Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-09-21

The versatility of Gem Harrison, and his
readiness and felicity in responding to all
sorts Of representative delegations, was
brilliantly displayed on Saturday, when hc
made brief speeches to Grand Army or.
gnnization that had come all the way from
Kansas City, to a large delegation of work
ingmcn from New Albany, Ind, and to an
Irish American club from Chicago His
speech to the lrishmcn was in some respects
the most notable which he has yet made
II was notable because its author made no
attempt to patronize his hearers or to win
their votes 10y lattcry On the contrary,
the speech evidently came from his heart
and was an honest expression Of his sym
pathy with the Irish in their struggle for
home rule in ireland, and Of his admiration
for aud appreciation of those national traits
which distinguish the Irishmen who, in the
true spirit of American citizenship, have
cast in their lot with the frcemcn Of this
| country:
You were lrshmen you are Americans
Irish Americans and, though you have
| given the cOnsecrated loyalty Of your hon
est hearts TO the starry flag and your adopt
| ed country, You have not and YOU ought
not, to forget to love and vencrate the land
of your nativity. If you could forget Ire
| land-if You could be unmOved by her min
strelsy, untouched by the appeals Of her
| splendid oratory, unsympnthetc with her
heroes and martyrs should fear that the
bonds Of your new citizenship would have
no power over hearts so cold and consrences
so dead. What if sprig of green was
found upon the bloody jacket Of Union
soldier who lay dead on Missionary Ridge
! The flag he died for was his flag, and the
| green was only a memory and an inspira-
| ton. We, native or Irish born, join with
the Republican convention in the hope that
the cause of Irish home rule, progressing
under the leadership of Gladstone and Far
| nell upon peaceful and lawful lines may
| yet secure for Ireland that which rs Ameri
cans we SO much valuc-local home rule.
| loud checriug)
| Who, if not Irish Americans, vcrscd in
| the sad story of the commercial ruin of the
| island they love, should be instructed in the
bcneiiccnt influence of protective tariff
| loud and continued cheering) Who, if
not Irish Americans, should be able TO APP
preciate the friendly influences of the pro
tective system upon them as individuals and
upon their home Which Of you has not
realized that not the lot of man only, hut
the lot of woman has been made softer and
easier under its influence Contrast the
| American mother and wife, burdencd only
with the cares of motherhood and the
household, with the condition of woman in
many of the countries of the old world
| where she is loaded also with the drudgery
Of toll in the field | know that none more
than lrishmen who are SO characterized 10y
men have SO fifty Illustrated that which j,
pure in female character, will value thi'
illustration of the good effects of our Amer
lean system upon the home life
There are nations across the sea who arc
hungry for the American market (Cre,
of You bet they are" and They won
get it, They are waiting with eager cx
pectatiun for the adoption Of free trad,
policy in the United States. The Englisl
manufacturer is persuaded that an mcreus
ed market for English goods in America i
good for him but | think it will be impos
sible TO persuade the American producer o
the American workman that it is good fo
him. believe that social order, that ma
tional prosperity, are bound up in the pres
ervation of our existing policy. | do no
believe that a republic can live and prospe
whose wage carriers do not receive enough
to make life comfortable, who do not hay
some upward avenues Of hope open hefpr
them. When the wage earners Of the Ian,
lose hope, when the star goes out, social or
Her is impossible; and after that, anurch
| or the CZar