Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-08
IRISH SONG FESTIVAL
Local Branch of League Gives
a Concert.
MR.. DOWNEY'S ADDRESS
LECTURE ON TOM MOORE BY REV.
P. J. QUILL.
Program of Music a Pleasing One
The Exercises Much Enjoyed by
Those Present

In addition to the songs and compositions
there address by the president of
| the local organization, Mr.. William +.
| Downey: another by Rev. Alexander Kent,
| pastor of the Peoples Church, and a lee
| ture Tom Moore by Father P. ]. Quill
| of Georgetown University. The program
| included cornet solos by Mr.. Edmunl b..
LIewellyen; Loves Young Dream" duet.
by Mrs Gumprecht and Mr.. Battle: viz
| lin solo by Mr. Lucien b. Conen; soprano
solo, Three Leaves of Shamrock" by
| Mrs, Esther Gumprecht; harp solo by Miss
| Margaret O'Toole; flute solo, by Mr. Henry
| Jaeger: tenor solo, THE Kerry Dance" by
! Mr.. John Battle. and The Last Rose of
| Summer" given by Miss OToole on her
harp. THE Star Spangled Banner was
| sung by Mrs. Gumprecht and Mr.. Battle
| and joined In by the audience, this closing
| the evening
The quality of the music excellent
| and the interpretations showed great ability
\ on the part of the performers.
Mr.. Downey's Address.
In opening the concert. President Downey
| said:
II wish simply to explain the characte,
| of the work in which the United Irish
League is engaged.
Its work is conducted on moral, legal
| and parliamentary lines, which have en-
| listed the sympathy and active support of
| the ablest and best men of Ireland, England
and the United States in its cause.
| THE mighty power of public opinion has
| made itself felt. English statesmen are at
| last confronted with the fact that Ireland
| can no longer be governed by tyrannical and
unjust laws. They at least forced TO
| acknowledge that still more liberal conces-
| sons must be made. Our people do not ask
| for charity; they appeal for justice and
equal rights. They wish to purchase back
| the land of which their forefathers were
| despoled They want a home parliament
| to legislate good and just laws for the
benefit of their own people.
AN election is imminent, and the time
particularly opportune for sending our lead
| ers such moral and financial assistance as
| will enable them to secure liberal MT
| jority and the ultimate triumph of home
rule We ask your aid at this critical
period, believeing the day is not far distant
when you will have reason to- feel proud of
the active part you have taken in this
grand cause.
mo people on the face of Gods earth are
| more entitled to the sympathy and aid of
American citizens than the Irish people.
Official statistics show that fully so per
cent of Washington's troops were Irishmen.
and we all know that it was the patriotic
Irish merchants of Philadelphia who saved
| the starving army at Valley Forge by their
| timely gift of over 100000
Several years ago Captain OFarrell
came to me and asked me to take an active
| part in the work of organization in Wash
| ngton / told him that my time SO
occupied that such thing would be i'm
possible for me. He asked me If l was an
| Irishman. 1 told him 1 was. Well he
| said If you are an Irishman and are in
terested in this cause you will have to get
| to work. Talk won't do it. 1t takes ac-
| ton / took the hint and am at work One
| of the grandest personalities America ever
! produced was the chairman of our first
| meeting, and at that time made a magnifi-
cent appeal for our cause. / refer to that
! splendid statesman. that sterling American
| the late Senator Hoar of Massachusetts,
! For us he asked justice and human rights.
and that Is what we are asking at this
| time; that and nothing more"
Mr.. Downey expressed his thanks to the
members of the league for their generous
| support, to the public for it's active inter-
| est and to the press for its kindly treat
| ment.
Father Quilts Address.
Father Quill presented to the audi
| ence by Terence V. Powderly, whose name
and personality have long been familiar
| to the people of the whole country, and
| whose appearance on the stage was greeted
| with applause. Father Quill Is noted for
| his eloquent tongue and splendid mastery
| of whatever subject he takes in hand and
| seldom has he acquitted himself more cred
| tably than last evening in telling the au-
dience of Tom Moore.
He reviewed the history of that poet and
| said that he had his seven ages, as other
men have, and that in all of them he had
done an important work. He told of his
youthful precocity and of his being the
FIRST Irish Catholic to enter Trinity Col
lege, where he soon became the most init
mate friend of Robert Emmett Moore he
said. although the rage of the British ca D.
ital when he went there, was never a toady
and to the end preserved, uncontaninated
| by English Influence his patriotism his re-
| ligion and his individuality. Moore had
| made melodies than which there were none
greater in any tongue and of his poems.
n no -
| in the translation than In the original a
compliment which could never be paid any
| other poem ever written.
Mr. W. F. ODonaghue introduced Rev.
Alexander Kent who spoke on THE Fact
and the Obligations of Brotherhood" Mr..
Kent said:
Never before in the history of the world
| was the fact of human brotherhood so COM
| monty recognized or it's obligations so
widely felt at present"
He dwelt at length on the menace to good
citizenship of the privileged classes" and
said that these classes were idle and that
no idler could be beneficial to the COM
munity.
Live by the sweat of your own brow
he said. 'and not by that of others. When
the spirit of brotherhood is dominant no
man will want private ownership of the
earth He will scorn to appropriate the
values which others create and l say 10
you that never will the people OF Ireland,
or Russia, or any other country be free to
enjoy the opportunities which are theirs
until they have access to the soil and share
in all increases of values which the COM
/ munity create. Humanity does not mean
tenderness for the few at the expense of
| the many; it means Justice for all. A
tramp in a castle is no better than a tramp
on the highway and when Ireland gets rid
OF the first 1t will never be bothered with
| the second. May the radiance come soon >"
Mr.. kent's words were cheered to the
| echo and the evening was brought to a
| fitting close by the singing of THE Star
| Spangled Banner as noted.
Alleged Washington Autograph Letter
What seems to be a genuine autograph