The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-10
THRONG AT ANNUAL
 EMMET MEMORIAL
Congressman ReIIIy'S Inspiring Tribute to Great Irish
 Patriot
Local Postal Employees Present To Their Advocate
 GOld-Headed Cane

That the memory of Robert Emmet, lhe Irish patriot executed Ill years ago for his attempts to lead an insur- rection against the crown is still Cherished by the IrishTof Bridgeport was amply attested last evening at the Plaza theatre, when the annual were held. The theatre was filled with a representative audience come to do. honor to the memory of one dear to the hearts of all true Irish men
 The exercises were most impressive In ansexcelIent musical program, the praises of Ireland and her sons were sung by talented artists of this and other cities. and an eloquent eulogy of Robert Emmet was delivered by Congressman Thomas L. Reilly, of Meriden. the orator of the evening
 Following his address, Congressman Reilly was presented with a hand some gold-headed cane, suitably in- scribed~zfrom postal employees of this city akr. Reilly made brief re- sponse in which he thanked his postal friends most heartily.
 The first half of the entertainment consisted of Irish airs by Peter F. Radican. of Hartford. Miss Anna L. Hartigan. James F. Mahoney. Mrs. Robert D. Martin and John Hughes. The solos were splendidly rendered and every artist was forced to re- spond to eneores---~s--sss--sss--
 John--A--HurIex of this city, was chairman.eg klls m FS and Intro duced Congressman Reilly in Q happy speech MT. Hurley said:
 Ut is very evident. judging from the large audience present that the mem ory of Robert Emmet still lives. One hundred and thirty-f1ve years since his birth and no years after he was hanged, drawn and quartered, and the dogs lapped his blood, as related by an eye witness. from the gallow's foot in Thomas street, we are assembled here to still further perpetuate it
 How has his memory been per petuated? The Irish spirit which never dies is responsible; and that same spirit will keep it alive until his epttaph may be written. What is this Irish spirit. It is that intensity of patriotism common to the people of Ireland and to their descendants in other lands which endures through generations and which cannot be ob- liberated At the Boston celebration of the hundredth birthday of Emmet March 4 1878, the late Ianented John Boyle OsReilly read a poem written by him for the< occasion which may be appropriate this evening:
 'f Tear. down the crape from the col
 umn, Let the shaft stand white
 and fair,
 -- Be silent the waiIfng music-there
 fs mo death in the air, '' We come not in plaiiit or sorrow
 no tears may dim our sight,
 '' we may not weep OCT the epitaph
 we have not dared to write .. He teaches the secret of manhood
 the watchword of those who
 aspire
 .. That men must follow freedom
 though it lead through blood and
 fire;
 e That sacrifice is the bitter draugnr
 which freedom still must quaff- '+ That every patriotic life is the
 patriots epitaph.'
 trydom Irish immigrants and their descendants then living in this glorious country of ours organized societies in the principal cities along the Atlantic seaboard from Boston to Savannah, universally naming them the Hiber- and. those societies, five or six genera tions after their formation, are still in existence and their membership still throbbing with the Irish spirit.
 sOn1y a. year ago the Hibernian so- cfety of Savannah celebrated it's cen tenniaL and about the same time the Hibernian society of Charlestown gath cred it's guests and members together in honor of its one hundred and twelfth anniversary, so who shall say that there is no such thing as Irish spirit or who shall say that because of it the men constituting the mem bership of these societies are not patriotic citizens of the United s States Among the guests in CharIestown last year and the principal speaker on that occasion was a Connecticut man who Is well known to many of us here, Rnd while he was not born in Ireland, being a native of this state, yet he is 30 strongly inbued with the Irish Bpirit Of which I have spoken, that he fs, as nwasZ once ssaidfvin Ireland of the Irish; but he is also mighty good American, as has been attested on many occasions.
 The good people of Meriden made him their mayor in three consecutive elections. and the citizens of the Sec ond congressional district of Connecti- cut twice elected him to represent them in the national legislature, the a second time last November by a great ly increased majority.
 T know you are anxiousIy waiting to listen to him, who is so capable of entertaining, and I now s take the greatest pleasure in introducing the Hon. Thomas l.. Reilly, of Meriden. D
 Congressman Reilly was given a big reception. He thanked Mir Hurley for his very complimentary introduce ton and spoke of the long friendship that had existed between the chair man and himself. MT. Hurley and Congressman Reilly were residents of Meriden for years and have been the warmest personal friends.
 Congressman Reilly said:
 "'Enshrined in the hearts of every people are names that can never be displaced nor forgotten; names that send a thrill through every patriotic gouls men whose love of liberty was the sort that makes heroes and mar tyrs and gives to native country a heritage surpassing wealth and power.
 Men high in the world of letters; men prominent in the field of scien- life research; men who are versed in law, in medicine and in social econ onnics all bring honor to their native land vef f17os0 whose rnaT7orxy fe m