The Irish standard., 1890-08-16
PIERCE BUTLER's ELOQUENOE.
His Splendid Address to Ramsey County
Hlbernians at MinnetoIka.

His Splendid Address to Ramsey County
Hlbernians at Minnetozka.
At the second annual picnic given by
she Ancient Order of Hibernians OF Ram
soy county at Spring Park, Minetonka,
on Saturday, August End, the fl flowing
address was delivered by Mr., Pierce
Butler, orator of the day: .....
Mr.. COUNTY DELEGATE, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN must first express my
feelings of deepest gratitude to you for the
distinction this occasion affords me, A
testimonial OF the esteem Of any class of
people, however lowly, is compliment
and an honor to any man, no matter how
great his fame or high his place. Much
;greater, then, must be the honor which
I feel on this occasion for the recognition
that has been extended to me. Coming,
as it does, from the members Of great
organization, the numerous representa-
tives Of one of the greatest races Of men,
and the honorable citizens of this, che
best Of countries, and extended, as it is
50 me, one of the humblest OF their num-
ber. have always regarded ireland
and her people IN many ways-the great
est of countries and races. The proud
boast is often made that On the domin-
ions of England the sun never sets; that
her bayonets CLEAN in the rising and the
setting sun, and presume it is true.
The test OF a nations greatness is not
the extent of her dominions, the number
of her subjects or the size of her army;
it is, rather, the quality of her govern
ment and the character of her citizens.
an the light of history, and measured by
these standards, Ireland will compare
favorably with the other nations of the
earth. She can make the boast that the
sun never sets upon her children, and
that wherever they are they are true to
themselves, their country and their
faith. The history of Ireland for GEN.
turies tells of the departure Of her sons
from her and Of their dissemination
among the nations of the earth; it tells
OF an ancient, noble and an educated
race; it tells us the story of her CONVEX
sion to her present faith as early as the
fifth century, and this is the brightest
page in the wondrous history of Christi
anity; it tells the story Of the lives of her
illustrious sons, of her poets, her SOL
oilers, her orators, her statesmen and her
priests. and of these not alone in Ire
aand, but the record of their lives forms
4 . q great and brilliant portion of the his
tory of almost every nation on earth. 1t
.seems to have been the fate OF many of
|. our people to be exiled from the land of
aheir birth. The love OF country is
planted deep in the heart Of man: it is
.one of its noblest attributes, as we'll as
/ one Of its strongest ties, 80 that to be
.exiled from his native land has always
been REGARDED BY man as q penalty and q
grievance, even BY the dullest men,
whose lots were cast in countries Of un-
happy government, Of barren soil and
sinhospitable climate; much heavier must
the pain Of exile rest upon the children
,f,f q race the most patriotic, the most
generous and the most loving in the
world. Thus heavy has it rested upon
aethe Irish race. They can look back TO-
ltlle land of Their. fathers, 4 free and a
ttiiful land with d history the proud
fhe HE ions off tho earth, for upon