The Irish standard., 1902-07-12
A FAMOUS AMERICAN pRELATE.

There exists not today in the Eng
disappearing world IL dignitary of any
religious denomination whose name is
so conspicuous lin the public eye' as
that Of the eminent archbishop of st.
Paul. One can scarcely take up any
entcrprising daily newspaper without
finding some mention Of his name in
connection with affairs of either
church OF state.
Recently facetious fellow took oc-
cason to praise him ironically as Il
sweet singer of Moore's melodious lays
and cXpatiated on the ardent love that
CLOVIS within his breast for the beautf-
full isle Of his birth whose name he
bears.
His satiric:ll censor may poke fun
at him as Il vocalist. for the arch
bishops voice is not remarkable for
itsdulcet symphony, but when lie insin-
yates that the great American preate
is destitute Of affection for the Eme-
raid Isle and the Irish race at home
and abroad he is guilty OF detraction.
Archbishop Ireland may not he DEM
onstruivc in his love for mUtherlnnd,
but he would lie more or less than hu-
man did he forget to love her for her
glorcs and her sorrows. In his mag
niliccnt speech in New York before the
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick and the
members of the French mission who
attended the unwilling of the Rocham-
beau statue, the archbishop displayed
an intimate acquaintance with Franco
Irish history and declared there were
only three lands that claim as their
work Yorktown and the American re-
public-America herself, France and
lrennd-and he charged the Friendly
be erected in Washington IA noble stat
ue to proclaim the glory OF Ireland"
We are not aware thlr any other
man has ever suggested that Il mOnu-
ment of Revolutionary Irish hero be
erected at the national capital to COM
nemorate his fame and cast lustre OH
the green isle Of his birth. 1t is easy
to select a man of the Irish race who
eminently deserves recognition for his
services III the Revolutionary War, ana
when the statue is erected in the City
of Magnificent Distances, tile arch
bishop of st. Paul is worthy Of being
the orator ut it's unwilling.
One Of THE best and truest character
sketches of Archbishop Ireland that we
have yet seen recently appeared in
British magazine entitled "Ilousehold
Words" The writer is evidently an
Englishman and Protestant. Judging
from some expressions used by him,
which we have changed here and there
in the article, from which we quote us
follows:
If you have ever seen the Most Rev
erend John Ireland, Archbishop OF st.
Paul, Minnesota, you may picture him
as Il man of rather massive frame, with
bealing head and counteMlnce to
match this; as strong and yet Of genial
expressions; with full voice and II
soft umdertone, with superlbundancc
Of power in general, AIM Il suggestion,
Of reserve strength in gesture, manner
and air; with everything speaking OF
force, and with many things implying
sweetness as Il subdued and secondary
quality. III his case, truly, out of
strength comes sweetness.
But this would scarcely be a sutti-
cient characterization unless it We're
added that you might conceive this big
man ut Il moment when the fancy was
in frolic, as having the American eagle
for his indivisible attendant. This
mighty bird is domestic fowl in the
house, and an inseparable companion
on the many travels Of the Archbishop
Of st. Paul.
"Yes," said one Of his friends and
! followers, John Ireland has charge Of
the eagle. 1t is his business to make
it shrek or sit quiet. He takes it