The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-03-27
ton of this magnificent Republic? II

ZION or tnlS InaSN1uCenC Republic: ~
YOU reply that this is a question which
l.. very hard to answer, say it Is not.
Not so difficult as you imagine. There
are two historic extracts which more
than prove the Irish influence on our
national liberties and national life. A
certain Joseph Galloway, who had
been a speaker in the Pennsylvania
House of Assembly, strongly favored
the cause of the colonists, but did not
acquiesce in the plan Of complete sew
erance from the mother country"
! During the progress of the war he
returned to England and on being
Questioned in the English House Of
Commons. regarding the complexion
of George Washington's armies. he
answered thus: 1.-THE names and the
places of those enlisted being taken
down I can answer with precision
There were scarcely one. fourth natives
of America, about one-half Irish, and
the other fourth English and Scotch i"
|
with the views expressed by Hugh
Henry Breckenridge, a chaplain of
Washington's army, and historian of
that period. this last mentioned per-
son says: THE midland parts of
America and the western parts in gen.
eral were half of Ireland" Looking at
these statements with the sobriety
which they deserve, how can we resist
the conclusion that to Ireland and
the sons of Ireland we largely owe our
liberties, and that it is to the Celtic
spirit and Celtic enthusiasm we must
look for the first grand effort to re-
lease mankind from the tyranny of in
Justice and the iron despotism of so.
called kings. George Washington
thoroughly understood this matter
when he never missed an opportunity
Of eulogizing our people.
The Colonial Congress Of ITS I'M
derstond it when they drafted a spe-
cial manifesto" to the Irish race. The
dupes of blunder and errors untold
must the Americans be If they consih
err that Anglo Saxonism is their guar
dian spirit. Thirty millions of the
mericans today are inoculated with
Celtic blood. 1t is flowing free and
warm through the hearts Of millions
who are either foolish or ignorant
enough to trace back their lineage to
the Fathers who landed at Plymouth
Rock. 1t seems to lie the greatest
hoax ever perpetrated on a people
this Illusion of Anglo Saxon senti-
ment. What I ask is. what is it to be
PROUD Of? Look to England itself
| Take away the Celtic element from
| it. What remains? Take Celtic gen.
erals and soldiers from her armies, take
Celtic ora tors from her rostrums. Take
her poets, and what a chaotic wilder
ness remains. Matthew Arnold In his
Essay on Celtic Literature" has the
courage to tell his own countrymen
and countrywomen that it is no longer
a fact to be gainsaid that Celtic in
fiuence has played prominent par:
in every phase Of English National life.
Yea more. he has advocated chairs of
Irish literature in English Universities
So as to educate the pupils Of England
IN the vast world Of ideas that lie in
the unexplcred regions of ancient Irish
! literature. IF the power of Celtic
genius has thus been able to invade
tire sanctuary of Englands greatness
| how feeble and insecure must be the
position of those who advocate Anglo
Saxonisn in this country. 1t would
be almost folly to answer such flippant
word-sowsrs when every page of our
history attests the superiority and
worth of the children of Erin.
From the days Of our nascent liber-
ties to the present hour our military
pl owess has manifested itself on ten
plains of Mexico, the death mounds OF
the Civil war period, the vast array Of
heroic names that shine forth on the
roster of those whom we revere and
cherish-all bear witness that never
can it be possible to belle or belittle
our military glory. From the days of
the Celtic Edmund Burke, that giant
in political science and that eminent
advocate of tine rights of humanity.
chat fearless champion of the rights
OF America in the days of yore. down
to Bourke Cochran, the greatest orator
OF our own day, there is not to be found
one Irishman who has proved traitor to
tine doctrine of popular rights. or who
nas not stood forth a fearless exponent
OF the principles of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
lican Government. In modern days
when the literary glory that decorated
tine New England States had departed.
the name of John Boyle O'Reilly re-