The Irish standard., 1898-04-09

in his"-thereby preaching in his crude
way the doctrine Of human equality. In
comparable Sully! l wish l could in
fuse his manly spirit into the timorous
souls of Americans who advocate the
doctrine of peace at any price," who
make far greater professions of ardent
love of country.
American boys have married Irish las
sizes and Irish lads have married Ameri-
can girls until it is impossible to tell
an Irish-American from an American
1rishman, and until large proportion
OF our people could appropriately wear
the shamrock as an hereditary badge Of
honor.
1t is in keeping with the eternal fit
ness Of things that Missourian should
do honor to the patron saint of Ireland,
for this imperial commonwealth was
once represented in the senate of the
United States by that immortal Irish
man, General James Shields, a hero of
two wars and tho only man that ever
did or in all human probability ever
will represent three different states of
the union in that august body. His
martial efigy in imperishable bronze
stands in Statuary Hall, the great AM
erican Walhalla, where the statues Of
our mighty dead do congregate, among
the great worthless of the puissant ma
tion whose gorgeous banner he helped to
carry in triumph from the Rio Grande to
tho ancient capital of the Montezumas.
Indeed that is not the only enduring me-
mortal there is to Shields in Washing
ton; for in the large painting of the bat
tic of Chepultepec, which adorns the
walls of the capitol, this Irish-American
soldier is the most conspicuous figure, in
/ his Shirt sleeves, powder-begrimed, with
sword in hand, leading his men to VIC
tory-where he foremost fighting fell,
shot through and through with a grape
shot.
To another 1rish-American the coun-
try owes debt of gratitude she can
never pay. From the lowly cabin Of
the widow Of an Irish immigrant, he
rose to be the foremost man of all this
world. Commanding only raw militia,
in three years by his amazing victories
he wrote his name in characters of liv-
ing light high upon the scanty list Of
tho worlds really great captains. Above
all men of every land and every cline in
his day and generation he rises as does
Pixies Peak above the foothills of the
Rocky Mountins-Andrew Jacksonville
lion of the Hermitage. If Ireland had
never done anything else to deserve our
gratitude, still we would be her perpetual
debtor for giving us this magnificent
friend of liberty and of man.
| He was the spirit of '76 incarnate.
1 rejoice that my little son was born
on the Sth of January Saint Jackson's
Day, the day Of our second independence
the day on which Jackson lowered to
tho dust the towering pride of the
mighty monarchy upon whose dominions
the sun never sets, whose morning drum
beat, keeping pace with the sun in his
course, encircles the globe with one con-
tinuous reveille, and with handful of
| Western backwoodsmen defeated those
picked veterans of the peninsula who
had torn the iron crown of Charlemagnc
| from the brazen brow of Napoleon.
l frequently take my little boy to La
fayette Square In front of the White
House, to let him gaze upon the iron
soldier who performed that matchless
feat of arms. 1 have taught him never
to pass that spot sacred to freedom
without reverently taking off his cap
and giving the military salute. am
glad that his dimpled hands have fon-
died the savage muzzles of the little
brass six-pounders that wrought such
frightful havoc among the British Red
Coats. Perhaps these rccollections- =
who knows? may move him on some
crisis Of his countrys fate to serve her
with the fidelity, enthusiasm and cour-
age Of Old Hickory.
The most intensely American of all
our presidents, he first carried over the
Alleghanies to the seat of government
the message that the great valley OF the
Mississippi intends to WELD the destinies
of the republic.
James Shields and Andrew Jackson!
Their fame is part Of the priceless her.
itage which we will bequeath TO oul
children and to our childrens children
Under God, we fervently thank ireland
for giving them to America.
"Ther bones are dust;
Their good swords rust;
Their souls are with the saints, W.
|