The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-18
BANQUET At The GRAND.
Friendly Sons Of ST. Patrick Do Honor
to the Good Saint.

to the Good Saint.
The eighth annual dinner of the Friend
ly Sons of ST. Patrick at the Grand Hotel
last evening was attended by seventy
guests, over a third of whom were women.
The dinner was served in the ordinary
at $50 and for almost four hours the
guests discussed substantial menu OF
eight courses and enjoyed the feast of ora
tory-the characteristic Celtic oratory.
brimfu of eloquence, pathos and sparkling
wit and humor
Pride of race was the dominant note of
most of the speeches and the achieve
ments of the sons of Erin in war and in
peace, on sanguinary battlefields and in
the council halls of nations. in literature.
art and science, and In extending the pow
er and boundaries of Christian civiliza-
ton were lauded in glowing periods. John
f. McGettigan, president of the society,
presided, and introduced Samuel Quinn.
who acted POSTMASTER. There were
only three speeches on the programme, but
a number of informal addresses were given
in response to calls.
The Rev. James b. Delaney responded
to the sentiment, 1.-The Day We Celebrate"
Claude G. Bowers, of Terre Haute, told of
Americas Debt to Ireland" and Edward
p Clancy toasted 1.-THE Ladies'"
In opening the speechmaking President
McGettigan said by way of welcome to
the guests
1T affords me pleasure to once more well
come the Friendly Sons of st. Patrick and
our guests to this. our eighth annual ban.
quet since we gave our first banquet
eight years ago they have been honored
by the presence of United States senator's
and Governors and some of the most elo-
quent orators of the country. The order of
ing new; 1t was started during the Ameri-
can revolution, and the immortal George
Washington was a member.
AT the time of our first banquet the af
fairs or Ireland were most gloomy, but
thanks thank to that noble band of heroes the
land laws will be enacted that will be salts
factory to the Irish people That in itself
Will be great victory; but We look for
others still greater.
1T seems like a parody for me to state
that the government of England will even
tually cease to be controlled by English
men. Take her condition at the present
time-who are at the head of almost all
the departments of that government? Irish
men. Look at the list of the parties who
have present charge of her various de-
partments-the chancellor of the exchequer,
the attorney general, the secretary of the
Board of Trade, the lord chancellor and
solicitor general, the secretary for India,
y,
and the chief secretary for Ireland, also
the commander-in-chief of her army-all
Irishmen.
"You cannot keep us down; we will
come up smiling and aggressive at the op-
perfume time"
ST. PATRIcK's VIRTUES.
"In keeping with the custom of the
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick" said Father
Delaney in opening his address, I'VE are
gathered here this evening to do honor to
their patron. And a pleasing sight 1t is
to see men of Irish birth, men who pride
themselves with being of Irish extraction
and men of other nationalities united here
tonight to do honor to him who, from a
state of servitude from the condition of a
| slave, arose to the foremost rank among the
makers of history. To-day we celebrate his
memory; the memory of him who is justly
styled the Apostle of the Irish Race For
it was he who gave to pagan Ireland Chris
tianity and all that Christianity implies
science, culture, refinement, love of the
fine arts. 1t was he who placed her in the
front rank of the most enlightened nations
| of the world"
Father Delaney then took I'D the work of
| st. Patrick that entities him to immortal
| lty. Great as were the achievements of
Angelo" he said. ''how inferior to the
work of st. Patrick! Angelo labored with
matter, with cold, lifeless marble; st. Pat
rick labored with rational beings. living
souls Not with the steel of the chisel. but
with the peaceful gospel of the lowly Naz-
arene, he hewed statue of faith, of learn
ing. of culture, of intelligence, of refine
ment; statue that breathes, moves and
has Its being; statue that neither time
can eorrode nor age decay-the Irish ma
| tion."
He cited then the work of other great
| lr1shmen in building nation on the broad
| foundation of Christianity laid by St Pat
| rick and mentioned those of most notable
achievements. In conclusion. he said:
| But why live in the past? Is there
| nothing noble and grand and inspiring In
the Irish of to-day? Dismantled and re-
duced to seryitude, robbed of language
| flag and parliament, bruised but not
crushed, she lives by virtue of the nobility
of her nature, and this is the keynote OF
| the Irishman's success in other lands and
under Whatever flag he may swear allie
| glance.
xviii speak of her SORROWS, will 1 speak
| of her woes,
No. III sing of her joys. long centuries
Therefore we dispatch everything that
may seem TO cast gloom around this festive
board. This is not an occasion of tears
we are here to quaff the cup of Joy, to hon
or Irelands apostle, to live in the glorious
Ireland's future liberty; that Emmet's cpl
taph be written and Erin's flag unfurIed .
AMERICAS DEBT TO IRELAND.
Americas Debt to Ireland" was told IL
an eloquent address by Claude G. Bowers
| of Terre Haute. The speaker dwelt prin
cipally on the part Irish-Americans hav.
taken in defending the flag of their adopted
country, and he told of their deeds of valol
in every war that the United States ha,
had. He closed with this peroration:
Il have heard the gray-haired veteran.
of that heroic struggle narrate about tn,
reminiscent camp fire the romance tn,
tragedy and the comedy of those blood
stained years. 1t was the Irish wit wht
projected the CLEAN of laughter into tn,
gloom of the camp and the march. 1t wa.
the Irish warrior who led the forelorr
charge and gayly saluted the stars anC
stripes as his spirit winged it's flight.
was the Irish cavalier who, with the in
effable tenderness of a woman, shed tn.
benediction of love and fraternity over tn,
dead and dying when the cannon ceased I,
roar. IngersolPs beautiful Characterization
of his brother is an apt Characterization
of the Irishman-In every storm of If
he is oak and rock, but in the sunshine h,
is vine and flower 7"
Edward p. Clancy made a distinct hit il
responding TO the sentiment, THE Ladies'
Eloquently, tenderly, lovingly, with her
and there a shaft of wit and a CLEAN O
humor, he toasted woman, as sweetheart
sister wife and mother
After several impromptu speeches tn,
dinner was brought to a close. The off
GERS of the society and the committees tina
arranged the affair are follows: Presi
dent, John f. McGettigan; vice president
Z. p Clancy; secretary, w. d. Lalley
treasurer, Joseph NJ. Dwyer; executiv,
committee. w. j. Mooney, Daniel Foley
L. j. OReilly, j. r. WEIGH, Philip Kiley. ID
ID. Brosnan; reception committee w. ]