The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-19
-. Patrick's Day.

Inc celebrau0n OF st. Patrlck's Day seems
to have been universal throughout the coun-
try. The weather in New York was not as
pleasant as might have been desired, but the
legends are all in favor of q stormy season,
and we may well believe that, in the spirit OF
the lyric, st. Patrick is too much of gentle
man to disappoint his followers. An act OF
allegiance loses much of its value unless 1t ID
In some respects an act OF courage, and GER
tainly there could not have been rarer test
of courage than parade along Seventh ave-
nue. on Tuesday. There were the incessant,
pitiless rain; the cold, eager March winds, and
the remnants of Tammany civilization in the
rugged, uneven pavements. As display
of military prowess or of groups of
friendly society people; as demon
pstration with music and banners, and
muskets and uniforms and gaudily orna-
mented aprons, it was not inspiring. We saw
the men of Fontenoy and Waterloo-the
materials out of which these victories were
achieved. The cavalcades were peculiar in
many ways, and calculated to encourage
mirthfulness But the courage which led SO
many thousands of manly Irish gentlemen to
walk the splashing streets deserves all
praise St Patrick himself, if he is not al owe
uncanonized emotions, must feel proud of
the courageous devotion paid to his memory.
st. Patrick is parsonage concerning whom
our opinions are matters of faith. He is
sentiment to millions of our fellow citizens,
and we pay him the respect that should never
be denied to any faith. We have never ques-
toned his birth, his labors, his parentage, his
peculiar influence over Ireland, his position
in the world in those early days, his services
as priest and bishop. We believe it all, in
Guiding the snakes. We respect the sentiment
of nationality which takes so many forms on
this anniversary, whether q rainy march down
Seventh avenue or o sheltered banquet
under the sumptuous rooftree of Del
monico. The banquet was also an act
of courage, as banquets go in our
progressive land We question whether
the rainy parade would be severer test of
courage than the ''aow Of SOUL with which
Americans deluge one another when they
meet around dinner table, Our faith in ST.
Patrick, like our faith in General Logan,
would lead us to any sacrifice in his honor.
But he was far from being an amateur saint, as
General Logan is an amateur statesman. He
knew what he wanted and how to obtain it.
If General Logan had lived in the early days
he would, no doubt, have had dazzling sue
cess as saint but, with his notions of
values and imitation and incontrovertible cir
culation, he would never have made as thor
;ob kba w
whether he would not have added to their
number, as time-honored institution and ga
relief to the people," But St Patrick had
enlightened ideas, and if he would only bless
us by becoming q Senator from Illinois he
would limit the circulation of greenbacks in
the West as he limited the circulation of the
snakes in Ireland. Upon all such questions
he was a man of sound principles. Snakes,
like greenbacks, were curse to the country
they poisoned society and led to several
forms of madness. People ran wild and lost
their reason, and INDUCED in one folly after
another, like our Wall street spectators or
railway fnanciers in the West. st. Patrick
took the only remedy. He restored conf
dence in his doctrines and among his flock
by driving the snakes out of circulation. just
as prudent men now mean to do with the
poisonous and pernicious greenbacks
Therefore, to honor st. Patrick, even under
the Niagara rush OF six hours flow Of soul at
Delmonicos, is an act of faith and shows
wholesome respect for good principles. And
our Irish fellow citizens cannot be too highly
praised for their devotion to their mother
land man, we believe, will not love his
wife the less because he respects his mother :;
but we have seen it laid down as good doctrine
in we'll regulated families that respect for
the mother should not be carried too far
Mothers-in-law have gained reputation which
may be an injustice, and perhaps if we
examined the question philosophically and
arrived at the truth we should learn that the
unpopularity of mothers-in-law is only the
result OF misplaced or a misunderstood
affection. When an Irishman or q German
or Swede comes to America he takes practi,
cally the same step in life as q young man
and maiden who abandon their homes to find a
new one He leaves the land of his birth and
makes this the land of his affection. he weds
his home as he weds his wife. He becomes
an American to all intents and purposes !;
votes, pays taxes, enlists, accepts the protec-
ton of the flag. For better or worse through
good report and evil report even to death, he
accepts the vow. Most of the honors OF
place and authority are open to him. He
may be Senator like Schurz, Secretary of
the Treasury like Gallatin, a member OF the
New York Board of Aldermen, like the
majority Of these gentlemen for a genera
ton back. In accepting citizenship we
do not Think he should dishonor his native
land. But as we looked at the dense process
sion that swarmed along our avenues in the
pelting rain, as we sympathized with the for
lorn and helpless company beleagured in Del