The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-03-29

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dear old country he found q place
among that little knot of men at the city
Of Philadelphia, SIGNING the d eclaration
Of independen
1t was the hand Of an irishman that
touched the flame to the cannon that
sent she first iron messenger against
the broad side of an English man-of-
war. (Lheers,) 5ss=
During our late lamented rebellion
he PLAYED an important part. and on the
soil Of the sunny south he shed his
sacred blood that America might have
what he was denied in his own country
liberty. The true spirit Of an Irish
man was grandly displayed at the city
Of Richmond. Virginia. when that
lgreat and patriotic Irishman, Patrick
Henry, uttered those immortal words:
I"Give me liberty or give me death. =
Here in our free country the Irish.
man is found in our legislative halls,
upon the judicial bench, on the ros-
trum, and in the pulpit and associated
with everything tending to elevate
mankind, Ii the lrishman mas done
this for America, whore is the jnstifi.
cation for the assertion that they can.
not do the same for Ireland.
When review the history or Ireland
and study the nature and spirit of he1
men, what they have done and what
they are now doing. feel can,say to
that dead hero, Robert Emmett, you
have but short time to wait, until
there shall be inscribed upon your tomb
as you requested, the words. ireland is
Free
! Then will the green flag wave owe,
ocean and land, then will the Irish harr
peal forth sweetcr music than ever
heard before. lCheers).
John j. McHale, of this city, deliv-
cred an address at Convent hall, Wa
verify before large and appreciative
audience on St. Patrick's day. The
following excellent report OF MIR. Nc.
Haie's able and we'll received address
has been furnished us by James F. Nc
Donnell. of that thriving village:
Mr.. President, Rev. Fathers, Ladies
and Gentlemen: On this day wherever
the sons and daughters of Irishmen
dwell, st. Patrick's day, the national
holiday of Ireland, is celebrated. Every
nation sets apart one particular day OF
the year so that it's people may celebrate
and give expressions to national feel
ings and national aspirations, The
principle Of nationality is one of the
strongest and most sacred that God i'm
planted in the human bosom; and al
WAYS 1t is the saint or man who has con-
ferred on his country the greatest bene
| fit, whose anniversary is observed as the
bright suspicious time for the people to
rejoice, to give thanks to God and to do
honor to the memory of him their bene.
! factor. AS American citizens, on the
4Jh OF July we celebrate with all the
| ardor and enthusiasm Of free and
happy people, the Delegation of indie
pendence, the gfandest and choicest
boon chat was ever, bestowed on a peo-
pile. On the 22i day of February we
also. as American citizens, celebrate the
| birthday Of Washington, the father of
his country, who, more than any other
one man, contributed to defeat the
English, establish Independence, and
after the war of the Revolution, during
| the drst eight years Of nationhood, the
most perilous Of It's existence, guided
the ship OF state safely through storm
Of enemies without and OF factions
within. which would surely have ship
wrecked it If the God like man had not
been at the helm. George Washington
knew and appreciated the Irish, and
we'll be might, for Que. half Of his arm J
was composed OF the Irish or their de-
scsndants, On the night before the
feast OF St. Patrick, 1776, when his army
on the heights outside Of Boston be-
sieged the British army in that city
under Lord Howe, Washington ordered
that the countersign ON the following
day should be ''St. Patrick" Before
the sun went down on that day, St
Patrick's day, the British evacuated
Boston. never again to return, and
Washington at the head of his army
/ marched INTO Boston. This was Wash
| ington's first victory over the British
and If he had not gained. the cause OF
independence woula have been los,
probably forever. And it is not the less
gratifying to us assembled hsre that
this great victory was gained under the
auspices and patronage of st. Patrick
! AS descendants of an ancient and
chivalric race, with reverence aud
with affection we celebrate the Eth OF
| March in honor Of the holy St. Patrick,
| who dispelled the darkness of paganism
and brought the pure, radiant light OF
Gods religion to our ancestors. When
ST. Patrick came to ireland in the fifth
century he did not find a rude and bar
harous people as most Of the nations
outside of Greece and Rome were. but