THE O’CONNELL CENTENARY.

Evening Star, Issue 3885, 6 August 1875, Page 2

THE O’CONNELL CENTENARY.

The centenary of the birthday of Daniel O’Connell was celebrated last night at Watson’s Dining Rooms. Mr T. »S. Graham occupied the chair, supported by Mr H. S. Chapman, the Mayor, and Mr Bathgate, K.M., and tiieiv were about 130 other gentlemen present. After dinner, Mr Dongan read the following apologies From Bishop Ncvill, who wrote In Thanking you for the invitation forwarded hy you from tbe Committee of Management of the O’Connell Centenary, to the dinner to ho given on the sth of August next , I have to say that 1 must decline the honor of being present. To my mind the commemoration of names—however great—and the perpetuation of party cries—of whatever party, and, 1 will add, the maintenance, of national peculiarities—however interesting to the natives of the particular country concerned—are little short of a calamity to a young State, the population of which is composed of the most various elements. In proportion to the gratifies! ion experienced by one party in such exclusive celebrations, is the irritation felt by others; whereas the great desideratum of Colonial Society is the fusion of the mass into a united and harmonious community. I trust that you will at least pardon this free expression of 1113’ individual opinion on such matters, and again thank you for the compliment which i am sure was intended. From Bishop Moran, who wrote :

I regret exceedingly that it will not be in my power to avail myself of your invitation to the public dinner on the sth August. I am sorry that I cannot on this occasion take part in the commemoration of the birth-day of the groat O’Connell, to whom every lover of fustic and well ordered liberty is so much indebted. Will you be so good as to couvcy to the Dunedin Committee my best thanks for their very flattering invitation ? From Dr Stuart, who wrote : The dinner in celebration of the birthday of O'Connell is a little out of my way. In thanking the Committee for their invitation, allow me to say that from my youth I have admired the many splendid services he rendered to liberty and reform —services which have benefited our nation irrespective of its religious connection. Apologies were also made on behalf of Messrs J. L. Gillies (who afterwards arrived), Gf. Turnbull, and J. M'Kellar. The usual loyal toasts were then proposed by the Chairman and duly honored. The Chairman then called upon Mr Macassey to propose the next toast—that of the memory of Daniel O’Coi nell. Mr Macasrky, who was received with loud applause, said that, in rising to propose the toast ol the memory of O’Connell, the great man in whose honor they were met together that evening to celebrate the centenary of his birthday, he felt that he had to gome extent to

claim their indulgence. In givina. however iiupeifect.lv, a sketch of O’Connell’s life, it was i'.iit hecissaiy that lie should do more than advert to one or two of the more important epochs in his life. He would, however, take onc isioii to congratulate I hem on the thoroughly cosmopolitan character of the meeting, and that they were u-'t meeting there together, as some supposed, io witness an Irish chunk,” or ih order that they might demonstrate the powers of FenianLm—it was singular that whenever a number of lilslilheU ftlct to do justice to the memory of great men, or for some other good o’.ijt ct, f dee motives were attributed. They met to pay a llinl'k of respect to the memory of O Oounell—they met animated by love of country. He was sure that O’Connell must be regarded as one who had conferred everlasting benefits oU mankind, hie Would refer to the throe great objects to which O’Connell devoted his life—Catholic Emancipation, Reform of the Irish EpLcop il Church, and Repeal. In order tint they might appreciate ill some degree his work, it was absolutely utcessary that they should look at the circumstances under which he daine to the fore. Mr M acassey then at great length described the state of Ireland and the English laws at the time of O’Connell’s youth, saying the latter earao forward in order to relieve his fellowcountrymen from the bondage in which they lived. O’l'ounell was a mail of strohg passion and intense feeling— a man of thorough determination and who all his life long feared noihing—a man who, when thoroughly convinced that the object he had in view was likely

to be productive of benefit to his fellow men, bore down all opposition. O’ConneH's action in entering on his crusade, and the successive steps by which he gained the liberties he sought, wore then referred to. When they bore iu mind that, before O’Connell 0 mmienced his work, men, as a result of the penal lavs, were prevented from holding lands and were encouraged to make breaches of trust; that the marriage laws were, practically, a dead letter, and domestic happiness was a thing unknown, it was possible to appreciate the good effected by the passing _of this Act of 1829; and O’Connell was, in the hands of his countrymen, the instrument by which this was effected. For the repeal of the Union in season and out of season, in Parliament and out of Parliament, O’Connell exerted his mighty inflame The speaker concluded by saying that while duiiug his lifetime O'Connell was the best abused man in Europe, aft t his death a sense of jusrice prevailed, and his labors were appropriately recognised. He had accomplished a great good—he had enabled his fellow•countrymen to enjoy the blessings of civil and religious liberty, of which they had long been deprived. He would give them —“ The Memory of Daniel O’Connell.’—Applause. The toast was drunk in silence.

