The Irish standard., 1900-02-10
PArR1CK,s DAY IN MINNEAPOLIS.


The anniversary OF the religious and
national festival of the Irish race will be
marked by special recognition on the
coming 18TH of March in this city. Four
Catholic parishes, two on the East and
two on the West side OF the Mississippi,
with the several societies attached there
to, have decided to unite in a grand Gel
ebration of the day which is sacred to
the memories of the martyred heroes
for creed and country. Hon. John F.
Finerty, ex-member of congress, and
one of the most eloquent living Irish
men, will be the orator of the day. His
theme, "The Story of Ireland" is in
itself an inspiration. On the lips Of
Finerty this inspiring theme will fire the
hearts of the lovers of liberty, no mat
ter from what race they spring The
story of Ireland is record of uninter-
rupted contest for the inalienable rights
Of Irishmen to "the pursuit of life, lib
erty and happiness" during the long
space of seven hundred years. Oratory
is not dead and cannot die while such
thrilling theme remains to stir the
deep emotions of the human heart. Mr.
Finerty is typical Celtic orator, like
Curran, Shiel and Meagher, who can
play upon human emotions with the
skill of an experienced master. He
stands in the front rank among the
Irish and American orators of the day,
and his fervid and imprisoned elo-
quence on the subject of human liberty
is read with delight wherever the Eng
fish language is known.
John Frederick Finerty comes from
patriotic Irish stock and honestly in
herits his hatred of British oppression.
A distinguished ancestor of his was the
victim of British persecution in the lat
ter days of the eighteenth century for
attacking, through his newspaper, the
tyrannical government of that time
His trial has become famous and every
student of forensic oratory is familiar
with the case from the fact that his at
torney was the unrivalled John Philpot
Curran. When mere boy in Ireland.
MIR. Finerty attracted the attention of
the British government by his disloyal
utterances and became an exile. On ar
irving in New York, he enlisted in the
Irish Brigade and fought for the Union
until the close of the Civil War. He is
a man of commanding presence and SOL
dierly bearing, and is natural orator
who has no need of writing his speeches
and committing them to memory He
has the history of Ireland on his fingers
ends, so to speak, and his tongue utters
his thoughts in rolling periods that cap
tivate his audience.
No man can charge Mr. Finerty with
Inconsistency on the question of Ire
lands rights. His views are unalter-
able. He believes that Ireland is ma
ton and is entitled to national preroga-
tives without any interference from
England. He was student of the
school of Mitchell, Meagher, Doheny
and Kenyon and believes with the first
mentioned that while England lives
and fourishes, Ireland must die daily
death and suffer an endless martyrdom;
and that if Irishmen are ever to enjoy
the rights of human beings, the British
empire must first perish"
He repudiates the false sentiment
prevalent among Anglomaniacs that in
the interest of Civilization" it is better
that England should triumph in the
South African war. He believes in lib
erty for the Beers and Filipinos as we'll
as for the Irish and is the champion of
oppressed races the world over. This is
the man who will speak at the EXPOSE
ton building in this city on the ami
versary of Ireland's glorious apostle,
and no lover of freedom should fail to
hear him.