The Irish standard., 1894-04-07

and amid the rocks Of hersmountains,
her pure and health giving air, her
transcendent wealth of natures falrest
and most precious gifts. l will not speak
of the noble qualities and robust deeds
of her sons, skilled in commerce and in
dustry, valorous in war, prosperous in
peace. In all these things America is
opulent and great; but beyond them and
above them is her singular grandeur, to
which her material splendor is only the
fitting circumstance.
America born into the family Of ma.
lions in these latter times is the highest
billow in humanity's evolution, the
GROWING effort of ages in the aggran-
dizement of man. Unless we take her
in altitude, we do not comprehend her;
We betittle her towering stature, and
conceal the singular design Of providence
IN her creation.
As the part to the whole, SO is the citi'
zen to the country; and this relation is
the due measure of patriotism. The
country and it's interests are paramount
to the citizen and his interests. A king
of France, St. LOUIS, set to his device
this motto: Dieu, Ia France. ct Mar.
guerite." It told the order of sllegiances:
God first, next to God country, next to
country family, oneself the last-the will
ing and generous chevalier, even unto
death, of family, country and God.
Allegiance to country is limited only
by allegiance to God. God and his eter-
nal laws of justice and righteousness are
supreme, and hold first claims upon con-
science. A country which exacts the vio-
lation of those laws, annuls it's own
moral authority; it becomes an aggrega-
ton of human wills, which physical force
alone sustains. "To God, that which is
Gods; to Caesar, that which is Caesars :"
In olden paganism the state arrogated to
itself supremacy in ethics as in temper
ais, and ruled consciences. Under this
tyranny of the soul freedoms last ray
vanished; the last vestige of human dig
nifty was effaced. Christ made men free;
He brought back the state to it's proper
orbit; and, restoring truth upon earth,
He restored manhood to man, and to
country the effulgence of the skies.
1t is fortunate for people that from
time to time supreme emergencies arise
testing it's patriotism to the highest pitch.
If patriotism remains dormant for long
period, it may lessen ia strength, while
the reflection and circumstances
which resolute action awakens result in
a fuller estimate OF the value of the
country and institutions which it is the
duty Of patriotism to defend.
A supreme emergency did come for the
people of America.
There had been, indeed, patriotism in
tense and sublime in the revolutionary
war, when
''In their ragged regimentals,
''Stood the old continentals.
"Yielding not
But had this patriotism survived?
Notable changes had meanwhile come
over the country. The population had
been made much more eclectic; COM
MERGE and industry, usually unpropitious
to sentiment and exaltation of soul, had
engrossed the public mind; and the
spirit of democracy, in it's workings to-
ward 1ndividualism of character, might
have untitled the citizen for. sacrifice in
behalf of the general veal. 1 was in
Europe when the civil war broke out,
and I we'll remember the tone of the pub
lie press regarding the American situa-
ton. It was readily asserted that pat1i-
otism was unknown to Americans and
that free government like ours, COM
PEELED to rely upon volunteer service,
could not muster large army Of defend
ers. The proclamation of President Lin
coin calling for $1,000 soldiers was re-
ceived as the venturesome act of despair,
and the quick dissolution of the Union
was prophesied. At home there were
not few whose thoughts were not diff
ferent from those of the unfriendly Eu-
ropeans.
On the morning of the twelfth day of
April, in the memorable year of 1861, q
cannon ball swept over the waters of
Charleston harbor, aimed with deadly
intent at the star spangled banner, which
was floating ab We the walls of Sumter.
War was declared against the country.
How much there was at stake! Scarcely
can we at this moment recall without
trepidation the awful significance of the
contest.
At stake was the union of the states,
the oneness OF the nation. What con-
stitutes each state, from the Atlantic
waters to those of the Pacific, strong,
hopeful, palpitating with giant life and
ready for giant progress? This only fact,
that the states are one nation, and that,
at home and abroad, one flag symbolizes
them. A northern republic, southern