The Irish standard., 1892-12-03

ldt0F, AleE Will GQ0 Ddu66, VINO HAt
acquired possession Of The east coast O
ireland before William the Conquerol
had landed in England.
| It is therefore not too much to say
that to no eingle one of these races does
the credit belong for furnishing the hardy
pioneers of New Hampshire, but rather
TO the offspring Of the English, Irish
Welsh and Scotch, whose bloods were sc
largely mingled with the other races men.
toned, is due the debt for the stock
which has made New Hampshire famous
for its eminent men during the past cen.
tury, and whose descendants have thus
far furnished the best type of the repre-
sentative American.
| It has been my good fortune to be 8
resident of the State for forty three
years. Coming here when only nine
years old, my associations through life
with books and with mon have been
such thai all my thoughts, impulses and
aspirations are thoroughly American. /
am Yankee from the crown of my head
to the sole Of my foot. No native to the
manor born feels prouder of his country
and of the glorious achievements Of his
couptrymen; but in this matter of race
have my own ideas, ideas founded on
careful study and patient observation,
aided largely by fair knowledge of the
Gaelic tongue, acquired from the lips of
my good parents. And to express opiD-
ions thus formed, / am neither ashamed
nor afraid. I believe the son who
retains no affection for bis mother can
never truly love his wife, and man who
is ashamed OF the land that gave him
birth is unworthy of citizenship in the
country which has adopted him.
AS an American citizen of Irish birth,
I know of no reason why should remain
silent, when my native land is despolled
of the credit due it for furnishing to our
good old state such man as Matthew
Thornton. Apply the same rule to Scot.
land and you would rob her of some of
he most glorious jewels in her crown.
Test the United States in the same man
ner and you would not have corporal's
guard Of Americans left to guard the
tomb of Washington. - s%zast sas - = 2. e
I am no lawyer, but when boy com
mittsd to memory the old adage, "Pos-
session is nine points of the law" and as
Matthew Thornton was born in Ireland,
you cannot rob him of his birthright. AS
an Irishman, we claim him, and I earn
estly believe, were he alive today and
able to express himself, he would confirm
the title. Some of the best Irishmen
that ever lived were like him of English
stock. and regardless of what has been
said here of his origin, the character OF
his name denotes Saxon and not Scottish
blood. This much / say in justice tc
myself and to the memory of those men
who are now styled Scotch-Irish, but
who were in life as Irish as I am. Your
Sullivans, MONEYS, Buffers, Kellys, No
Neils. McMurphys, McDufs, Connors
Henrys, Councils, etc., all identified with
the history of New Hampshire, were all
with one exception, of old Gaelic OF
Scottish origin. Whatever difference o1
opinion may exist now on this question
/ am satisfied time will make right.
| am glad to be here, and rejoice that
can unite with you in honoring tho Nom
ory of q man who well deserves all thai
has been SO eloquently said of him by
our good governor, and by the gifteo
speaker Of the day. The inscription OF
the stone at the head of his grave, "Tht
Honest Man," placed there by the direc
tion af those who knew him in life, show
that he was a good as we'll as a grea
man. ,3a
The state has supplemented this with
the beautiful monument before us, ane
it is not too much to say, that long afte,
we a, . forgotten the plain shaft of gran
ite, SO emblematic Of his adopted state
marking the last resting place of hil
ashes, will tell the story Of his life ane
what he has done forsus and for the ma
tion. May God bless the memory o
Matthew Thornton.
Through the Confessional.
The Roman correspondent of thu
liverpool Catholic Times tells the fol
lowing story Of restitution Of none,
Through the confessional: Abnt q month
ago, Joseph Gottardi, an advocate d
Milan, lost his rpocketbook, containing