The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-03-19

called upon; and they will strive to
preserve ii forever in this the land Of
their adoptionl
No separate people can claim, no
one country can appropriate the
Irishman; on the contrary, he rapidly
appropriates the country Of others,
assimilates himself with its people,
and becomes part and parcel OF its
government contributing to its
grandeur and glory--its vice counsel
lor in peace, and its intrepid defender
in war.
The Irish are martial race and are
not apologetie for their inheritance.
Martial characteristics are not to be
despised, for they frequently express
! ,hemselvesSin loyalty. honesty and
chivalry. Courage to dare and power
to do are the surest guarantees of
Individual force and national stabil'
ity. On the other hand, with the de-
cline Of the martial spirit people are
very apt 10 become effeminate, sem
sual, selfish and corrupt. Obedient
to their generous impulses the sons
Of ireland are found everywhere
fighting humanity's battles. Wher-
ever in the smoke of battle tyrants
have lost their power and the people
have gained their rights, wherever
justice needed a champion or oppres-
sion deserved a foe-there ever has
been found the Irish soldier, diseip-
lined, undaunted. and invincible.
In the arts of peace as well as in
war, the Celt and his descendants
have been mighty factor in the up
building of the American nation. In
truth, there is not a stone that forms
the enduring arch of American
liberty, progress and and prosperity
to the shaping and placing of which
Irish brain and Irish muscle have not
generously and patriotically con-
tributed.
Withal. however, that the Irish and
the other races have done for
America there are still many people
who seem to have a good deal of
doubt as to what the requisites Of
true American are. With them the
native Indian does not exactly fill the
bill even when he is improved. A
good many think that to be an Amer
lean one had TO be born in New Eng
land, or that one Of his ancestors
should have come to this country at
the very early date Of 1921. But the
Irish, the Germans, the Dutch, the
Scandinavians, and all the other
races in this country seem to have
different opinions about it.
In a sense, we are all foreigners or
descendants of foreigners. A true
American is one who is devoted to
the interests Of his country, who up
holds its Constitution, obeys its laws,
has a voice in its government, and is
ever ready to defend the honor OF its
! flag.
| Such an American the Irishmen has
always been. We see his enthusiasm
in Patrick Henry in the Virginia
House Of Delegates uttering the bat
Tile cry which won the revolution,
Give me liberty or give me death"
I'VE see him in Charles Carroll with a
price upon his head, who scorned
danger by adding "of Carrollton" to
his name, as an indelible designation
lof the individual when he signed the
Declaration Of Independence. We
| see him in all the battles Of the
American revolution from Concord
to Yorktown. We see him in Andrew
! Jackson at New Orleans, in Shields
on the plains Of Mexico, in John
Barry, the "Father of our Navy" in
Mcdowell, Mcclellan, Sheridan,
Meagher and thousands OF others in
many a hard fought battle from
Manassas to Appomatox, and lately
in our own day in the red front Of
battle in Cuba and the Philippines.
The Celt is no revoker Of things
divine. He has never yet been ac-
cused Of the crime of race suicide.
HE is a soldier on the right side Of
every religious and social conflict.
! He is worthy to live in this great
land and teach by his example, the
/ lhurrying multitude, that liberty is not
license, that God still regins, that
truth, honor, faith, Christian charity
and sanctity Of the marriage tie are
virtues not to be forgotten but
esteemed.