The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-04-21


own age and generation. His own spirit no
transiused into tho spirit Of the nation, TO
live with Il his own character b. stamped
upon its character, 10 remain aud that
spirit and that character IL IL that has ani.
mated that people at home. confined within
its SO girt ise, aud abroad dispersed over
the face OF nations that spirit aud that
character Il Ia that has encouraged and sus.
tanned that people through things prosperous
aud adverse through trials, through wrongs,
through expressions, through untold mise
ries
The festival we celebrate Is both reli.
gious and u national festival. and another
cause OF the deep love Of the Irish people for
their Apostle is his identification with their
native land The love oi the people Of Ire
land ior tho land OF thoir birth Ia proverbial
from It's Intensity. The Frank. tho Gcrmar,
the Brlton do not No love their country. And
we may well inquire what |, Is that 80 en-,
dears ireland TO lis people that no enchains
Tho hearts Of its Children 20 itself, no matter
where they wander or where over the wido
world they have their abule. What recol.
lections OF their native land arc those which
swell up the well OF feeling 10 OVERLOOKING
in passionate ardor aud icrvid deyotiopf
Are they the rccolloctions OF privations, suk
icrings, wrongs. degradation And what
other recollections than these docs the
thought OF his native land call up TO the
mind OF the Irish exiler And yet, be loves
his country, and loves II with an enthusiasm
that Ii al enigma to himself
Ask him any one Of thosc exiles now
present before me--ask him 10 analyze his
feelings Take him back to the home of his
youth and childhood. lowly and obscure
though II be and scant oi the means Of sus-
tenancc. There Is u mysterious something
about that home which hc finds no where
else. It was there be knelt by mothers
koec aud first lispcd tho accents Of consol.
ing faith. II was there bis opening mind
and expanding heart aud budding affections
were trained under the softening influences
OF religion. II was there he received. IN oil
the warm gratitude Of his innocent soul,
those kind Offices which mothers eare, Q
iather's pride, a sisters love and brothers
hand cxteD'led and bestowed II was there
he found what he has found no where else
hearts open and sincere, like bis own, and
responsive ~ oil his souls ardent and gun.
erous emotions. And be- looked ronnd him
and aaw that God had been muui6cent n
Ills gifts 10 the isle OF his BIRTH IN beau
tilying II with mountain and forest and lake
and he saw the monuments bis fathers had
erected, majestic IN their ruins--tbc castle,
the tower, the church. the shrine glded with
the gloris Of departed centuries and be
listened to the mute cloquence Of those
monuments, and heard the tales they told
and learned what his country was in the
past, and he was proud ot his country, and
thanked bis God II had been ~ tsvor'd and
80 bic scd
Bot be learned and saw also that wrongs
had been done chat the hand 0f the opprcs-
sor had been there that the spoiler had
come and marrcd the beauty with which
God had clothed the land and he saw that
the occasion Of thcse wrongs and injuries
was his country's fidelity to ir religion, and
he loved only the more bic country, hisbome
and his religion. Yes, the patriotism oi the
Irish soul Ia the rcsnlt of tho concurrence of
the holiest Of feelings, associ tions and afisc-
tions. chastcDed. refined and sanctifed by
pure and holy faiths faith which throws
charm over everything, and gives value
even to the wrongs and misries that aiiict
his country Why IL il tina, the Irbh non
Catholic, the Irish who have wandered away
from the faith Of their fathers. do not 10 love
their country They quit II with few re.
grcts they look back upon Il 10 the dis
tasce as place 10 be forgotten or seldom
thought Of scarce the ftcblest lingering tie
remains TO bind them 10 Il. The heart
without religion that eau warn and inspire
1.-THE heart cold, selfish and calculating
mus, be ever stranger 70 those affections
which 10 the Irish Catholic heart arn
stronger than dcath--must be ever wanting
10 those noble and generous impulses which
ou this day swell and throb in the bosom 0i
the Irish Catholic.
However strong may h. the sxiles afF-c
ton ior bis distant land, there ssc other
labds and other sbOies which hc can also
love. And pre-cminently among tbese does
he love the land of America. which adopts
him ~ iu son, embraces him ~ its own,
throws around him the ggis Of in protec-
ti0D, opens 10 him fisld Tor tbs exercise oi
bis talent, his industry, his enterprise, and
enables him 70 rise 10 the position for which
God and nature quality him. But among
oil tbs-e advantages which eDdesr to him
this home Of bis adoption, there 10 q s,ill
greater. aud ooe wiihou, which all the rest
we're vslueis~e 10 biz sight. II IA this
the freelorn he here enjoys of protesting and
Iraeticing that iaItb which lies st the
fossiation Of bis aiect,oo for bis native
land. lie behold. his religion here free. 10,
bound and rnspacIed, but free as the noun
tain air aDd be- bholds Il bobored and re.
vereJ by lbe Wis and the liberal lie barj
10, here ropres ki. feeling. OF hesitate
boldly Sld proudly 10 proclaim bic consio-