEo A. PE\HEE