The Irish standard., 1898-04-09
AT A BANQUET in ST. LOUIS.
A Catalogue of Celebrated Celts In
Every Country.
CONSPICUOUS FOR GALLANTRY
His Admiration for Sullivan, the
Prince of Bruisers.

At the banquet held on St. Patrlck's
Day by the knights of St. Patrick, of st.
Louis, Mo-. the Hon. Champ Clark, rep
resentative in congress from that state,
spoke in part as follows
For centuries Ireland has been an
object of intense and universal interest
by reason of her perennial wrongs. Nat
urally Erin is one of the most delecta-
bic spots for human habitation beneath
the stars The fame of her rich soil,
her delightful climate, her kindly sky,
her picturesque scenery, her green fields
and rushing rivers has extended even
unto the ends of the earth. In no race
under the sun is a passionate love of
country, of kindred and of home stronger
or more abiding than in the Irish Yet,
impelled by forces over which they have
no control, they have expatriated them
selves by millions to enrich by their tai
ents and their labors every other nation
upon the globe; but whithersoever their
feet have wandered they have carried
with them an undying, ennobling, pa
thetic affection for their native land and
have rendered familiar to the ears of
men the story of her loveliness and her
wretchedness.
If anyone would know what blight,
what whitening curse is bad govern
ment to people and a country let him
visit Ireland and gaze upon her wretched
novels, her abandoned farms, her starv-
ing and ragged peasants, her dwindling
population.
1t is said that early impressions are
never effaced. The French kings made
standing order that their military
bands should not play "The Switzer's
Song of Home" within hearing Of the
Swiss mercenaries, lest they, overcome
by memories of their childhood days.
might desert and return to their native
mountains
My first recollection is of hearing my
father sing "The Irish Emigrants La
ment,' whose pathos would melt a
heart of stone, and have been strong
Irish partisan from that day to this.
One of the most grateful honors ever
paid me was being made chairman of
the magnificent audience which lately
met in Washington to greet Miss Maud
Come, who, by her splendid and un-
selfish service in the cause Of her coun-
try and her people, has justly won her
the proud title of "The Irish Joan Of
Arc"
Genius, eloquence, courage, wit, ten
derness, industry, buoyancy of spirit and
sublime patriotism being the character
istics OF the Irish race, they who were
designed for supremest happiness, have
been by cruel fate consigned to pro-
foundest misery.
Since the day Of that lion-hearted SOL
dier, Patrick Sarsfeld, there has been
scarcely a battle fought in any quarter
OF the globe which was not illuminated
by Irish valor and whose field was not
Redeemed by Irish blood.
In this country it will be impossible
to forget Irish gallantry so long as the
names of Montgomery, Mad Anthony
Wayne, Shields, Kearney, Meagher,
Sheridan and Pat Cleburn remain in
human memory. Here, at least, the
1rishman has found warm and gen.
uino welcome, and has made himself
most thoroughly at home. He has fought
our battles, felled our forests, built our
cities, constructed our railroads, digged
our canals, bridged our rivers, written
our poetry, made our speeches, and has
demonstrated his enthusiastic devotion
to representative government by filling
large quantum Of our offices.
His zeal and aptitude for public life
are the despair OF the civil service re-
formers-a fact upon which l most cor
daily congratulate my Celtic brother,
for anything that puts those solar walk
statesmen into the dumps I regard as
public benefactfon. In whatever posi-
tion he has found himself he has dis
charged his duty with integrity, fidelity
and approved capacity.
There is one Irish-American or Amer
ican-1rishman for whom l have the in
tensest admiration-John Lawrence Sui
livan, the prince of bruisers. Not so
much because, with his invincible fist he
knocked out all corners until he tackled
John Barleycorn, whom no man can con-
quer, but because, when, at the meridian
Of his fame, he was introduced to His
Royal Imperial Highness, Albert Ed
YTY.
take his hat off in that august presence.
Animated by the spirit of '76, he stoutly
refused and resolutely kept his beaver
on his head. saying bluntly: 81 am as
nr,ipont ~, INV py,ofoaciou 10 tho pripoa &,