The Irish standard., 1903-02-21
AN ELOQUENT GRAFTON.
Delivered by Archbishop ireland
In Chicago.

honor at a banquet given at the All
ditorium Hotel by the Lincoln Club, of
Chicago, in commemoration OF the
ninety-fourth anniversary OF the birth
OF Abraham Lincoln. In an address
on the great emancipator, the Arch
bishop said, in part:
"The republic that Lincoln saved
how she has grown! And as she
grows the more beauteous she seems,
the more winning are her graces, the
more soul enhancing her claims to
our love and our devotion.
"The republic is what she is because
she has virtually remained what Wash
lngton intended her to be, what Lin
coin bade her to be--a government of
the people, by the people, for the peo-
pie. This is what she must remain
if she is still to live and to reign. The
vital principles OF democracy must
animate her. Every man under the
flag must be equal before the law in
civil and political rights; it matters not
what his place OF birth, what his re-
l1glous creed, what the color OF his
face; it he is an American citizen the
laws Of the land must shield him, the
favors of the land must flow upon him.
TO announce, for instance, that the
citizen who is black must not aspire
to a political Office, must not reach
the ballot box, is to war against Amer
ican institutions.
"To hold population in perpetual
tutelage, whether on our immediate
continent or in islands beyond the
seas, is to set aside Lincoln's princi-
pies. Delays may be counseled; often
delays should be counseled, for the
question always calls for an answer
are children made to walk as adults
are populations incapable of self-gov-
ernment to be allowed, for their des-
truction, its privileges? But when the
time comes that such populations
have ripened into self-governing man
hood, the rights of that manhood
must be theirs; and meanwhile the
mission Of the flag is to hasten them
toward such manhood. The day must
be expected when Our Territories will
be States, when our island possessions
will be States, Abiding dependencies
cannot be the appanage of a republic.
THE flag has been carried far be-
yond the America of Lincoln's day.
This is as it should be. A great ma
ton cannot but grow. Occurrences
will come to it beyond its control, that
will compel it to grow 1t is for hu-
manity that freedom-loving republics
do grow. I rejoice in the territorial ag-
grandizement that has come to Amer
ica, and no fixed limits would I dare
put to yet further such aggrandizement,
but always and everywhere would l
hold out to new friends and new
brothers the hope and the promise
that in due time fullest civil and poll
tical equality with myself and my fell
low-Americans shall be the reward OF
their loyalty and good citizenship.
"The United States is, by force OF
irrevocable events, an international
power. She cannot isolate herself; her
interests are amid all peoples and their
interests are amid her people. Our
pride in her grows, and as she thus
grows i'll greaness we watch her with
jealous eye. as she enters into new
spheres of duty and responsibilities.
Our prayer is may she ever be at peace
with her sister nations OF the world
be it not hers to provoke them to
anger and enmity. But, we insist
other nations must honor and respect
her as she deserves. No foreign ma
ton, no combination OF foreign ma
tions, is to be allowed to turn her
backward from her traditional policies.
to circumscribe her legitimate field OF
influence or to lower in the smallest
degree the prestige OF her name This
we cannot permit! our loyalty forbids
that we do so.
"And while we proclaim that no
harm. no dishonor, shall come to the
republic from outside the fold, let us
guard her we'll from enemies within
her own bosom, and see to it that we,
ourselves, be not uncqnsciously per-