The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-06
forgottcn-it is a temporal etcrnity-a

| all
tional epochs whose annual return by a
principal of association, brings back the
mind to the event it is intended to perpet-
uate, and Keeps alive the sacred fire of
patriotism and gratitude that ought to burn
in every bosom.
1t is almost useless to say to you that
it is the 18th of March, the birthday of
the immortal st. Patrick, the great pri-
mate apostle of Ireland, the man whom
above all others the Irish nation delights
to honor; his nativity, his life and his acts,
are matter Of history; and | doubt not as
well known to each of you as to myself,
his life requires no eulogy--his deeds no
defence--his character is above the reach
of the calumniator---if this world contains
writer who would do him harm, he is
beyond his power---he is gone to reap
the reward of his labor--peace TO his
names! He left Ireland happy--he lived
not to witness her degradation, or TO weep
over her calamities--it was not reserved
for him to drink the poisoned cup that
awaited his country.
If the history of the Irish nation, that
Inflated but brave and hospitable people,
was easily told as that of her patron, it
would be pleasant to relate them together.
The history of the people is the more
lmportan--the worst remains yet TO be
told; yes, the history of the people is
more than sufficient to occupy our time
here upon the eloquence of a Demosthe-
mes and a Cicero, Grattan, Curran,
and an Emmett, would be insufficient to
depute her Ireland wrongs. The books
of the Alexandrian Library would scarce
contain an outline of her suflerings. and
wonld if the waters of the ocean drove to
madness by the fury of the tempest, were
permitted to waste their briny pillows up
on her, and to lash her in their fury
ten thousand years, they could not wash
out the blood-staned inscriptions which
are recorded in frighttu characters ON the
tables OF her national memory.
I Yes, picture to yourselves THAT unior-
naate but beautiful gteen Isle of siss ocean
,e Is he rises mWestically from the waters.
l. YER Nifty mountains penetrate the clouds
sc alpe@s to sit in safety on the face of
m' Oceans wide expanse clad in eternal
IF greM-f is not then to be wondered that
s sle' thls erchantingly SITUATED, should
|. nave 'ap'Fatsd the enthusiastic minds of
G ti'e NAVE noes, and obtained the beanti-
d 'Ii appclallM # first flower of the Garth,
n l,rs' gem OF ne ca; an appellation which
a she richly deserve if permitted to remain
d what nature had mde her. But in spite
J, OF all her natural ad antages, her spacious
d harbors, the deeE rivus.-her fertile plains
! her lofty mountains and enchanting
scenery; she has lee1 blasted by her en-.
envy and she rears II vain the lofty Noun
: tain whose cloud capped SUBMITS gleam-
, ing on high, and then foundations riftcd
/ deep, deep beneath he oceans loves,
caverns, are wont to proclaim her native
splendor; but also the faN marks of her
misfortmes appear amidt her natural
grandeur. and instead of pfclaiming ON
Impotence OF nature, she stands forth TO
,at.e the injustice of man, a lnooumcut,,
I enia5latue on whose fair surface IL written
10 letters OF blood living history Nc the
OBJECTIONS OF her own children ana ,ho
Iporhdy, corruption, and cruelty of hes
neighbor
There Is scarce a mountains pass, a
morass, or shallow city, town, or
village that does not bear irrelutable proof
of the long and bloody struggles that have
noted our war worn country; all, all pre-
sent some gloomy relict of Irelands mis-
fortunes. Walls deep SCARED by cannon
shot--the crumbling battlements of her
ancient towers--smitten down by the
hand OF time; whose antique structure and
IVY mantles proclaim aloud their own an
iiquity and lreland's fallen splendor. The
bleaching bones of millions point out
with unerring certainty, the blood-stained
field OF strife and carnage, where in the
tullness of his pride, and truth of his pa
triotism, the goal defed the might of the
Saxon, whilst the deep-charmcd pile, fill
ed alike with the Wondering remains of
the victor and the vanquished, blazon forth
to the worldthat the Irishman has always
been brave enough TO die in defence of his
country when not strong enough to back
the invader.
When the eye of the traveller is arrest
ed by such march of desuuction---sucb
remains of mortality-his mind naturally
is filled with mixture Of research and
anxiety bordering on sadness, solitude and
4 c,.r,.,., ,,,hr,, ~ H. 400 "a.