The Irish standard., 1893-04-08

France that the Irish soldier found con
genial comrades and the same ideals
The flsur-de-lis and the shamrock have
represented on the battle field and in the
council chamber the same hopes and as.
.pirations. To be- free oneself and tc
make others free has been from the be-
ginning the supreme impulses of the
French and Irish heart. Their swords
we're never unsheathed in the cause Of
tyranny, and wherever liberty rose up in
arms against oppression tho Irish and
the French soldiers stood side by side.
En- our Revolutionary war the compan-
ions OF Lafayette recognized in the Irish
Americans the brothers Of their com
rades in arms on the other side of the
Atlantic fighting for the same ideas
against their hereditary foe.
And 80 from the city of Ii nerick
started the second exodus Of the race
The first was an exodus of missionaries,
the second was an exodus of soldiers
the one propaganda of faith, the other
6 propaganda Of patriotism. In the
nineteenth century a third exodus was
to take place, still more important and
far reaching in its results. For centuries
the Irish had been trained in love Of lib
erty and love of virtue. The time had
come to oomnunicate the enthusiasm Of
their virtues to the English speaking
world. They were to teach tolerance to
mankind. The fires of Smithfeld were
never lit in Ireland.
Though intensely religious, the Irish
have never imposed their faith upon
others. TO them the sword was no ar
gument. Used against themselves it left
their spirit unbroken and they scorned
to use it against others. And SO ii comes
to pass that there are no religious mar
tyrs in Ireland outside of the Catholic
Church. This splendid virtue OF toler.
ance they brought to America. From
the laying Of the foundation stone Of
this Republic to the present Gay the Celt,
imbued with the love Of liberty, and re-
spect for the rights of othets, has lived
his ideals and allowed others to live
theirs. Taking the Presidents of the
United States, its great generals and
statesmen, it's orators and writer's, we
find the Celts among the leaders. and al
ways on the side of liberty and tolerance.
Their lessons flowed in among the peo-
pie, and in America, to-day we have the
greatest liberty possible Oh earth, with
the greatest respect for the rights OF
others.
Liberty and tolerance have become
the dream and hope of the people OF this
great Republic, as they havo been from
the beginning the dream and the hope of
the Celt.
Ia no country of the world is greater
respect shown women than in America.
We may be mistaken but we think this
is due to Celtic influences. In the hea-
then days, before Christianity lifted up
woman to an equality with man, thu
Irish Druids recognized the dignity and
sanctity Of womanhood. Under their
laws the sister was to be ,co-heir with the
brother, the wife was the equal of the
husband, the mother was the superior OF
the son, and virginity was revered and
sacred thing. Chastity was national
virtue Of the Druid-Irish, and they had
for morals yeritable passion. "Rich and
Rare Were the Gems She Wore" is more
than pc cts fancy. It is historically true.
'sI feel not the least alarm,
No son of Erin will do me harm
For though they love women and golden
store.
more!'
In these lines we find the moral code
of nation. What was true of the Irish
in Druidic days was true of them through
their prosperous Christianity, through
their struggles against the invader and
through the religious conflicts of the last
three hundred years. It is true Of them
to day, scattered as they are over the
wide face of the world. The lsraeitee
of old hung up their harps on the willows
of the rivers of Babylon, and mourned
over the destruction of Jerusalem. The
Irish have carried their harp into exile
with them.. They have sung their patri-
otic songs in the presence of their friends
and their defiant songs in the face Of
their foes. They have carried faith and
cheerfulness and hope and valor and vir.
tue into every land that the sun shines
on.
ss1hey are the music makers.
They are the dreamers OF Dreams
! They are the movers and shakers
y Of the world forever, it SEEMS
A Gift to the Pope.
Among the presents received by the
Pope on the occasion Of his jubilee few
weeks ago was golden cross set in dia,
.monds, the gift Of her Majesty, the Em.