The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-03-31
KNIGHTS OF ST. PATRICK.

KNIGHTS OF ST. PATRICK.
Eloquent Address by R. c. O'Connor
in San Francisco.
AT the banquet OF the Knights OF St.
Patrick in the Palace Hotel, San Fran
cisco, on March II, r. C. O'Connor,
president OF the society, delivered all
eloquent address, saying in part:
| have been asked, sometimes by pco-
pie OF my own race, too, why we band
ourselves into societies like this, and |
have been told that when we babe adcu
to the Old World and cast Our lot with
the New, we should cut loose from the
past and shape our lives only in accord
ancc with American ideas and opinions.
Now. there arc many reasons to JUS
tiiy our doing this; some sentimental,
perhaps and some that are not. ]
sometimes think that those who would
cut lis loose from the past are those
who have no past to be proud OF. But
we arc not ashamed OF the past, and
though Our history may be full OF disas-
ter, OF criminal blundcrs, ii you choose,
yet it is free from shame. Our flag
may have gone down in many IL battle
field, but it never yet went down with
the stain OF cowardicc or dishonor upon
its silkcn folds. Therefore, we are not
ashamed Of the past, nor of the Mother
land that bore us. Walter Scott, true
Celt, and one to whom the world is in
debted, said:
"Breathes there man with soul so
dead
Who never to himself hath said
This is my own, my native land"
And the sentiment finds an echo III
every manly heart the world over. For
whether a man be born beneath sunny
southern skies Or amid Arctic SHOWS,
whether amid the vine-clad hills OF
France or Spain, or under the shadows
OF the mist-crowned mountains OF old
Caledonia or Switzerland, whether by
the Hudson or the Rhine, the Thames
Or the Shannon, the land in which he
was graded and in which he spent his
youth will be forever a dreamland, a
land OF tender and poetic memories.
This is trucr probably OF Irshmcn Gn-
deed of Celtic people generality than OF
any other people. For our native land
is fair and beautiful to look upon, and
though it has been wet with the tears
OF sorrow, it, too, has been lit with the
smiles OF generous love. And when
on occasions like the present we come
together around the fcstal board, the
scenes OF our youth will rise before us
and we fancy we see again the crystal
lakes set like gems in the rim OF the
hills, that we hear the laughing ripple
OF the rills that come rushing down
from their home in the mountains, and,
like threads of silver, go winding
through the verdant valley, singing
their songs eternal as they go; that we
see again the green s1oping meadows
where the daisy modcstly lifts its head,
looking with its crimson-tippcd petals
as il blushing, like an Irish Colleen at
its own beauty. And as we walk
through the tcdded grass we see the
lark shake the dew from his wing as he
rises to sing his matn song, and with
boyish wonder and admiration we
watch him rise higher and higher till
he is lost to sight in the empyrcan blue
OF heaven, still filling the air with the
melody OF his sweet song, suggesting
discmbodicd spirit rising to meet its
God, rejoicing as it goes.
Erin mavournccn, asthorecn machree,
Long years have passed since parted
from thee;
But thy beauty remains on mcmory's
page,
Unfadcd through distance, undimmcd
by age,
The green Of thy meadows, the sheen
on thy hills,
The song OF thy rivers, the laugh OF
thy rills,
Come back through the years like
lost love to me,
Land OF my hearts love, astl,orcen ma
chrce.
Who would deny us the pleasure that
comes to lis from the recollection OF
those scenes? | am sure we are all the
better for it, better men and better citi-
zcns.
But apart from sentiment there are
other and stronger reasons why VIC
should associate ourselves together in
societies We form part, and not
small or insignificant part, OF the cos
mopoltan population OF this great
country; the blood of our race COM
mingles i'll the great stream that throbs
through the heart OF the nation. We