The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-17
ST, PATRICK'S DAY

heard all along the periphery of the world,
the heart-beats Of the irish people are
also heard all along the same to-day, Tor,
wherever there is a group Of Irishmen, and
Irishmen are found the world over, there
will be found common impulse TO honor
St. Patrick. the Apostle of Ireland, ana,
with him, also honor and applaud the
spirit of independent action and agrees
sive apostolery for which he stood.
The lad who was led captive out OF
American Gaul at the close Of the fourth
century and was sold to one Milcho, Of
the county Of Antrim and herded cattle
tor him, became the spiritual conqueror
OF Ireland, who founded in the fifth cen
tury the church and educational lnstltu-
tions which made Ireland the seat or
great learning, whence European poten-
1ates drew great scholars to diffuse learn
ing upon the continent, In his own words
he tells us that what he was he was made
by God and he makes no reference to any
foreign church authority which commits
stoned him to superintend the Irish
church for thirty-four years. For about
seven hundred years the church founded
by st. Patrick was independent, and, it
was not until Pope Adrian commissioned
Henry II. to conquer Ireland for the Brit
ish crown and bring it into conformity
with the usage of the Latin church, that
any change was made and then it was
made against the protest Of the bishops
and presbyters of the old Irish church.
Thus, in the twelfth century, was heard
the earnest protest against the English
invasion. For seven hundred years that
protest has been heard. 1t is heard to-
day. Irish oratory, always eloquent,
transcends itself when it sets forth the
Wongs and needs of Ireland. Phillips,
Curran, Grattan, Emmett, OCOnnell and
scores Of others Of the elder day are sue
ceeded by orators Of like spirit and pow
er. Celtic tenacity never wearies; never
halts. The measure of liberty obtained
during the past century has been OBJ
tanned by continual protest and agita-
tion. An independent Ireland has been
the dream Of every Irish patriot. The
medieval history of the island is fright
full record of stupid tyranny. 1t was the
the latter self proclaimed champion of
liberty dealing with the unfortunate Irish
with the brutality of Nero. Nor was the
situation impraped under the penal laws
of Queen Anne. The English objective
was to compel the Irish Catholics to
change their religion. but this delusion
was abandoned in the nineteenth CEN
disestablishment of the Irish Episcopal
church and the Catholic Emancipation
act, and, thereafter, there have been some
rational efforts to remove grievances,
through several land acts, educational
acts and extending the suffrage.
! Sir John Davies, in his Historical
Tracts" rightly says that the fundamen-
tai difficulty about English administration
in Ireland was the fact that, at the be-
ginning, only the English colonists and
a few of the Irish septs enfranchised by
special charters were admitted to the
benefit and protection of the laws of Eng
land and that the Irish generally were
held and reputed as aliens, or rather as
enemies of the crown of England At one
time, as the records show, it was not a
capital offense to kill an Irishman. 1t
As really only during the last century that
the British government has begun to
abandon it's irrational policy. The fact
appears that the grievance of ireland has
some foundation. She has not flourished
under British legislation and she wants
legislation which will bring peace and
prosperity. 1t Is not surprising that seven
centuries Of cruel and unjust treatment
and laundering legislation on the part of
the conquerer have made reconciliation
difficult. The world is shocked at the in
stances of brutality on the part of the
Irish people. The assassination of Burke
and Cavendish was indeed a savage per-
formance, but in our. own country we have
had three presidents assassinated, and the
record OF such crime, as touching per-
sons of less distinction and in private life.
as bloody enough to suggest that the crime
of assassination is more frequently com
mitted in our own country than in Ire
land. Il
The Irish question has troubled the
English parliament for many centuries
1t will trouble that body until England
ceases to treat the Irish as aliens and
snemies. St. Patrick's Independent spirit
works strongly in the Irish character now
as 1t always has.
american bankers, not familiar with the