The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-13
[ATOL THE LOYALTY
OF IRISH.AM[RIcANs
Eloquent Addresses Delivered
at the Annual Banquet of
Hibernians

annual banquet of the Ancient Order of
H1bernians of Ramsey county
We hear much nowadays" said Mr..
1SLawler, about the power of wealth:
That the time is come when the path of
freedom and of success is barricaded
with the golden chains of wealth. We
aliude loosely to the senate of the
United States as the rich mans club.
Yet within the last six weeks two of
our greatest among recent statesmen,
TWO patriots who have adorned the
pages OF American history, have ended
their days of usefulness. One is dead.
the other is on his deathbed. They
represented different parties, different
sections; yet each was a United States
senator, each was a leader of his party
and his state, each as man and as a
patriot was of integrity absolutely un-
spotted, and each was poor man all
his life. One has died, the other will
soon die, poor man.
Il refer to Senator George C. Vest. a
Southwesterner, leader of the Demo-
Gratis, and to Senator George F. Hoar,
New England leader of the Repub-
heans Their names, young men,
should be your inspiration, teaching
you the dignity, and the Opportunity of
American citizenship.
|. Two Conspicuous Patriots
sit is more fitting that remind you
Of these senator's, for both of them, in
the darkest days of our peoples his
tory, stood forward in political debate
true to the principles of American gov
eminent and of American fair play"
Mr.. Lawler was the last of several
speakers called upon by State Presi-
dent James j. Regain, of st. Paul, to
address upwards of 800 representative
Irlsh-AmericanS of this country. They
We're gathered in the dining room Of
the Hotel Ryan, where they had en-
joyed bountiful dinner. Our Coun-
try was the toast to which Mr.. Lawler
responded.
1.-The man of any race he had said.
would be unfeeling whose heart would
not thrill at the mention of this toast
TO us Irishmen and Hibernians the
phrase Our Country has double sig
nlflcance. We represent people and
land across the sea. Four thousand
miles stretch between us and the home
of our forefathers. Yet in every de-
scendant throbs still loyal love for
I that green land,
This American people is great
composite of the best blood, the best
brain, the best Drawn of all the races.
But there is difference between the
Irish and the children Of other races.
The latter brought hither heritage of
success; their ancestors had triumphed
on every field of human endeavor, had
prospered in politics and commerce. in
material greatness. We, on the other
hand-we Irish-represent a nation
whose flag is unknown, people who
continue to dwell as strangers in the
land of our fathers; our earthly king
dom has been swept away; our senate
house stands vacant. p Err
But wherever Irishmen are found
.{<.<.D
they daily renew their vows of fidelity
to the cause Of Irish freedom, and of
Irish independence. fApplause-1
Irish Loyal to the Flag
9. THAT. 1 believe, is why those of
Irish blood are SO loyal to the flag of
these United States. Fleeing from op-
preston, they were met here by the
assurance that all men are equal.
They were invited even to take part in
the government of the country
right denied them in their own land
as late as seventy-fve years ago, when
that portion of liberty was regained
by the self-sacrifice of O'Donnell.
"Thus it comes to pass that in
America, in our country, the humblest
Irish mother blesses the starry banner
that protects the cradle of her son,
because she knows that, thanks to that
banner, he may yet rise to the highest
Io1lofS III the GIT VI These UHlleu
States.
r I'm the old sod the Irishman's re-
ligion was prescribed; here religion is
free. Here, in our country, we may
worship God untrammeled with unre-
strained allegiance to our ancient
faith.
."These. then, are some of the rea-
sons why we, as Irishmen, must re-
spond with peculiar gratitude to the
toast assigned me. And SO call upon
you all to be faithful to the old land
and faithful to the new. You cannot
be faithful to the one without being
faithful to both. Neither can you be
a traitor to one without being traitor
to both:
= 81 believe that the time is fast com
ing-many of us here may see it-when
freedom will be restored to the land of
our fathers; and the more faithful we re-
main to the principles, to the ideals of
our race the more we can hasten that
time, the more we can do in this land to
assist the men of the old land beyond
the sea.
How it shall come about-by peace
or by war-we do not know. But god
speed the day. God bring it to pass in
his own time when the green flag of
Erin shall be flung forth at last to pro-
claim in Ireland the freedom and the
triumph. of our race beneath the rule of
oil INDEPENDENT 4IiSu ISpupilC.
Letters of Regret
Mr.. Regain read kilograms and letters
of regret from Archbishop Ireland, GOV.
Van SAINT Senator Moses E. Clapp, Mayor
Smith, John T. Kelly, state president of
the Wisconsin "A. o. H., and from John
T. Heating, national director of the or
der.
In place of Mr.. Heating. Judge W. L.
Kelly, of the district bench, responded
feiicitously- He was glad, he said, to see
in the faces Of the numerous young men
gabout HMM their clear. sincere eyes, in
the expression of their features-the 4
physical reflection of mental and moral
fidelity to the principles of the A. O. H.
love of God, love of neighbor, love of
country.
The patriotism of Hibernians once UNI
fortunately dougted by the i'll informed
had been sufficiently demonstrated, con-
tinued Judge Kelly. He added excellent
examples of Irish heroism in American
wars.
Later in the evening Judge Kelly was
persuaded = to recite the virile poetic
tribute to a yirile people, 1.-The Fight
ing Race
: Thomas D. o'Brien responded to the
toast, Faith and F'atherland;" Thomas
r. Kane, to The Spirit of Fraternity"
DR.. E. w. Buckley, an officer of the or
der, described the growth and success of
the A. o. H. in Minnesota
Irish ballads grave and gay were sung
aftiStically by John + (sehan