Mr Stout, M.P C., next rose to propose “ The Memory of Wilson Bray,” and said that though they could not point to Wilson Gray as having the world-wide reputation of U’Couuell, yet by his noble example and his modesty hna I conferred a boon upon all Australasia, which future generations would look upon and appreciate. After referring to his own acquaintance with the late Judge, Mr Stout said that during the whole time that he was exercising his functions as District Judge, only one of his decisions was reveised. He was not only loved as a Judge, but as a fellcw-citizcn, aud those present would agree with him that iu the future our politicians and others could point, to Judge Gray’s life as --bowing how true a great reformer can be. They were getting a roll of great men in the history of New Zealand, and the name of W Json Gray would head that roll as one who was a tine reformer, a great man, and one 'hose example to them would he of inestimable Value. The toast was drunk in silence.

Mr J, P. Armstrong proposed the “ Parlia raent of New Zealand,” saying however that the least said about it the better. Mr John Bathgate, in responding, remarked that all had met there that evening on one common ground, aud that was to do honor to the memory of a great man. They all claimed Daniel O’Connell as the common heritage of mankind, and were present to reveie the efforts of O’Connell for the stand he made for freedom aud religious liberty. The speaker concluded by stating he considered the Legislative Assembly of New Zealand one of the best in the world, and that it w is composed of gentlemen. He begged to thank the guests for the very high compliment they had paid him in associating his name with so important a toast. The 1 Chairman proposed “His Honor the Superintendent and the Provincial Counc 1,” which was responded to by Messrs Davie, Beeves, and J. L. Gillies. Mr Thomas Bracken then recited an original composition, prepared for the occasion. It was well written and equally well delivered, and the hearers applauded the author to the echo. Mr Robert Wilson proposed ■' The City Council,” which was responded to by the Mayor.

“Our Native Land’’was proposed by the Chairman and acknowledged by Mr Mouat. The Chairman in a few suibable words proposed “ Our Guests,” calling upon Mr H. S. Chapman to respond. Mr H. S. Chapman said that on behalf of the gentlemen who were guests and of himself he returned his very cordial thanks. Ater referring to his retirement from the Bench, Mr Chapman said had there been more time at the commencement, he would have been tempted to say a few words on the principal toist of the evening, and also on the memory of Wilson Gray. It so happened that he had had the honor of a personal acquaintance with Daniel • I’Oonncl). in 1835, coming into contact with him when he was acting as general agent for Canada, He had never met a man with more genial and attractive manners in private and in public, and his eloquence was transcendent. He was not.quite sure if O’Connell’s influence outside the House of Commons was not greater than inside, for he was a great agitator—not an agitator as a demagogue, but as one who entertained the greatest devotion to his country. He ha l first known the late Wilson Gray in 1836, in Victoria, and soon noticed the feature so apparent in his character—his remarkable modesty. Modesty was really a remarkable feature in an Irishman, and in Wil-on Gray it amounted to the most extraordinary diffidence. Another feature about Wilson Gray more remarkable still, and more to be admired, was his extraordinary conscientiousness. His fault was a tender conscientiousness, instead of a strong one. A Judge should have a pure and good conscientiousness, but lie thought Wilson Gray's was too tender ; still, it kept him pure in conscience on the judgment scat. Those who knew him well also knew that he performed numerous acts of kindness which were never known, and he neverlethielefcknowwhat his right hand did. He considered that he had done quite right that evening iu alluding to M' 1 Wilson Gray when.so many of his countrymen were present. Mr Chapman sat clown amid loud and prolonged applause. A few minor toasts were proposed, and the meeting broke up at a rather late hour.