St. Paul daily globe., 1891-07-19

cation for citizenship October II, 1852;
William Godfrey came over III April.
1850, took out papers Oct. "a, 1851: Pat
rick Leo emigrated to America in 1S4S.
and three years later shook off the Brit
ish yoke; John Mitchell, formerly a
well known policeman, but now dead,
came over from the old country June 4.
1874, and was an American citiZen Aug.
"a, 1880; John Rogers. for many years
the proprietor of the Rogers hotel Oh
Robert street, but now a retired and
wealthy citizen, strdck out from Ireland
in the year 1865, being then but nine
teen years of age, five years later he
applied for citizenship; james Burns,
who will be remembered as an eccen-
tric old lrishman, living near the corner
of Sherman street and Smith avenue,
came across the water April 9, 1852, and
was a citizen two years later. He died
about two years ago, leaving quite an
estate behind him, which. has been the
subject Oh bitter legal contest on the
part of his daughters. Richard ireland
father of Archbishop Ireland. left his
old home in Burnchurch, Kilkenny
county. Ireland. for the land of the free
about April l, 1S49. After a short resi-
dence in Chicago. he came with his
1oilil1 " Obs outs anu ONts Ats 1919
signed his name in a very bold hand to
a declaration of citizenship, in which
he made particular reference to the
reigning sovereign of England.
Edward Langevin, the well known
real estate man. who died year or TWO
ago, embarked from France. his native
land, in 1S47. Six years later he made
his mark. by which he signitied that the
United States was plenty good enough
for him. Bernard Michel arrived May
g. 1852, and took out his papers about a
year later. Patrick Nash. the old time
contractor, reached st. Paul about the
same time as Mr.. Michel, and their citi-
zenship dates from about the same time.
Able Ravoux, the venerable Catholic
mOnsignOr, the link that binds the mis-
sionary period, when the white people
we're scarcely known III these parts
with the present, came to America Oct.
s, 1888, in company with Bishop Cretln,
Father Galtier, the founder of st. Paul.
and other daring souls. He renOunced
third emperor of France, June 81, 1854,
signing himself "A. RavOuX. Z. priest"
jeremiah c. Prendergast, the present
fire commissioner, is
An Old-TImer.
having arrived in the United States
June. 1919 lie took out his papers
Oct. a, 1856.
Gustav Willius, late president of the
German-American bank, bid farewell to
Bremen about this time, and was cltl-
zen Nov. 13, 1856.
The records disclose the fact that the
first settlers in st. Paul were French
and irish, in nearly equal proportions.
Later on and about the war time the
Irish largely predominated, so that the
SANITY City became a typical Celtic
borough. After the war the Germans
began to arrive, and have kept on COM
ing until to-day. when, numerically,
they top both the French and the Irish.
Our Scandinavian brethern happened
along about the same time as their
sturdier neighbors. the TeutOns, and
helped swell the population to a con.
siderable extent In the early days the
people seemed to appreciate the full i'm
pOrtance Of the badge of citizenship, and
to be aOle to say, Il am an American"
was no less grand and glorious than fol
a subject of C8Sar's to eXclaim, Il am
Roman~ Not so to-day. There are a
number of people residing in st. Paul
at the present time who are neither
citizens of the United States, nor pos
sesSed of the remOteSt notion of ever be-
coming such.
Nor will quasi citizenship suffice.
There are many who take out their first
papers THAT is, declare their intention
to become citizensl and then allow the
matter to drop there. That kind OF cit
izenship is no citizenship at all. 1t is
much like giving promissOry note
with no intention of ever meeting the
payment at the time of maturity. Ma
turity for those who have declared their
intention comes two years after the
date of taking out the first paper, and
the man with the spark of love of coun-
try in his bosom should not let a single
day pass without seeing that he has
fulfilled his promise to the land of his
adoption by becoming an American cit
iZen.