The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-04-01
SEATTLE CELTS
St. Patrick's Day tho Occasion
for Patriotic Gatherings
Celtic Sons and Hibernians Hold
Enthusiastic Meetings.

fifth successive year with banquet
st. Patrick's night at the Butler Hotel
Seventy-five business and professional
men who boast of their Irish lineage
sat down in the banquet hall and were
carried back to the Emerald Isle in
song and story. Although the Celtic
Sons in the past have had a larger
crowd the success of the banquet that
night was not lessened any by the fact
that but seventy-tive were invited to
the gathering. During the last five
years the banquets OF the organization
have become such prominent feature
of the anniversary of Ireland's patron
saint that it was found necessary this
year to limit the number of diners.
The speeches were OF a high order,
and the singing ELECTED frequent en-
cores. Richard Mansfield White
treated THE President OF the United
States" in an exhaustive and scholarly
way, dwelling not only upon the char
acteristics of the presidents but upon
the great events which occurred dur
ing their several administrations. ID.
+. Fitzgerald recited Thomas Davis
poem, "Fontenoy" with great effect
Day We Celebrate" and won round
of applause. Mr. Casey spoke as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Toastmaster: The Day We
Celebrate" is the anniversary of Ire
lands patron saint The festival had
its origin in religion, but in the vicis-
STUDIES OF time has come to have an
almost exclusive national Specification,
and wherever Celtic Sons are found,
and they inhabit every cline, voices
will not be wanting to recite the story
of their trials and triumphs and sing
the bold anthems of n-go-bragh.
The impulse that inspires !, holiday
OF this character is Il natural and
universal trait Of human nature. 1t
has existed in all countries and at all
Plain, where the tongues OF men were
COMPOUNDED. 1t began with the child
hood Of the human race and continues
unimpaired through its maturity. And
| may say it is highly proper to re-
peat to eager and insenils youth the
story of Il nations trials and triumphs
II hnY ], t.t,J, ,t,.il>
tiOns to the cause OF human liberty
abroad, for it inspires love OF country,
and love Of country is good: it is
patriotism.
While this trait is exceptionally
strong in the Celtic character, it is
not SO partisan, as to become intole-
rant. Or to preclude or sacrifice, the
love of humanity, for nationality. But
patriotism, or the love of country, as
1t should be, is I; distinct virtue, and
no people love their native land with
a deeper. purer or more disinterested
owe than do the Irish people and their
descendants. Who among her people
has not listened on each recurring
festal day like this with blanched face
and bated breath to the story of Ire
lands wrongs, wept DER her SORROWS
and sighed for the return OF her an
cient glory? Yet the repetition of
thAse wrongs does not cause you to
sl'1w weary but rather makes you
burn anew with zeal and hope for the
future of the Emerald Isle. Mere
mention of the heroes that fought at
old Clontarf, that sealed the treaty OF
Li,nerick, and dyed with ;hair blood
the shamrocks at Aug:,rim, will fire
your hearts With u greater love and
admiration fer the land OF your fore
tat'.t rs and Undue you with Il higher
enthusiasm for the land of Your ia
Tiers adoption.
The debt of gratitude which we owe
to the great souls of the early cen
turtles, who lifted people and nations
from the darkness and degradation OF
paganiSm up to the lovely sunlight OF
Christianity. is beyond computation
and can never be repaid. Today we
celebrate the birth OF the Great Saint
who accomplished this for Ireland IL
was unquestionably providential that
Saint Patrick in his early life was
first taken to Ireland as Il slave by
pirates, and after years OF toll and
slavery he escaped from his captivity
and returned to his former home But
it was not for him to indefinitely feast
his eyes and ears with the sights and
sounds of his childhood, for new de.
sire had entered his soul and taken
possession Of his life. and he voluu-
tarily leaves home a second time;
breaks away from the friends and
companions Of his youth. from the
society OF his good father and tender
mother; and having studied for many
long years in preparation for his holy
mission, lie was cNnSecrated first
bishop OF the Irish nation. He then
went to the shores OF Ireland a second
time, no lcnger Il slave but free man
and destined to free Il nation from the
chains OF paganisDl.
The light Of Christianity had burned
for more than four hundred years
when Patrick first turned its rays
toward Ireland and laid the founda.
ton for the splendid deHelopment that