The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-03-25
ST. PATRICK's DAY, IN ST. LOUIS.

The are dissenting opinions as to the time
and place of St. Patrick's birth. 1t claim
ed by the Scotch people that he was born at
Fitzpatrick THE Church of Patrick, in DUN
bartonshire, and that he resided for some
time at Dalpatrick, in Lanarkshire, and that
he visited Crag Phadrig, or the Rock of Pat
rick, in Inverness. He founded two church
es, kirkpatrick, at Iron Gray, land Fitzpatrick,
at Fleming, in Dumfries, and subsequently
sailed from Port Patrick and visited England
and Wales. On his mission of conversion,
he landed at Innia Patrick, ireland. He
converted and baptized the chieftain Dielm,
on his own threshing floor, in the County
Down, and founded several churches, and
thence he proceeded to high mountain in
the County Mayo. This mountain is called
Croagh Patrick, or the Reek. 1t is common
ly accepted that he was buried in Downpat-
rick, and that the remains of St. Cloumb
Kill and St. Bridget were laid beside his.
The general opinion is that St. Patrick
died at Sane, County Down, on the 18th Of
March, 493, in the l2lst year of his age
The patron saint of Ireland, he also was the
instrument of its conversion, and his mem
DRY has been revered by the whole Irish peo-
pie up to the present day; as each recurring
18th of March bears ample testimony.
The anniversary is annually celebrated in
every large town in the United States, as
we'll as all other counties where Irishmen
are found. The St. Louis Republican OF
the 18th contains a very full report of the
proceedings in that city, which we have read
with much interest and regret that we can
only find room for the following among the
many eloquent speeches made on that occa-
sion:
"1reland-The mother of heroic race; may
her struggle cease until she takes her Mace
among the nations of the earth"
Response of Judge Thomas J. Daley.
Mr. President and Gentlemen Long be-
fore the dawn of Christianity or the mission
of Patrick, the Irish were known as a valiant
and warlike race. History informs Us that
proud Albion was often compelled to pay
tribute to Irish Kings, and that the valor of
the ancient Fenians was often tested on the
fields of Brittany and Gaul-that her kings
and princes often returned laden with spoils
and trophies of war, won from the brave and
warhke people of those countries. 1t is even
said by some historians that the great Nv,
Nal, IN one of the expeditions to Gaul and
Brittany, brought back with him Patrick,
then youth, and to this event, Ireland owes
her subsequent conversion, and Patrick his
divine mission.
But time will not permit me to dwell on
the ancient glory of Ireland. l must rapidly
pass along through the page of history. The
interval between the landing of Patrick. in
the year 432, to the first invasion of the
Danes in the year 800 is to my mind the
most beautiful and glorious period of Irish
history. This was the golden age of Ireland
then flourished the arts of peace, and her
children were the pioneers of knowledge as
teachers of both haman and divine service.
From the middle of the sixth to the mid
die of the eighth century, they exercised in
tellectual leadership over Western Europe.
Her Kings and Princes were the patrons of
art and science. Education was general
and schools hourished in every part of the
Island. Then Ireland's bards were heard.
Then could they sing of her sages and he
roes, undisturbcd by the voice of the stranger,
or interrupted perhaps, if interrupted at all,
as one of her many beautiful legends relates,
oy the voice of her giants echoing back the
song from their mountain homes, and thus
bringing back to the mind the valor of an
ancient race. All was then peace and har.
mohy' The love songs of her daughters,
as legend also relates, were then waited back
py 'airy voices, from some lonely dell or the
margin OF some beautiful lake in melodious
strains
Nor will time permit me, on m occasion
like this, to dwell on the glorious struggles
of the Irish to maintain their Independence