The Irish standard., 1900-01-20


painted butterflies OF fashion, Wallets,
harlequns and vassals, concur in the
i claim? (Hear, hear, and great APP
plause.) Give me the people-the dem
ocracy-thc men who till the fields
The men who build the ships and cities,
the men who subjugate the wilderness,
train and rear it into noble civiliza-
ton, and, SO far, consummate the divine
purpose OF creation. From this element
has some of the most powerful intel
lects and potentates OF the world
sprung. Homer. Shakspere, Michael
Angelo. the great jurists OF England,
the great statesmen OF America, the
marshals OF Napoleon, were from the
democracy. loud cheers.) Give me
the people, the democracy, OF Ireland!
Should they demand the liberty OF Ire
land, ] shall not wait on any lord or
pedant, not on any lords nor pedant's
turnkey, to ratify the claim. (Great
checrs) Give me the peasantry-tfe
rcviled, scorned, ignored peasantry OF
Ireland! Their wretched cabins have
been the holy shrines in which the ira
ditions and hopes of Ireland have been
treasured and transmitted cloud ap
plausc and sensation.) In the adverse
days-in the days of cowardice, debasc
ment and despair-the spirit OF Ireland
has lived in them and become immortal
In the fercest storms they have never
WINGED or wavered. In the bloodiest
times they have been dauntless and he
roic. The hills OF Wexford-the plains
OF Kildare-the mountain passes of
Wicklow-all are vital with their des-
perate courage under the shock and
scourge OF battle. Enthusiastic and
long continued cheering.) Never, never
let the Irish heart give up the hope OF
seeing. on Irish soil, the fatal destiny
OF centuries reversed, and a restored ma
ton. wisely instructed and ennobled in
the school of sorrow, planted there.
Think. think what this hope has been
to Ireland. 1t has been the light OF her
darkncss-the jewel Of her poverty-the
music OF her tribulation-the bright
companion OF her exles! 1t has been
the main nerve OF her industry abroad
ON the field OF death, it has been the
fire OF her heart, and the magic of her
flag! Vehement applause.)
Nov comes the question, is this ies-
tiva OF love- of pride, OF sorrow, cele-
brated here, incompatible with Irish
loyalty to America? The question, all
ignominious one-an ignominious one
would not surely enanate from me,
were it not that there are some vicious
bgots-men OF small brains and smaller
hearts-lnen OF more gall than blood
who. even here assert that love of Ire
land, devotion to her cause, active SYM
pathy with the protracted contest for
her redemption, involve an equivocal al
legiance to the United States. Out upon
the bastard Americanism (great cheer
ing) that spews this imputation in the
face OF the gallant race, whose blood.
shed in torrents for its inviolability and
its glory, has impaired brighter Grim
son to the stripes. and made the stars
OF that triumphant flag irradiate with
keener radiance. Enthusiastic and
long continued cheering.) appeal not
to the burning sands, the cactus-circled
fortresses. the causeways, the volcanic
heights, the gates and towers OF Mex
leo. Let the woods and swamps OF the
deadly Chickahominy, the slopes OF
Malvern hill, the waters OF the Ante
tam. the defiant heights Of Fredericks
burg, the thickets OF the Wilderness
thousand battlefelds, now beloved with
Irish graves, declare that love for Ire
lands blends with the loyalty to Amer
lea, and that America has been served
by none more loyalty than by those who
carried in their impetuous hearts the
memories and the hopes of Ireland
(Renewed and protracted cheering.) No
true American looks otherwise than
with full trustfulness and the heartiest
fellowship upon such manifestations OF
Irish heart, Irish piety and Irish re-
membrance OF the Irish birthplace as to-
day animates this city. The true Amer
lean knows, feels, and with enthusiasm
declares, that of all human emotions, OF
all human passions, there is not one
more pure, more noble, more conducive
to good, and great and glorious deeds,
than that which bears us back to the
spot that was the cradle of Our child
hood, the playground OF our boyhood,
the theater OF our manhood. Gap
plause.)
"Has the holy book passage more
deeply touching than that which pic
lures to us the daughters OF captive
race,in their desolation OF soul, weeping
by the waters of Babylon, when they
remembered their lost homes and the
vanished towers OF Zion? Has profanc
verse line more exquisitely eloquent
than that which tells us OF the brave
young Greek-beautiful and radiant as
his native land-bleeding and dying on
the plains of Latium, with his darken-
ing eyes fixed on Greece? Has polit-
ical history grander incident than that
Of Warren Hastings, the dictator Of In
| dia, in the midst of all his ambitious