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


JOY. The chronicles tell us that Ireland
was the university OF Europe. sending
missionaries to England, Scotland,
,Germanv and other countries: that
scholars came from other countries to
be instructed in the schools and colleges
OF Ireland; that while other nations
were warning to destroy each other and
were stepped in vice and ignorance. Ire
land alone renamed calm and peaceful
and the beacon light Of the world IN
learning and religion How sad to con-
template that this terrestrial paradise
should be destroyed by the demon of IN
vasion. Suddenly the Danes, like a
flock OF hlde0us vuliures, swOoped down
from the north, and for three centuries
harassed our virtuous and fond loving
people. H they had not been habituated
so long ia the pursuits Of learning and
religion. it would not have taken our
ancestors three hundred years to rid
themselves Of the Danes. Unlike other
nations that had built themselves up by
war and robbery Of their neighbors, Ire
land had neglected to build up strong
military system, and hence was unable,
after driving out the Danes, to repel the
Norman invasion which followed hard
upon it. It is true that Ireland enjoyed
prosperity and some national greatness
until the 10Th century, when it was
finally ana most awfully subjugated by
Cromwell. But the golden age of Ire.
land was from the advent of st, Patrick
until the Danish invasion. and it is this
golden age, remote as it is, that we have
in view when we rejoice and make
merry on st. Patrick's day. For Ger
talnly there is nothing in the history of
Ireland as nation since that era to
contemplate with unmixed feelings Of
delight and qualification. Since that
time as nation, we have had the most
sorrowful career that history speaks OF.
Since that time we have had little else
than shadows and tears Before that
time all was smiles and sunlight.
The speaker here paid a tribute to
Irish faith, patriotism and fidelity OF
trust, with a telling historical reference
to Sarstield and the treaty of Limerick.
1t is TOO bad that brave, gifted and
honorable race, burning for freedom,
should be treated little better than the
indians Of this country. The English
were ever too cunning for the simple
Irish of the olden time. We could wish
that such advice as Dean Swift's had
been followed out by the Irish OF Strong
bows time, when he saiG: Burn every
thing that comes from England except
her COAL" Or, as l heard John Finnerty
say in, Chicago at the national league
convention in 1886. that he liked an
Englishman everywhere except in Ire
land, and he would kill every English
man that went there. But if Irishmen
have been oppressed and down-trodden
in their native land, in other lands they
have met with glory and fame and ap-
probation, that would seem almost to
compensate them for the sufferings in
their own.
The speaker here narrated the story
of the humorous retort of the Chinaman
to the Irishman, that the latter could
''rulee every country butee Ireland";
and then went on to show that the Irish
done high service as citizens OF other
nations, both in art, literature, science
and craftsmanship. He paid a fitting
tribute to the work of New York's first
governor, Thomas Dougan, in securing
religious intolerance ia New York's
constitution.
Thus was built. continued the speaker,
a monument to civil and religious
liberty by an freshman and a Catholic
in this nation over 200 years ago. 1t
would be we'll for these misguided men
who are stirring UP the strife of reli
gious bigotry between citizens who
| would otherwise entertain for each
other nothing but confidence and
friendship, to read American history
and there learn that Americans Of the
faith of St. Patrick have always been
jealous and outspoken advocates and
champions Of liberty, both civil and re-
ligious. If they should look for igno
rance and superstition in this country,
they shall not find it among the follow.
ers of St. Patrick. They had suffered
far too much TO ever deny the othe,
what had been denied them-the right
to worship God in their own way It il
strange that in this free country, in this
age of intelligence and education. at q
time when it ought to. be presumed
that the lasbYestige Of religious intoler.
ance had disappeared before an en-
lightened public opinion, that bigotry
should now show its brazen aud mon.
StrOus head.
In his denunciatlon of partisan and
sectarlan clubs aimed against Catholic
citizens, the speaker said:
The anti Catholics Of Minneapolis
yainly imagined that so soon as they
flung their banner to the breeze a ma,
jorlty Of the people would rally beneath