The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-10

offering surround their names and their memories with a patriotic halo, bright, refulgent and unfading.
 While there flows a drop of red blood through the veins of one worthy the name of man; while a throb re- mains in a liberty loving heart their deeds will be recalled; their examples will ever inspire men to loftier aims and to grander efforts in behalf of their fellow men.
 Among those justly entitled to high place in the galaxy of national mar tyrs stands the young hero in whose memory we gather tonight-Robert Emmet.
 'If things were to be in keeping with his dying wishes there would be no celebration in his honor, no eulogy of his heroisn, no written nor spoken record of his short but brilliant career, because his country has not yet, perhaps, taken her place among the nations of the earth-the time not yet here for the writing of his epitaph.
 But is 1t not here? Has not his country taken her place? The an swer may be no. and truthfully so in the sense of national independence. But if his country has not yet taken that place; if his country has not yet reached the goal that cost him his young life, have not his countrymen taken their places in the nations of l1iS 0dTIn dnO 1OT In0 same 1OVS Ol liberty for which he died?
 Inherent in every son of Erin is that love of country to which Scott refers:
 e 'Breathes there man with soul so
 dead,
 {" Who never to himself hath said. ' This is my own, my native land.
 'The spirit that led Emmet to sacri- flee his young life on Erin's altar is the spirit that has sustained Irishm en the world over in their advocacy of the cause of freedom. The fates may have decreed that their heroic efforts were to be made in behalf of their adopted rather than their native land, but whatever the cause, that love of freedom that hatred of oppression, that devotion to the cause of the down-trodden are the same that inn pelled and inspired Emmet from the first of his boyhood visions of free dom for his beloved Ireland.
 70, that the devotion of Ir1shmen, their sons and their. grandsons every where to the cause of other countries might be shown in mighty unison in the cause of Ireland! O, that the energy, the ability and fidelity exerted for themselvesl O, that the struggles. the trials, the hardships they have endured for others might have been endured for the Green Isle of the seal Had they been Emmet's epitaph would have been written long ago.
 It may be with nations as it is with individuals. There are men in every community who can work tirelessly and most successfully for others, but who are failures working for them selves. There are countries that can furnish brain and brawn, virtue and integrity, manhood and womanhood of the highest type for the world, but appear unable to do so for themselves.
 ''By the pessimist Ireland has been named in that list But it requires only glance over three centuries of that statement. In every nerve and fibre of the Irish body polite is felt that National impulse that never dies. No power that tyranny can muster can stamp it out; no despot's might dispeI it. Ireland is in spirit today sovereign power, her sons at home and abroad inabued with but one idea that of hastening the day when 1t will assert that power in fact as well as in spirit.
 Tn. every true irish heart the spirit of Emmet is as rampant today as it was III years ago. when he fear Iessly faced Norbury and his predeter- mined jury and from the depths of his great Irish heart gave out that i'm mortal plea for freedom, that merci- less arraignment of tyranny, that ever lasting inspiration to Irish autonomy.
 ''It is as strong now as when student at Trinity college, Emmet, in a speech before the debating society, gave utterance to this sentiment long since vindicated and for which he was expelled:
 s' When a people advancing rapidly in knowledge and power perceive their government is tagging behind them, 47r 1xe r1,114 a case? What but to pull the govern ment up to the peop1e?'
 How prophetic that student speech has proven! How sure in it's horo- scope that speech from the docki His country is taking her place among the nations of the earth and this genera ton will not pass away until that place is fixed and secure.
 tsThe day when the cry that Ireland is not fit for self government is pass ed. That is the cry of royalty that goes forth whenever a people demand their rights. That was the answer that England gave when the Amerf- can colonies demanded Independence and the cry that would be heard to- day had not the colonies proven in the most convincing way that they were fit.
 Amid the topp1ing of dynasties arises the cause of human liberty. The 0ay OF the sunlVeEsal repuDlc IS IasL approaching. The race of royalty is nearly run. Before the sunlight of freedom the mists of hereditary rule are dispel1ing; in the pure flame of justice, oppression and tyranny are being consumed.
 --I see before me shining shaft on Tara's hill. see gathered around it an exultant eager throng that covers the green slopes. I see the sunburst banner waving triunphantly in the breeze and mingled with it other flags. I see one with white, gIistening stars on a field of deepest blue. and with rays of red and white. I hear a mighty prayer of thanksgiving ascend to the God of nations and the God of justice for a reunited, free people. hear in one great harmonious chorus the swelling of the grand anthem.