Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-05-06

his birthplace as Ballyshannon, Ireland.
He came to America in IVA in time for
the Concord fight. He bequeathed to the
town the Stratton farm for the use of the
poor.
Many of the men who fought on that.
as on every other day of battle during
the revolutionary war, claimed Irish birth
or Irish ancestry. This society is en-
deavoring to collect manuscript, letters
and papers throwing light upon the part
borne by the Irish race that we may have
our full share of the glory of our coun-
try. No more or less; also that by critical
scrutiny and analysis that we may dis
cover the truth, giving the credit to all.
This is duty we owe these brave, de-
voted, self-sacri6cing men who perilled
so much for this Government under
which we live, and whose benefits we
hope to transmit to our posterity.
We are not unmindful of the dangers
threatening us at the end of the century
from within and from without. We recog-
nize the fact that if this republic is to be
preserved we must call a halt to this
awful headlong rush for wealth, holding
up some nobler object of ambition A
great writer has said: "The finest fruit
held up to earth by its Creator is the
finished man." What our country needs
today is true men; men who recognize
the truth of Plato's maxim, Justice is
the health of the State"
Where can we find i'll history better
types of true manhood than among the
founders of our republic, many of them
of our own race and blood? This country
has passed through four wars, and in our
time many are filled with the lust for
new conquest. May we not we'll pause
on day like this and see whittier we are
drifting? Shall we seek the friendship
and alliance Of the great robber nation of
the world, whose flag is known where
rapine and wrong has been done to weak
and feeble race, or shall we adhere to the
doctrines laid down by the Father of our
country and "observe good faith and
justice toward all nations; cultivate peace
and harmony with ALP"
Religion and morality enjoin this con-
duct; can it be that good policy does not
equally enjoin it, 1t will be worthy of
free, enlightened and at no distant
period a great nation to give to mankind
a magnanimous and too novel example
of a people always guided by an exalted
justice and benevolence. Who can doubt
that in the course OF time and things the
fruits of such a plan would richly repay
any temporary advantages which might
be lost by steady adherance to it? Can
it be that Providence has not connected
the permanent felicity of a nation with
its virtue? The experiment at least is
recommended by every sentiment which
ennobles human nature. Alas, it is rem
dered impossible by its vices.
The nation, prompted by ill-will and
resentment, sometimes impels the Gov
eminent to war contrary to the best cal
culations of policy. The Government
sometimes participates in the national
propensity, and adopts Though passion
what reason would reject. At other times
it makes the animosity of the nation sub
seivient to projects of hostility ;nstigated
by pride, ambition and other sinister and
pernicious motives. The peace often,
sometimes perhaps the liberty of ma
tons, has been the victim. So, like
wise, passionate attachment of our
nation for another produces variety of
evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation
facilitating the illusions of an imaginary
common interest in cases where no real
common interest exists, and infusing
into one the enmities of the other, betrays
the former into participation in quar-
rels and wars of the latter without ade-
quate inducement of justification. 1t
leads also to concessions to the favorite
nation of privileges denied to others,
which is apt doubly to injure the nation
making the concessions, by unneces-
sarily parting with what ought to have
been retained, and by exciting jealousy,
ill-will and a dispersion to retaliate in
the parties from whom equal privileges
are withheld; and it gives the ambitious,
corrupted or deluded citizens who devote
themselves to the favorite nation facili-
ties to betray or sacrifice the interests of
our own country without odium, some
times with popularity; gliding with the
appearance of a virtuous sense of obliga-
ton commendable difference for public
opinion, or a laudable zeal for public
good, the base or foolish compliances of
ambition, corruption or infatuation.
Against the insidious wiles of foreign
influence l conjure you to believe me,
fellow-citizens, the jealousy of free
people ought to be constantly awake,
since history and experience prove that
foreign influence is one of the most bane-
full foes of republican government. But
that jealousy to be useful must be impair
tial. else it becomes the instrument of the
influence to be avoided, instead of de-
Tense against it. Excessive Partially for
one foreign nation and excessive dislike
of another cause those whom they actuate
to see danger on only one side, and Serve
to veil and even second the art of influ-
ence on the other. Real patriots who
may resist the intrigues Of the favorites
are liable to be suspected and odious,