The Irish standard., 1906-05-19
CARL SchuRZ.

The revolution of 1S4S was respuns-
iblc for u great many thousands of lib
crty lowing Germans immigrating to
this country. OF the many thousands
who then came to our shore, the most
distinguished Of all was Carl Scnurz
whose death occurred last Monday.
Carl Schurz was born in Prussia where
he received ~ college education. In
his youth he distinguished himself for
great capacity and untiring energy.
He loved liberty and that love Of lib
erty brought trouble to him. For aid
ing Il confederate to escape from pris-
on he was condemned to be hanged,
but he escaped to the United States
and afterwards became United States
Senator from Missouri, Minister to
Spain, Major general of the army in
the Civil War and Secretary of the
Interior under President Hayes.
Carl Schurz was Il really remarkable
man. Before he could speak English
he WAS q leader among his own coun-
trymen in this country. and in the
great debates between Mr.. Lincoln and
Mir Douglas in slavery days he was
:ln active supporter of Abraham Lin
coin. Perhaps the most interesting
thing about him was the immense
amount of work that he was able to
do. 1t is probable that his counter
part. in one respect. at least, never
has and never will exist. He was
thirty years old before he delivered hi.
first speech in English and yet long
years ago Carl Schurz became one OF
lish speaking world. His was Il most
astonishing intellectual feat. He
learned To speak the English languag,
without mistake Or accent and ac-
qurcd an amazing vocabulary. He
was, in fact, Il most skillful handler
Of English idiorns and phrases. Mr.
Schurz could deliver 81 finished Hrgu-
ment in either the English or the
| German language or write Il book il
facility. He has often been named Il:
one of Americas greatest orators. HI
certainly long has been the greatcs
German orator outside of the contnc:
of Prussia ana ii is uucstionnbl.
whether his superior as IL user of the
German language exists anywhere.
Higher and greater than the intel
lectual force Of the man was the mora
force that always guided his publ,
career He w:lS at the time of his
death in his seventy seventh year. He
has often been called Il ''muEwump' il
of Lincoln. he supported General Grant
for the presidency in 1868, was in fac,
the chairman of the Republican Ma
tional Committee, yet in 1872 he op-
posed Grant and supported Horace
Greeley. In 1876 and in 1880 lie sup
ported the Republican candidates hui
/ tIlll ulu NOT prevent nun Ill IoSf lIoI
openly advocating the election of Gro
yer Cleveland whom he continued tC
support in subsequent campaigns. IN
1896 on the money question lie sup
ported Mckinley. but in 1900 on tho
| Philippine issue he supported Mr.
Bryan. Notwithstanding all this SEEM
ing change of front he never was ac-
cused of anything but the most pat
riotic motives, and he continued
through all these political changes to
be easily the leading German -Ameri-
can citizen in the United States. Po-
| litcal leaders feared the position that
Carl Schurz would take in any cam
paign. His position meant that thou
sands upon thousands of Germans and
independents in general would follow
his lead.
His life has been a remarkably ac-
tive one. He has done IL great work.
y we'll known magazine Of the current
month contains an article from his
pen. He labored almost to the day of
his death and the result of his labor
has been good for his adopted country.