The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-03-17

N'piVs HV SsatHSHSu navy uSSH WI
ried by lrishmen into every land
under the sun and wherever equality
and justice have received their high
est governmental sanction the seed
has been planted ages ago by the pa
tron saints of Ireland.
The scholars OF Ireland began in
the fourth and fifth centuries a propa.
ganda against the ignorance and
superstition OF continental Europe,
They began by educating the knights
and barons in principles OF chiyalry
and reverence Of female virtue, They
instructed King Ariovistus among his
Germanie retainers, They educated
Charlemagne and his tributary princes
and thus laid the foundation for lit
erary supremacy and political freedom
in France, They cultivated the gal.
lantry OF chivalry and the poetieal
spirit OF Andalusia from which has
flowed the rich imagery OF Cervantes,
the graceful poetry OF Camoens, the
inspired eloquenee OF Castlear and
the intellectual glory OF Spain. From
the village OF Tours to the fertile
wales OF Samercand, they have given
names OF Irish nomenclature to the
most important points OF continental
Europe. They navigated the earth
and visited the American continent
when the rest of Europe was worship.
ing NEUROLOGICAL deities in their for.
ests and mountain fastness. And it
was for these services to the world
that Ireland has for ages been called
The Land of Saints and Scholars"
And when the so-called Reforma-
tion began its work OF fury, and re.
ligious frenzy overspread the old
world with the miseries OF perseeu.
tion and the barbarity OF intolerance,
the Irish swarmed to America and
again renewed their splendid propo-
ganda in behalf Of human liberty. The
Declaration Of independence is an
evidence OF Ireland's contribution to
American civilization and is the crown
ing glory OF a race OF people which
has been vicarious sacrifice in be-
half OF mercy and justice among the
political institutions of the world.
And let us observe who were those
great men who clustered around our
Franklins and our Jeffersons in the
hour of national deliverance and who
barred their rugged hearts to the
bayonet of the oppressor and staked
their earthly fortunes in the sacred
cause of freedom and the holy name
OF American independence. There
was John Hancock, the Irishman,
and Edward Rutledge, the Irishman,
and Thomas Lynch, the Irishman. and
Mathew Thornton, the Irishman, and
James Smith and George Taylor, the
lrishmen, and there were George
Read and Thomas Mexican. two
more lrishmen; and there was Charles
Thompson, another Irishman, and
William Whipple and Robert Treat
Paine were also Irish, and Thomas
Nelson of Virginia, descendant OF
the Strabane branch OF the O'Neils.
was another lrishman; and there was
Charles Carroll, who when he came
to sign the Declaration made sure
that no innocent man would hang for
his share in revolutionary warfare
and with patriotic gallantry and
heroic indignation, enrolled himself
as Charles Carroll OF Carrolton," an
other Irish candidate for slaughter
Now what do you thing OF this list
OF lrishmen whose names are found
on the Declaration Of American Inde-
pendence? There were only thirteen
revolving colonies. There were thir-
ten Irish signers of the Declaration.
And it was an Irishman who first
publicly read this celebrated docu-
ment and proclaimed American indie
pendence to the world. This man was
Col John Nixon, cousin of Thomas
Nelson and who up to the hour of his
death was a member OF the Sons of
St. Patrick.
Is this not glorious contribution
for nation feixles to bestow upon
the American people? What other
country can make such a splendid
And is it any wonder that
when an Irishman steps upon Ameri-
can soil this soul become emanci-
pated, that his manhood walks abroad,
that his spirit thrills with enterprise,
and that his heart swells with patriot
ism and he becomes the warrior, the
statesman and the heroic defender of
his adopted country's honor?
From Lexington to Gettysburg;
Leo. Cn..A....A L. L. ..aIa4l1AI Ill.