The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-03-22
MIR. RAHuLY'S ADDRESS.

at their annual reunion, in Wabasha,
Wednesday, January 18th:
Your organization being part OF the
advanced guard of that grand army Of
civilization which carried the star of the
Empire westward and OF whom it was
then said
We hear the tread of nation yet to be,
he first low wash of waves, where soon
shall roll the human sea-
| 1t is proper that the pioneers of Waba-
sha county, they who laid the foundation
OF our magnificent county and are bound
together by ties OF brotherhood and sym
pathy. formed and cemented amid
dangers, trials and privations OF frontier
life, should by means OF a more perfect
and fraternal organization be brought
more closely together and to the end that
the memories OF friendship of those early
days may be perpetuated, and to assist in
the preservation Of our history covering
that period, and for the formation of a
more perfect union and brotherhood Its
objects and purposes should be to culti
vate more fraternal and social relations,
to aid and assist our worthy and needy
brethren, to show proper respect to our
members when they take their final de-
parture from u.s. to secure and create
record OF the names and history of the
territorial pioneers OF every township in
the county, those who have joined the
silent majority, as we'll as the living.
But ere l close I must bestow few
words on the assemblage present, as it
would be an objectionable breach OF
etiquette, as we'll as in uStice to myself,
to let so propitious an occasion pass with
out an humble effort On my part to es-
tablish good understanding between
the various elements which this great
concourse is composed of. | refer to the
various nationalities which first settled
this country. | see specimens of them
before me here today, and first l notice
class who are native Americans. l can't
afford to say much to you because it
should be honor enough to you that you
were to the manor born; i. e., born on
the soil, and it is sufficient compliment
for me to call you such. If l cannot
claim the honor that / was born here, |
can claim the next to it that l was
brought hither so as to have been bred
here and that my own flesh and blood
were born here. And around me I see
many citizens of foreign birth, who, of
their own free choice, made themselves
Americans, who would consider it an in
suit to be called anything else. There
a present men of both classes, who, at
their country's call, took their lives in
their own hands and went forth to fight
their country's battles in defense, not
only Of the nations honor, but of its very
life. Many of them bearing this day in
their bodies marks of the conflict scars
of victory, scars of honor All hail to
those brave valiant fel1ows-Patriots all
hail. May our country never allow the
memory OF their illustrious achievements
to perish, but commemorate the same
with glowing enthusiasm from year to
year, from age to age, until all lands join
in joyful celebration, and one genera
ton rehearsing to another their noble
deeds. Truly imbuing the children of
this republic with their exalted spirit so
that whenever an emergency will de-
mand, the sons melted by the daughters
will thus rush to the imitation of their
sire's example. Here, no doubt, are
many hardy sons of the north of Europe
natives OF Sweden and Norway, the
land of heroes. There are also MANY of
the children of the Fatherland Germania,
land noted for her great scholars and
philosophers, statesmen and warriors
Such statesmen as William and Bis
marck; such warriors as Won Moke and
such a combination of all these distinc-
tons as Carl Schurz. A people staid,
industrious and thrifty, who have come
hither to make this country their Father
land, and to make every land in
which they dwell prosper and thrive And
there are some here, no doubt natives of
England who glory in the fact that Eng
land, with all her faults they still love,
owing to the fact that Brittania rules the
waves, who was thrice vanquished by
| America in the interests of freedom and
humanity. We have the Frenchman in
all his native glory from the land of
Napoleon, the greatest military captain
the world ever saw
There are many OF the sons of Scot
land, land of poets, philosophers theo-
logians and preachers, race the most
hardheaded, tender hearted free-handed
and deft-handed, as well as ready -tongued
and swift-footed And l am grevously
mistaken if there are not some present,
who, like myself, first saw daylight under
the troubled skies of unfortunate Ireland
A country so blessed by God and nature,
but cursed by the per6dy of an evil gov
ernment A people who, despite the
grinding oppression of ages, are SO full of
vital energy as to be famed the world
over for their native wit, brilliant elo-
quence and invincible gallantry, attested
by noble achievements on thousand
battle fields in Europe and America.
| Whose blood has contributed to many a
land besides their own, men whose fame
fills the world. To England she gave
Wellington, Con Roberts, Woolsey
To America che 1,~l>c0r n