The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-02-27

ySdHs3 fliit liISii SpeOplG idIb Struggling W
assert themselves as a nation. Now,
my friends lit is not necessary for me
to enter into any defense Of Irishmen
or the Irish race, az / am proud to say
T am of that blood. Ireland herself
needs no defense; but every nation IN
this land Of ours lin this mighty re-
public, and this republic is not as the
English poet said, Half brother to the
world This is the world. I thank
God every day I live for this magnif-
cent land and its magnificent institu
tions. Never since the globe first
sprung out from chaos has such a land
been seen upon the face Of Gods earth.
Is was Ralph Waldo Emerson, think,
who remarked that when new boy
came to the boarding school in twenty
four hours every boy in the school had
taken his measure, and we in this coun-
try are conside ring the strong and the
weak points Of the nationalities who
come to US. Their low aspirations and
their high impulses. The Irish race is
upon trial in this country as a race. We
have Welcomed here tonight gentlemen
of all nationalities. Americans, who
have no drop OF Irish blood in their
veins, you will pardon me if / devote
some remarks t0night to a defense of
Ireland that Imay reach the good
Judgment of those people who
have honored as OF other national
tiles tonight. Oppression never lacks
an excuse. W6can set that down as
an oblivion. ltisnot so many years
since in our own country when the
rights of mankind were denied to men,
because OF their color. Those who
would assail the Irish people, say to us
they are an inferior race, and that
their misfortunes are caused by their
own faults and we have no right to
pity them. Myfriends, the people of
western Europe is a mixture Of three
great physical raceSsy ana ss;;ie iiCc ne.s
come TO t6es !!clusion that they should
be grouped BY TIE distinctions Of COM
plbxion. The three races mingled In
all the nations Of Europe are the light
haired race with blue eyes, the red hair-
ed race with blue eyes, mingled with a
dark race of smaller statue, with black
hair and dark eyes. Instead of the
Irish,people being peculiar race where
misfortunes are to be traced to them
selves, / undertake to say that they are
the most mixed race on the continent Of
Europe. Why, friends, it is most gem
orally known that when the English
under the lead Of Earl Stron CHOW, went
to Ireland, they found the people of
Ireland in the possession,of a Norweg-
ian King. Where they had their Nor
wegian Kings and Bishops for 300 years.
Every ancient town Of Ireland was a
Scandinavian colony. Brian Borou was
a Dane, and after that the Irish whip
ped the Scandinayians and tits to their
immortal glory that they did (applase
and laughter.) T would say in honor
to the seandinavians that the Irish was
the only race that did whip them lap
piause.) My friends. if you could
trace the pedigree of every ruling fam
lily and every aristocracy in Europe. it
would fetch up with Scandinavian.
Take a group of Irishnen and look at
them, and look at the mixture of com
plexions that you see even in single
family great laughter.) In 1884 | made
j campaign for Congress, daughter land
would here observe that that was the
only thing ! did make, renewed laugh
teri BUTT was my good fortune to-
speak one night at a meeting exciu-
lively Scandinavian and the next night
struck one of those Irish colonies
md give yourny word of honor. my
friends, when / looked down upon the
audience I could not tell which from
other. laughter Fl had been given
he gift of the tongue would have
made the mistake OF talking in Scandi-
aavian. Laughter Why, my friends,
his prejudice is not worthy Of us. The
.ronble with the American people is
hat they received their literature and
heir laws from England. and the Eng |
ish settlers came to this country feel
No very much towards the Irish as we |
10 towards the Indians, laughter, go
hat Jou take many Of our good, promi-
lent Americans and they have got an
- ~ ,.re.f.,<1sno nnoi rf f1,o Triof, Il