The Irish standard., 1901-04-27

lduu OF Ameilcd HAS SOueJuluS ulOre
interesting than that which will appeal
to the scholar alone. 1t breathes the
spirit of nationality. 1t is full Of racial
pride and racial history.
'And so when the scholar had found
this poor language friendless and
alone, cast up on the shores of time,
and had given it a respectable place in
the universities of the Continent there
came back to Ireland herself by way
of reflex action, and to the Irish peo-
pie, the idea that they should do some
thing to place the language again on
it's feet, to let the music and the sweet
ness Of the dear old tongue arouse an
cient memories to serve for modern
deeds. And so the study Of the Irish
language in Ireland is co-extensive and
contemporaneous with Irish feeling
and Irish aspirations.
'"That means a great deal. Irish Ire
land and Irish ideals are the basis and
substantial foundation of the move
ment to resurrect and make alive again
the Irish tongue.
''What are Irish ideals? Many Amer
leans will say: Why go back and
bring up this language?
'What are Irish ideals? Sometimes
you will get letter from Edinburgh
or Glasgow, and OH the date line you
will see Edinburgh, N. b. Glasgow,
N. B.'-North Britain. But you have
never seen, nor you will never live
long enough to see, a letter dated Dub
lin, w. B.'-West Britain. (Applause)
That was the Irish idea. It is Ireland
for the Irish and Ireland Irish. (Ap-
plause.)
"Why? 1t is because the Irish race
are proud Of their race and proud Of
its history and proud Of it's language,
and they have no apologies to make.
''Some American friends say, why
don't you make up with Great Britain
Why not suppress this spirit Of ma
tionality?
'It is perfectly true and correct to
say that for seven hundred years Ire
land has been in the position Of hav-
ing an offer to sell her nationality. The
question has been this: Whether you
would rather be a comfortable West
Briton OF an Irishman? If you be-
come West Britor, you will get more
to eat, you will get more trade, you
will go into commerce and get your
mess Of pottage. And for seven hun
dred years in poverty, in distress, in
war and in famine, in blood and tears,
ireland, high souled, idealistic Ireland
has stood erect amid the ruins of her
ancient grandeur, her ruined but
princely houses, her libeled traditions,
her crumbling monuments of historic
broken shrincs and outlawed tradi-
tions, and said: No, we will be Irish;
we will not be West Britons.
"Now, my friends, there is no differ
ence Of comparison between a race
and an individual. Every man has
the same question put to him as was
put to Ireland. Will you, in a COM
mercial and materialistic age, sink all
ideals and descend only to getting the
best Of them?' AS a recent popular
novelist says: DO unto others as they
would do unto you, and do it first
Shall you become a gross man and
woman, grubbing and cropping like a
mole, or will you appear in the no.
bility of soul and heart which God
gave you? Shall you become a mere
adding machine and stifie your impuls-
es, or will you stand erect and cult,
vate the true ideals of the larger and
truer view Of life?
'"That is the difference between the
Irish ideal and the English ideal. Ire
land as such speaks as a nation, as a
man may speak under the same cir
cumstances. I prefer to keep the soul
within me unpolluted, to keep the
heart within me fresh; to stifle no
noble and generous impulse. pro-
pose to stand here on the racial ideal.
aye, on the highest ideal that has ever
been taught-self-sacrifice, philanthro-
py, humanity, and, above all things,
for liberty and freedom. (Applause)