The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-06

IlhA, NutIlt5S Sle WILL 4 ttK4As9Al, hlu Lllc
4 class Of young Irishmen | see about
me here tonight. But you all know
more about the wrongs Of the Irish
4 people and The progress Of measures
1 lately introduced to right them than
can tell you. Most Of you have either
4 personally or BY earnest instruction Of
sadly experienced friends and relatives
4 learned the oft repeated tale OF a PEG
pie who have long borne insult heaped
Il upon injury, but who, thank God, have
4 never seryilely submitted without loud
| and angry protest, but have ever re
l sisted, and who vs. know ever will re-
sist until their rights are admitted
Il Permit me then to say a word about
some, in my opinion, much misunder-
i stood quality Of nishmen which are
| often brought out in the discussion Of
4 this problem. 1t is quite too common
! a habit of Irishmen on such occasions
as this to point out the great achieve
lments OF their country in all de
4 parlments of industry. trade, literature
4 science and art, a rebuke to those who
4 affect TO sheer at at the Celtic race
i Gentlemen, the work Of Irishmen
physically, intellectually or NOR
ally considered needs nc
4 .apology, needs no eulogy. The
4 educated man OF the world knows, to
4 borrow the language Of another, that
i the island is famous in story and in
Isong. 1T has been prolific in statesmen
i warriors and poets. It has given the
world more thar its share of genius and
greatness IT'S brave and generous
sons have fought successfully in ali
/ battles but its own. In wit and humor
it has no equal, while its harp like its
history moves to tears by. its nelan-
/ cholly patllos.
| I say every man of culture not base
/ ly predjueiiced knows this, while the
shoddy would-be aesthetics, guiltless of
. a knowledge of the rudiments OF his
/ tory and their own iliteratures and de-
sirous OF apeing anything English you
know, if enly top-coats, drawing
1 speech, and haired Of an, armless letter
are incapable of understanding it, and
too fashionable to admit it. were they
capable of comprehension. Hence /
would spend less time on eulogy an
needed, on more 60 culture of qualities
often criticised. The deeds of Irish
men are matters of history. Ue that
hath understanding let him understand.
Blu! we often hear it said Irislmen are
req ess and impatient of restraint. /
| am aery happy, gentlemen, to say that
this is true. The Irish are, thanks be
to God, restless and impatient of re-
straint. What has Transformed Amer
lea from a wilderness to the greatest
country, not only on the globe at pres
ent, but the grandest civilization of
which we have any tradition? Simply
the fact that it has been the great re-
fuge and raseryai = fiar sss1fva.,s Who are
: .'''-'' and inpatient Of restraint; of
odesire activity and freedom
ahaye not been subdued can
uhdued. They las aclassfeel that
they were net born til. be slaves, and
they make bad Slaves. Well paid and
well used the simplest peasant will
serve and serve well, but they aspire
always to higher claims, even to an sx-
tent which, in extreme instances, ap-
proact the ridiculous; a quality, it's
true, not always appreciated by the
Would-be aristocrat, but which is the
true type of manhood true demo
the type which this government as
sumes to be; the highest aim of the
human race. Some say Irishmen are
the most Industrious of men, others
that they ara the most indolent Both |
are right. Withhope of returns no ma
tionality averages more industry, or
are capable of doing more work of
whatever kind. Without hope of re-
ward, none, not even the Italian, is less
disposed to labor. Nothing could bet
ter prove their wit and good sense. TO
do otherwise would be worse than fool
ish, it would be cowardly and the aver
age son of the Emerald Isle is neither. I
Hence when fairly compensated he /
works hard, ever restless it is true for
better, as all progressive
races are. But when badly paid and
oppressed only with resentment and at
last refusal to submit to slavery, pre-
terring hunger and even death, and I
honor him for it. Iwould not submit
20 slavery and honor the man who has
5he sense and courage to turn upon the
to prove destructive to him
lis interests and his property. There
are craven souls who submit tamely to
he slavery of monopoly, power, and
Wants in their many forms. Such men
.re craven fools, At times Irishmen
the fooi-killer to have neg /,
ected bis arduous dt ties, have been {
90 Inclined to assist him. But this
las only been during moments when j
he fiery temper of passionate race ,
las obscured their better judgement.
might refer to other characteristics
which are often subject to censure.
rishmen like other meu have tad quail
ties, for to err is human. and it would !
i've me quite as much pleasure to re-
er to some Of their failings as TO speak
their excelleneles. For I am not an :
yer enthusiastic dealer in sweet biaf-
ey, but ] must, in view OF the more :
,tefesting part Of the programme !,
lose. Then let me only add that be- !. $