The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-04-29

that false Irishman who turns his back
upon the faith of his fathers. l hold
that the 1rishman who is not true to
his religious faith will not be true to
his country, and that man who betrays
one great principle will not be true to
amy other, for as a witty Irish lady re-
marked, "a man is not like ship,
built with water-tight compartments.
Many who were not good Catholics
have been good patriots, but never
renegade Catholic. Aye, count them
all, from the perjured informcr, Jenny
O'Brien, to the perjurcd judge, William
keogh, and you will not find true
lrlshman amongst them-not one OF
them but was an enemy to his country
The men whose memory we honor to-
day were true to faith and fatherland,
they fought and died i'll defense OF both
They were as religious as they were
patriotic. But in the eyes OF their Eng
lish rulers they were only rebels, whose
cry for freedom was to be stincd in
their blood, for to the British eye the
lrishman is only tolcrabc when he sells
his brains or his blood to extend the
bounds OF the British empire. Other
wise he is bufoon, All anthropoid ape.
or at best, but Hottcntot" Now, |
declare that l would rather be an honest
liottcntot than an antiIrish Irishman-
than slavish West Br,on and suffer
myself to be chained to John Bulls
Imperial Defcnscless Humanity Crush
ing and Grinding Machine. Now, an
Irisl,man in that humiliating condition
reminds one of the chained monkey we
sometimes see in our street following at
the heels OF his organ-grnding master.
This unfortunate monkey is generally
clad in red jacket, though he is some
times arraycd in blue one What
British institutions these colors repre-
sent | leave to your ingenuity to dis
cover O! the slave is doubly slave
whose soul is in scrvitudc-and such is
the slave who fights for his tyrant. A
royal hand may deck the breast OF such
a man with a glittcring diamond star,
but it cannot place there the unpur-
chasable star OF honor which is won
only by men who are srtuous as well
as brave-men who fight in the defense
OF the rights of mcn-to defend the
right, not TO tramplc it down. Men OF
Iippcrary, it is not to honor 'thc broken
tools that tyrants cast away" that you
have gathered here in your thousands
today. 1t is not to honor the men who
fought for England, but the men who
fought against her They fell in the
unequal battle. Though brave men,
they were but men, and could not do
what men have never done. They could
not prevail against superior arms, ST.
pcrior discipline, and superior numbers.
Numbers might have prevailed against
arms and discipline, but the men of 'oS
had not even numbers, for not one
tenth OF the fighting men in Ireland
joined in their brave and desperate
struggle. They failed in that struggle,
but the fingers Of death twincd for them
laurel crown whose leaves are yet
green in the grateful memory of their
countrymcn, while the mercenaries who
fought against them moulder in their
unhallowed graves unlonorcd and un-
regretted. Who thinks today OF honor
ing the memory of cruel butchers like
General Lake, or torturcrs and hang
men like Sir Judkin Fitzgerald? If the
names OF such miscreants are men
toned it is only to cxecrate their mem
ory. Now, patriotic men Of Tippcrary,
let me say a word that especially con-
Germs yourselves. You have been lauded
for your valor. WE'LL though not my
self fighting man, but man OF peace,
| admire that noble and manly quality,
and | believe you honor it TO a high
degree. But in the past it was too often
displayed in the service OF your coun-
try's enemy. To put it plainly, the men
OF Tippcrary shouldcrcd British mus
kets and marched out OF their own
country to slaughter poor people who
were fighting in scli-dcfcnsc and who
never did them any harm, and commit
ted this crime in the service OF people
who have ever done them and their
country all the harm they could. But
/ ain confident the time has passed
when Tipperary will deserve the praise
OF her enemies, which would not be be-
slowed on Irish valor were it rightly
used. l trust that Tipperary will never
again deserve such sinister praise, and
that when the British recruiting ser
gcant again appears in Tippcrary your
young men will say: GO elsewhere,
sergeant; you will find no Hottcntots
here; the Irish Hottentot exists but in
the dark imagination OF Lord Sails
bury. Ii Tipperary men ever fight
again it will be for their own country"
Many persons imagine that since the
passing OF the Local Government Act
new and brighter era has dawned on
ireland. 1t may be so I, however,
look upon it is but very small INSTALL
ment OF very large debt. When the
whole debt is paid we will credit our
debtor with the possession of con-
science, of the existence OF which up to