The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-03-24


the noblest government ever framed by the
hand of man. The reason of my assertion is,
that we have found in the United States what
we came to seek, free land and happy
home. .... ra a. 80.
"And he who came, of all bereft,
To whom cruel foe had left .r
Nor home, nor friends, nor country dear a
Finds home and friends and country here."i
Therefore we are Americans. Still we are
Irish. Though On this fertile soil have been
rocked the cradles of our children, though I'M
der its sod we shall take our last rest; still
the graves Of our fathers, and the memories of
our childhood lie in the green bosom of " our
Emerald Isle. For her liberty we pray, for her
liberty we will strike Let us then glory in
our two titles of Irish and Americans; two
titles, sir, which shall never be incompatible
Band-St. Patrick's Day.
LAST REGULAR TOAST. - d.
The Patriots of '98 and AS.
The dust Of some is Irish earth,
Among their own they rest
And the same land that gave them birth,
Has caught them to her breast,-
And we win pray .','
That from their clay 4.
Others still may start,
True men, like you men,
To act as brave part.
Responded to by C. B. Stanley, Esq, who,
on being called for, excused himself on
the ground that he had no intimation
that he was to be called upon, and could
not do justice to so important a subject with
out some preparation.
After a song from the choir the audience
dispersed about half past twelve. Notwith-
standing the fact that driving storm of snow
and wind prevailed during greater part of the
day, making it very unpleasant to be out, the
services of the morning, and the festival in the
evening, were attended by larger number
than at any previous celebration of the day in
this city. The recollection of st. Patrick's
Day 1866 will long bring pleasant thoughts to
the minds of every Irishman who participate
in the festivities of the occasion. The entire
celebration was success, and reflects great
credit upon the ladies and gentlemen who had
the arrangements in charge.
The following synopsis of discourse deliv.
cred by Rev. JOHN IRELAND, in the Cathedral,
on st. Patricks Day, was reported for the Pro.
NEER by Mr.. A. D. MCSwEESEY: ,,.1,
DISCOURSE.
The speaker took for his text the words of
the 136th Psalm" Upon the rivers of Babylon,
there we sat, and wept when we remembered
Zion"
He alluded to the similarity existing between
the lot of the exiled Hebrews and that of the
children of Erin. True, while they were look
ed upon as outlaws by the naughty Babylonians
we are free citizens of great and glorious
Republic. But however fortunate be our des-
tiny in this new land. the thought of our first
and darling mother must ever draw tear from
our eye and sigh from our heart we wept
when we remembered Zion"
Apriest of God must needs congratulate him
self upon having to address men thus penetrated
with sentiments Of love and veneration for
Erin. A genuine Irishman is generally gen.
uine Catholic-a good man and good citizen.
A,as we have not always preserved entire and
unsullied the Irish elements of our nature-we
are not always what we ought to be. But on
an occasion like st. Patrick's Day, owing to
the many fond "reminiscences it so wildly
awakens in our memories, the heart of an
Irishman, whoever he be, is softened; under
the heat of the pure flame of patriotism it
becomes malleable; it is an easy task for the
minister of God to work upon it, to erase all
the heterogeneous materials, which, as so many
parasitic plants. will have sought to attach
themselves to it, to knead and shape it once
more into true Irish and Catholic heart.
The speaker remarked that he would on this
occasion talk of the virtues of the Irish people
that each individual Irishman may know what
should be the endowments of his mind and
heart; he added he would not at the same
time fear to aliude to the faults, which are at
tributed to many of Us, and that, while be
felt convinced, these faults were not the faults
of all, they were less the natural growth of the
character OF any, than the result of the lot to
which they have been subjected, he would ex-
hort those of his fellow countrymen. who
might be liable to these defects, to reform their
conduct, and to become, as the better portion
of 1rishmen, an honor to their country and
to their church. ..-..' 80
To be strictly just towards the Irish people.
those, who attempt to descant on their virtues
those happy days, "when Malachi wore the |
collar fgold, which he won from the proud |
invader, when they were free to give full vent |
to all the natural promptings of their generous |
bosoms, when no outside pressure was brought |
to bear on them, to smother in chains the |
noble features Of their character. ito lower and
degrade them Then and then alone, could we |
expect to find them, what they are through |
the impulses of their own nature, and then |
Erin was called the isle of Saints; then, as |
Allemand says. it was sufficient to have been |
born in Ireland, or to have been there, to be !
considered learned and holy.
But as we intend to be practical, let Us take
the modern Irish. See, however, under what |
disadvantages we have labored. For seven |
hundred years, we have been slaves, and slavery |
almost always debases men. When the sun !
OF liberty has set upon land. and the heavy |
hand OF despotism has crushed down its inhab- |
1tants, virtue can seldom expand and bloom: |
being thus compressed, it withers and decays. |
But what country has been so cruelty enslaved |
As ours? Our religion was prescribed, |
pastors and guides exiled or beheaded: it is |
under the hedges and in the dark woods that |
our forefathers could learn to read we we're |
not allowed to exercise any branch of industry; |
We were excluded from every active walk Of |