The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-10-15

rnant and he was eXiled to the undel
side of the world, and many lonely
night looked on the stars OF the South
erp cross from between his prison bars
and from the lonesome wastes of Val
Diemen's Land.
He escaped by most hazardoL;
and daring attempt, when seems likt
the realization of romance Ills vel
come i'm New York was most universe
and entbusfastic. The sympathies a.
our people were then going out t.
! I[rssutb 10 Poland. to Greece and IL
Tho Italian patriots who were endea,
o1inr 10 break the shackles of Aus
trian daspotism. The young orator
furnished new fuel to the rising flame.
tof.,li5erty. and the attraction of his
/ parsonality and the evidence of his
genius made him the idol of the clue.
and lotteries and literary circles of the
/ METROPOLIS. For while he never reg
ularly followed the literary life, he was
natural born prince in the kingdom
! Of letters Poems. descriptive articles,
! essays and arguments lowed from his
/ graceful and versatile pen and We're
/ carelessly thrown 90 the world. like
! the gifts of gods or rich men who DO
not care for any record of their bene-
/ licences. He played at his will on ali
chords of human nature vibrated a.
his skillful touch. He was the charm
ing center Of every gathering, with
wonderful romance and readiness, and
most graceful. correct and classica.
diction. The voices of the blessed
would cease their harmony to listen 20
his soulful accents.
In the War For the Union.
Then came the great war for TIE
Union. Many of his countrymen took
part on either side. 1t is the misfor-
tune of those who have no sovereignty
or country of their own that they must
fight i'm every mans cause and waste
on alien battlefelds their unavailing
Yalor. Their country can only noun
over a universal battlefield, and has
only the consolation that the valor ana
prowess and fidelity Of her sons re-
fected a sad glory on her history.
"Meagher realized. however, that es-
pecially to men Of his race the desu nc
ton of the Union would be the crown
of all misfortune If this ark of hui
man hope. launched by the fathers
upon the sea of liberty, We're to so
down. where would be the land OF
refuge that woald receive the wreckaEe
Of Ireland's desolated shores, as well
as that of all the nations who looked
at this star of hope? That would be
the greatest calamity that could befaii
and he threw himself. with
all the enthusiasm and ardor of his
into the struggle to save
the United States.
He joined a three months regiment.
the Sixty-ninth. 1t is remarkable that
there are two men here. Major Wallace
into action al Bull Run on the. Path of
July, 1861. Then he organized the bri-
gade and named it after the Second
army corps The white trefoil of that
greatest corps of all our armies in
and service. was conceived b.
Meagher. and waved in glory over the
men of Sumner. Sedgwick. Warner and
Ny own regiment. was Of
his command, and l saw the brigade
20 into action at FaiF-O Oaks White Oak
swamp, that desperate charge at An
ietam and the still more. desperate i
,harge. across the slippery plain ana
he sunken canal, where the men car
led the famous evergreen ~sprigs in |
heir hats UP TO the foot of the stone |
wall and held that line for three days, |
Until the enemy was withdrawn. This !
s the action that was chosen for this /
general leading that /
historic charge up these slopes of /
fredericksburg. where the brigade was I
O nearly annihilated that it hardly
fterward recovered its strength and /
Orce
Then. moved by the spirit of adven-'
ure. he accepted this office in the west.
lie engaged TO write also for the New.
-ork papers and magazines. The beau
e. 4 <Nf to- inc
nd their scenery can yet be found in
hose magazines, but have never been
altered. An Indian war was waginS. |
Te was active in organizing the de-
ense of the frontier He went to Fort
enton to receive a boatload of arms,
nd in the darkness of the night fell
# the narrow deck, which had no
uard rail. and was lost to his people
nd to the world.
AS his compatriot has no epitaph. SOD
-eagher has no grave. The mighty
-issouri enwraps him brewer in her
olden sands, and as her waves roll
OWN the sea forever muTmurS over
i'm her lullaby and requiem.
The old pioneers and the thousands
his admirers have organized to erect
ontana's first monument to Mon
ma 3 first martyr. Here, before our
ewly erected capitol. his effigy shall
Use In days to come these, grounds
i'll he filled with the molds of men
no served the state in her heroic
iys. to stand until the end of time.
show that Montana viii ever re
ember those lofty spirits who gave
eir lives to her service or who dled (
her defense"
Governor Leslie's Tribute.
Former Governor Preston H. Leslie
as next introduced and stood with
lred head while the workmen were
acing the copper box beneath the cor
.r stone. covering it with cement and
wering the great stone to its position.
aciug his hands upon the stone, the
nerable man whose part in the life
Montana has been such as TO endedr
IN to all the people of the state, said
was an honor to him TO participate
the exercises. While General
cagher had passed away, ne said ms
e and his deeds would live forever
the minds of the people of the state.
[ is my privilege and honor, Gov
nor Leslie said. for me, as his sue
ssor. to lay my hands upon thes
rner stone to the lasting memory of
great name.'
George irwin Of Butte, prominent 1 /
nong the pioneers of Montana, fol-
we'd with a brief tribute to General
aagher. I'm which he dwelt upon his
rvices to the territory. i had, Mr..
vim said. the honor Of his acQuaint-
ce He was an honorable man, an
helped the community in the carry
vs. He performed his duties faith
llv and well. He was a patriot, full
humor. n1agnanimity and pathos
d altogether a man with whom 1t
IS a great privilege TO have had per-
nal acquaintance"
Former Senator Thomas II. Garter
IS then called upon to preside over
e exercises. having been named as
e of the committeeman, with JoRr