The Irish standard., 1893-10-21

IN our day. a FrancO-FlOerD1an. recelV
ing the highest honors as president o1
the F,ench republic. But N this repub
lie above all other lands the adaptabillty
of the Irish race has shown itself. What
they have accomplished in civil life here
is the best answer to those who say our
race is not fit for self-government at
home, IF the second generation of the
poorest of our race, landlord and tyraDt
ridden, transplanted here, can accom-
plish so much, what may we not expect
from the ripened manhood al d intellect
of that race across the sea under & free
government and Home Rule? It seems
Incredible but nevertheless true that,
from 1851 to 1885, 100000 of our people
left the shores of Ireland, being So per
cent of it's average population during
that time.
Our ace, though. are not new comers
to the republic. They were here at it's
birth. They have been with 1t ever
since and will be to the end. Great ap-
plause) George Washington Curtis
said: "rhey were distinguished in every
action of the revolutionary war" The
great Henry Gratttan also remarked in
the Irish house of commons: "What
you have trampled on in Ireland stings
you in America" referring to the Irish
soldiers in the revolutionary war. And
yet, notwithstanding all this, which can
not be disputed-fifty years later our
race had to meet and combat the know
nothing spirit of 1874, '55 and So. We
were represented as protesting religion
and coming from land which untitled
US for exercising the franchise of free
men. The Irish-American militia COM
panies were disbanded in Massachusetts
and elsewhere. The American
citizen was debarred by law from hold
ing Office, though his fathers fought uu-
der Washington. But soon be had a
grand opportunity to display his devo-
tion to the land in which he found
home and to vindicate for all time
against the knave and the know-noth-
ing tie patriotism Of his race and his
fealty to the Aag of the republic. They
wert forth by regiments and brigades
from the East and the West. They
showed that the rish-American citizen
was true TO the republic with all the
strength of his arm, ard to the last drop
of his blood, and the Meaghers, the Mul-
igans, the Shields, the Sheridans and
the Corcorans, the Casses, aud Il host OF
others told at Winchester, at Antietan,
Gettysburg. and the terrible day at
Marye's Heights, at Fredericksburg.
where the Irish Brigade whs cut to
pieces, how we'll Irish hearts fought and
bled and died for the Union AID the re-
public. They carried with them as they
fought the flag Of the yictors Of the Yel-
low Ford, Benburb, of Limerick, Fon-
tenoy and '98. 1t waved proudly on
many bloody battlefield for the Union
and the memories and the hopes of Ire
land blended in the blaze of battle with
the trials and triumpns OF the Irish OK
lies adopted land. (Applause)
Surely from the foundation of the re-
public to this day our race has vlndi,
Gated it's patriotism and citizenship
against the bigot and the knownothlng
for evermore. In civil life, too, they
have shown their ability; as civil magis-
trates of the great municipalities Of the
land they have been exoelled by mono in
honesty and capability. A Grace, a
Grant, or Gilroy in New York; an
O'Brien in Boston and Roche in Chr
cago, Irish all, have been the peers, and
more, of their predecessors. How short
sighted then is the Americanism of the
men who fear immigration. Every eml-
grant who land on these shores is worth
his weight in gold, if he only bring q
brave heart and willing hand. He has
helped make the republic of three mil
lions century ago the republic of sew
enty millions today, and has carried civ
ilization and industry and SIN ling corn
fields and magnificent cities like your
own Chicago, where the savage roamed
and the wilderness was few years ago.
Land-poor and penniless today he be-
comes the worthy citizen of tomorrow,
and his son, the merchant, the lawyer,
the skilled artisan, the governor OF
state; yea, the president Of these United
States the day after -fvr thus quickly
does the spirit of Americanism even in
the second generation absorb the family
OF the Irish immigrant who makes this
land his home. Every swift sailing mes
senger that speeds the broad Atlantic
freighted with men and women filed
with new hopes and new ambitions for 9
life in this republic better than they
have known, brings as precious freight
as Jason Of old brought to Greece Let
them cbme. The republic needs them
all They are q blessing and not curse,
while forests are to be felled, mines to
be del7ed, prairies to be titled and rail-