Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-24

guiding the pen of history. inscribe on the ! tablets of Americas remembrance, eternal \ gratitude to Irishmen! Americans recall 1 to your minds the recollections of the heroic time when Irishmen were our l friends. and when in the whole world we ! had not 8 friend besides. Look to the period that tried mems souls, and you will 1 find that the sons of Erin rushed to our ! ranks and amid the clash of steel, on many ! memorable day fought and bled for their I adopted land" s
 Irish services, however, during the revo- lutionary war, are not Ireland's sole claim | to American gratitude and sympathy. If Irishmen fought bravely for national inde- pendence, they also fought with the en- l thusiam of crusaders for the preservation of the union. In the war of 1872 they l nobly proved on land and sea their loyalty I to the American flag. In the Mexican war
 Irishmen were equally true to the union. ! The fact that they fought against Catholics
 did not weaken their loyalty to the flag of ! the republic. The intolerance of General Tavlor, who on his march to the Mexican l frontier, endeavored to compel the Irish | regiments to attend Protestant service | could not cool their enthusiasm. The in
 sulted Catholic soldiers demanded redress I from, the American government. President Polk-let his memory be honored-ac- | ceeded to their wishes by appointing Catholic chaplains to minister to their re- ligious wants amid the perils of war. Among the Catholic Irishmen in command \ in this great war of the union, the most ! distinguished were O'Brien, McReynolds
 and General James Shields. General \ Shields, who was as distinguished for per ! senal courage as for eminent dexterity in ! strategy, was breveted major general for his conduct at the battle of Oerro Gordo. In the late civil war, he was the enly union general who defeated Stonewan Jackson. The battle of Winchester alone would be sufficient to make the name of Shields 1m- | mortal. And who, during the terrible ! conflict that deluged the republic with ! blood, were more devoted to the cause than | the faithful sons of Erin? Who, either in ! command or in the ranks, fought more I bravely for the integrity of the republic :? Was not Meagher, whose personal courage ! hostile factions never questioned, and ! whose electric eloquence kindled that fire of patriotism which sent armed legions to
 the battle to defend and uphold the honor ! and independence of great nation, an Irishman and Catholic? Was not Gene-
 ral Corcoran, the bravest of the brave, the 1 intrepid hero who always wished to be ! foremost ill the charge, born in Con-
 naught, the most Celtic province of Ire
 land? Was not the gallant Phil Sheridan,
 the son of Irish Catholic parents? The
 number of the brave Irish soldiers who suffered and died for the union in the late
 war can never be known till the last trum- l pet sounds. Irishmen shared the dangers of the conflict, but others carried off the
 rich prizes. Selfish knaves often appro- priate the rewards of the brave. Base in- gratitude is frequently the only recom- pence of Irish valor. But despite selfish ! ness, despite ingratitude, despite cold neg
 lect and frequent persecution, the Irish ! man is always faithful to the cause of truth and justice, always true, as the
 needle to the pole, to the cause of freedom. rt7 u w.