The Irish standard., 1908-12-19

Wendell Phillips, one OF the most e:o-
quent Of Anlerican orators, says of
this extraordinary man: II know full
well the majesty Of Webster. I have
felt the magnetism of Henry Clay;
dculd see eloquence under the iron
logic Of Calhoun, and Prentiss of Mis-.
sippi. welded a wand such as few
tongues ever possessed. Webster and
Choate I don't forget, nor the living
orators Of American fame, out ell Of
them rolled into one never surpa ssed,
and not one Of them ever equaled the
great Irish chief" And he adds:
when John Randolph of Roanoke, al
old STAKEHOLDER, who hated IN IRISH
man as much as he did a Yankee,
when he got to England, saw O'ConpeI
and heard him speak, he lifted az his
hands and said: "This is the man,
those are the lips the most eloquent
that speak English in my day." But it
was not because of his transcendaat
power as an orator. not because Of his
unequaled ability as a pleader, not be-
cause of his wonderful tact and skill as
O parliamentarian, but because, as
Henry Giles says: "He made q peo-
pie" that O'Connell occupies thu. first
place in the ranks of Ireland's illustri-
GUS sons and benefactors.
After the rebellion Of '9S, precipl:a-
ted, it is alleged by English states
men. to dispel opposition to the COLI
templated union Of both countries.
which by treachery and fraud was
consummated in 1900, Ireland bctrey-
ed, trampled, bleeding and plundared.
was at the mercy of the most inl,u-
man government ever organized to de-
grade people. 1t was then that this
Irish chief, as Wendell Phillips styles
him, her own, dear, brave and fo!thfiil
son, came to the rescue. With one
hand he held the enemies Of his coun-
try at bay, with the other he iifteo her
from the depths to which they had
consigned her. He soothed her he
comforted her, he cheered her, and
leaning on his powerful arm, he c:,n-
Quoted her with slow but firm steps
from the shades Of captivity IT, the
light, Of emancipation. Surely this
was. a great man. How well he de-
served the title of "Liberator," be-
slowed upon him by his grateful and
devoted countrynen.
Beside him and assisting him, was
the greatest lyrical poet of his asc,
Thomas Moore, the author OF the far
famed Irish Melodies. in which light,
only, will regard him in this address.
1t is the fashion, in some places, t.
decry or underrate the genius of Thos.
Moore, but the Irish people will not
soon forget the bard that for 9 quarter
of q century devoted himself to the
labor Of clothing these imperishable
airs In words so exquisitely adapted; TO
their various notifications as to elicit
from Lord Byron the oft quoted saying
that Moore was the poet of all circles
ard the idol of his own"
With few exceptions the Irish Mclo-
dies are all that the people could de-
sire to express their patriotism, their
aspirations, their sympath!cs, their
joys, their sorrows and all the emo
ticns which their national character
exhibits. Referring to the work he had
accomplished in this direction, Monre,
beautifully and appropriately SYM
bellies the long neglected muse Of his
native land.
Dear harp Of my country in darkness
found thee.
The cold chain Of silence had hung
DER thee long;
When, proudly, my own Island ha-p I
unbound thee
And gave all thy chords to light,
freedom and song.'
He gave US 1.-THE Minstrel Boy"
'The Last Rose Of Summer" "The
Meeting Of the Waters" "Remcmber
the Glories Of Brian the Brave" aid
'"The Harp That Once Through Tara.s
Halls" in all one hundred and twenty
four Of the choicest as they arc the
richest and rarest gems that adorn
English literature.
No.. not this side of heaven, in no 9th.
er land of earth,
Arc found such thrilling melodies a.
tEose Of Irish birth,
So rich. so sweet SO exquisite, 80 sou,-
full and divine,
In Irish homes. in every cline, their
light will ever shine.
Far back in Irish history-the sanity,