The New York herald., 1876-03-17
St Patrick's Day and Evacuation
Day.

Sinners are indebted to saints for many
blessings, but those which they seem to APP
preciate most are the birthdays of those holy
persons. Here is st. Patrick, for instance,
whose birthday is still celebrated, though
the good old man has been gone from this
earth about fifteen hundred years. 1t is
probable that his birthday has done much to
perpetuate his precepts and example, for it
gives an excellent excuse for a holiday. We
fear that good many people who are enthu-
siastic over the saint on March IL do not
think of him much on the other days of the
year. However, it is commendable to re-
member him at all, for he is one of the
finest saints in the calendar. Shakespeare
makes Hamlet say that 'theres hope great
mans memory may outlive his life half q
year but, by'r lady, he must build churches
then" ST. Patrick took ample precautions
for his fame in this direction, for the old
song tells us that che built a church in
every town and on it put steeple." He
has kept on building churches by his infu-
ence ever since, and here in New York to-
day solemn high mass will be celebrated in
his honor in st. Patrick's Cathedral and also
in cathedrals bearing his name in every
Christian country. But the day will not be
commemorated by religious ceremonies
alone He was very good-natured saint,
and his birthday is kept with Joy and fes-
tivity as we'll as with reverence and worship.
Ten thousand Irishmen in high hats and
green sashes will walk the streets of New
York to-day, rain or shine, in honorable
emulation of the saints pilgrimage through
Ireland. The knights of st. Patrick and the
Friendly Sons will close the day with ban
quets, from which song and eloquence and
wit will not be absent.
There will be no parade in Philadelphia
this year but in Boston elaborate prepara-
tions have been made. 1t is q double holi-
day in the latter city, for it is not only ST.
Patrick's Day but Evacuation Day. One
hundred years ago, under the frowning bat
teries with which Washington commanded
the town, General Howe, with eleven thou
sand British troops, marched out of Boston.
1t was both military and o moral victory
1t encouraged the whole country and united
the colonies, and none of the centennial
celebrations are more interesting than this
Boston will be illuminated by fireworks and
eloquence, the troops will parade and tho
battles of the Revolution will be fought over,
with no shedding of blood, but with n great
flow of champagne. The fact is authentic
that the selection of the birthday of St Pat
rick was the result of compromise. The
nurses could not agree whether he was born
on the Sth or the 9th Of March, so they added
the dates together and made it tho 18th.
His birthday is naturally observed with
twice as much enthusiasm as that Of any
other saint, the advocates of the Sth celc-
brating that day on principle and the 9th
from courtesy Something like this will be
seen tomorrow. The friends of ST. Patrick
will join in the joy over the evacuation of
Boston, and the sons of Revolutionary sircs
will unite in giving glory to the saint.
Washington and ST. Patrick will, as it were,
embrace, and Boston, the mother of many
great and good men, will, on this occasion,
feel as if she had twins.