AN IRISHMAN'S DEFENCE OF ENGLAND.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3017, 28 March 1867, Page 6

AN IRISHMAN'S DEFENCE OF ENGLAND.

The following is part of the brilliant speech of Mr. Justice Keogh, at the meeting of the College His. torical Society, on Thursday, 15th November. Such a truly admirable defence of England, delivered on the spur of the moment in reply to an attack, deserves to be remembered among the happiest efforts of oar best orators. After some introductory remarks, Judge Keogh said :— " I will not even in this assemblage, where many may differ from me in opinion, stand silent and hear the great and glorious empire to which our destinies are inseparably attached — (great applause) — I will not hear that great country which presents the greatest; career to the young men of this island that any country ever yet presented since tho beginning of the world, spoken of iv a detracting spirit. (Applause.) I will not hear her; if I can by my roice refute the calumny, spoken of as an enemy of the oppressed (hear, hear), as the trampler upon the liberties of mankind, as the crusher of freedom of opinion. (Great applause.) We are: told that tho nations of Europe are reforming themselves, and so they are. The world is undoubtedly at this moment, as we all can see by manifest signs and perturbations, big with some great birth which may be a monstrous prodigy, which may be a benefaotor to the human race. But I should be glad to know his name who thinks slightingly of the destinfes of England, and who forgets theimportant part which she haa at all times taken in the march of civilisation and the freedom of the human race. (Great applause.) , Spain indeed has wronga to avenge ! Spain must ever entertain a lively hostility to England ! And that is to be said in an assemblage of Irishmen ! Do they forget that from the port which I hope is yet destined to be a depOt for the commerce of the American world went forth some fifty-six years ago a little army, mostly composed of Irishmen, headed by a great »nd illustrious Irishman— as Napoleon himself said of him, "vainqueur de la terre,"? They went forth, and they never looked back again till they had enteredthe capital of Franoe. (Tremendous applause.) Spain has wrongs to avenge againatJEngland ! Let Yinuera, Corunna, Salamanca, and a hundred other imperishable names tell the tale— it Spain thinks she has wr6ngs— of Spanish ingratitude, but of British magnanimity. (Deafening and prolonged applausa) Let France be taught to respect the independence of Belgium! How deep was the gore which floated upon the ensanguined plains of Belgium of British blood, to free that country from the grasp of France! (Applause.) Let Italy remember her autonomy J By all means let her do so. No man rejoices more that I do at the establishment of the independence and the unity of Italy. (Applause.) The hope that was nursed in the breasts of Dante and Tasso, and, for the realisation of which 300 years agoMaoMatelli sighed and prayed, is now announced with triumph from beneath those horses whioh have twice made the cir« cuit of Europe — brought from Corinth to Rome ; from Borne carried by Constantino to Constantinople; taken by Dandolo to Venioe ; from Venice, by Bon*. , parte, to Parisj and finally restored by British arms ,to their present position. (Loud- applause.) The immortal poet of England (Byron) said : ' « Btfore Saint Mark's still glow her steeds of brass: '.. Arc they not bridled ? , They are now not bridled, and in their freedom I say , British arms, British policy, and British intervention' , have had a leading part. (Great applause.) This much I thought it due to my country to say. (Applause.) , This much' I thought it fitting that J should utter on. behalf of the country (applause),of which I recollect what ' was beautifully said by a great countrymen of ours George Canning, when he spoke of the fall of dynaa- ' ties, the ruio|o£ empires— kings, mighty sovereigns, ' deposed popes, patriarchs sent into exile. He looked i around him, and seeing before him the maritime ' power of England in the flag that floated in the- as-, j eembly in which he wus placed, ♦ One power alone,? joaid he, 'stood erect,' one edifice alone remained,;, upon that edifice < floated that ensign, the signal of . I relief to the distreised combatant and of shelter to the, \ fallen. ' (Tremendous applause ) Prepare yourselves, , «I say, for the great events which may, be opening foey I fore you. Prepare yourselves, above all things, to upthold and maintain the honour, the character, and the i prestige of you*' country. (Applause.) Let the wo*cU Iso familiar to the young and gifted 1 youth that I see i around me in this hall be ever before you. Theywilt ' promote a noble ambition, and exalt your minds to a i higher reach of thought. Do not allow your country , to be fretted away. (Applause.) 'Ta regere imperio populos, .Romane, znemonto, r H» tibi «rant artes, pacisque imponere morenj, <y t , j Parcere subjectis, et debeUare superbos.'" ( '(Loud and prolonged applause. )