The San Francisco call., 1904-03-18
GRAFTON BY W. A. KELLY.

In Davitts absence the oration COM
rnemOratfve Of the anniversary was de-
Iivered by William A Kelly, a young
orator Of ability and good voice, who
held the attention of his hearers with
cut difficulty for half an hour with elo-
quent praises Of Ireland and her saint.
He said among other things:
We celebrate the anniversary OF an event
1rauEht with importance 10 every son OF Ire
awakened TIE fatherland % her destiny every
Irish heart thrCbs tonight All countries have
their anniversaries. days in which halloWed
na mes are made new in the minds Of their
ds- v-hfch marks the disentlrallrnent Of the
Green Isle from unbelief and her new birth
OF faith and literature.
we are here 10 indicate that the spirit Of
patriotism IS not dead, but win live while
Ireland herself remains TO claim the love Of
her sons. Tonight. as We glance backward
over the centuries n Irish history, We behold
mt'ch 20 deserve our PRIDE with the taH ot
the Roman empire the Irish legions returned
70 their native island and devoted themselves
They developed code Of laws that remain
proof to-day Of great Intellectual and legal
ability
I3ut It remained for St Patrick to bring to
Ireland the true faith Of the church that rose
upon the ruins of the empire His disciples
spread this faith Tar from the shores Of Erin.
in Scotland, on the banks OF the Rhine, among
the olive groves Of Spain The blood Of Irish
many lands. Happy in this faith ireland daz-
zied the world by the brilliance Of her litera-
ture and the learning Of her scholars.
such eminence brought the penalties Of envy
and war But the Irish soldier drove back
the Dane from his country's soil Her ma
fCnality and speech were successfully pre-
served until TIE Saxon turned his greedy eyes
20 fair helds beyond the Irish Sea BY sys-
murder without parallel in history, the Eng
ush dominion was fastened upon the land.
But though fortune turned 10 him a frowning
Hff.Ha TIrn rfH ~ Iris fF17cr n va
never suhdued- Coercion never begets amity.
and the oppression OF the English begot in
irish hearts burning hatred that later centu-
.3- -afE ,iit d'eeilluattl fiefo @lttf nero
rose - fight unsuccessful battles for Ireland.
the Irish national aspirations In the nine
feeuth century he was followed by a host NJ
leaders. Brtt. Parnell. Davitt and many 9th
ers, who were aided by Englands Grand Old
Man. William Ewsrt Gladstone. All Of us
here pray that Ireland's Independence may
To America Irishmen acknowledge their
dehf. and vel have they repaid II upon every
the Revolution and the civil War. Who car
say that the Irishman has not shown his right
% self government?
Mr.. Kelly's Oration was literally ap-
plsuded. II was followed by the fol-
lowing musical selections, all Of which
were received with applause that COM
PEELED many encores: Tenor solo, THE
Minstrel Boy" by ID. Mannloyd. with
accompaniment by Miss Frances Buck
land: tenor solo, The Green Old Flag, -
by Eugene d. O'Sullivan: barytone
solo. by Burt Murphy: sleigh bells
Kathleen Mavourneen," by Miss Mel
lie Waters God Save Ireland" by E.
D. O'Sullivan.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The following resolutions were read
by. Thomas F. Afford and adopted with
out dissent:
We. the representatives Of the United Irish
Societies in convention assembled. view with
eradication the substantial advance made oy
the Irish people In the passage Of the land act
hy the British Parliament. and We sincerely
hope that whatever defect II may possess VIII
b. remedied by such further legislation as VIII
facilitate the transfer Of the land 10 the peo-
We are also gratihed at the great progress
made BY the Gaelic League in its endeavor TO
revive the ancient language OF our country, a
language 50 rich in It's associations with all
that IS great In the past with al that is
beautiful IN our literature and patriotic In
our history We believe that the language OF
a people Is one OF the most powerful factors
in preserving their NATIONALITY and - would
be not only a national disgrace but loss TO
mankind, that language so old in its history.
80 capable Of expressing all the feelings and
emotions Of people should be allowed TO
perish.
sition of the land by our people and their ex-
erti0ns TO preserve and to perpetuste our Ian
Eusge stfIl we trust that the representatives
Of Tire irish people in the British Parliament
viii not forget that they will never be salts
fed until their aspirations as separate and
distinct nationality are realized and they pos
sess the management and control Of their own
domestic Affairs, in accordance with the genius
Of our people.
ES~1t in which our people at home are engaged