Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-03-18

from Ireland in the seventeenth cen
ltury pushed boldly through the9settleG'
Idistrctsan planted themselves. as the
adVance guard of the conquering civil
ization on the borders Of the Indian
haunted wilderness. In Maine and
northern New Hampshire, in western
Pennsylvania, Virginia, aud North
| Carolina, alike, this was true
Had Begun to Mix.
BY the time the Revolution broke out
these men had 5begunsto mixawith theil
fellows OF other stocks, AMI they fur
inishad their full share OF leadership
/, in the great struggle which made us a
nation. Among their number was
Commodore John Earr,s, one Of the
three crsfo,;r officers to whom our in
FAINT navy owed most On land they
furnished generals like Montgomery.
who fell SO glorously at Quebec, and
Sullivan, the conQueror OF the Iro-
Quois, who came OF q New Hampshire
family, which furnished governors to
three New England States, while the
Continental troops of the hardest
fighters among Washington's generals,
Mad Anthony Wayne. were recruited
SO largely from this stock that Light
Horse Harry Lee always referred to
them as The Line of Ireland Nor
must we forget that OF this same stock
there was boy during the days Of the
revolution who afterwards became the
chief American general Of his time,
and as President one OF the public men
who left his impress most deeply up
on our nation. old Andrew Jackson
the victor OF New Orleans 4g.&
Closest to Stone Wall
! I'm the second great crisis Of our
country's history-the period of the
Civil war-the part played by the men
of Irish birth or parentaga was nc
less striking than it had been in the
revolution. Among the three CT four
great general who led the Northern
army in the war stood Phil. Sheridan
Some OF those whom. am now adj
dressing served in that immortal
brigade which, on the fatal day Of
Fredericksburg, left its dead closest
to the stone wall which marked the
limit that could not be over-Dassed
even by the highest human valor
! My fellow ccuntrymen. l have spok-
en- tonight especially OF what has been
done for this nation of ours BY its
sons OF Irish blood. But, after all, in
speaking to YOU Or any ether body of
my fel,'owacitizens. no matter from
what Old World country they them
selves or their forefathers may have
come. the great thing to remember is
that we are all OF us Americans Let
rs keep our pride in the stocks from
which we have sprung; but let us
show that pride net by holding aloof
enc from another, least CT all by pre-
serving the Ola World jealousies and
bitterness. but by Joining in y spirit
OF generous rivalry to see which can
90 most Tor our great common country.
Not a. Matter of Greece.
"AmeEicanisE is not a matter OF
i creed. or birthplace, or descent That
man is the best American who has
IN him the American spirit the Ameri-
can SoIl. Such a man fears not the
strong and harms not the weak He
sccrns what is base or. cruel or dis
honest. He looks beyond the acct
dents OF occupation or social condi-
EtiGn, and halls each OF his felow-citi-
zens as his brother, asking nothing
save that each shall treat the other
on his worth as man. and that they
snail join together to do all that in
/ them lies for the uplifting OF this
mighty and vigorous people. IN our.
veins runs the hcoil OF many an Ole
/ World nation. We are kin to each Of
those nations, aud yet Identical with
! none
4 Separate People
! Our policy should bGasane Of cor
dial friendship fer all; Whd yet we
should keep ever before our eyes the
fact that we are ourselves a separate
people, with out own ideals and stand.
ards, and destined. whether for bet
ter or for worse, TO work ont wholly
new national type The fate Of the
twentieth century will in no small dc
I gree depend upon the quality OF citi-
IenshiD developed on this continent.
| Surely SUCH a thought must thrill lis
fifth the resolute purpose so TO bear
| ourselves thar the name American
ILL., s 80 jssat