The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-11-26

I
in this Republic. In the County OF
Tyrone, in Ireland, The country of the
great and gallant General. Owen Roe
O'Naill. James Shields first saw the
| light. II was just. scarcely more than
one hundred years ago. shortly after
the collapse of the brave struggle for
Irish independence, and only few
years after Robert Emmet spoke
words from the shadow of the scat
fold, that have kept alive in the
hearts of his countrymen the fire OF
nationality even to this hour
Is it any wonder that boy brought
up in such surroundings should grow
uneasy? While every green hill sur
rounding his home, and every peak
and crag and glen called out to him
to stay and strike blow for the Old
Land, and yet he could see nothing
| but a pail of death, and hear nothing
but wailing and lamentation. He
saw every road to success blocked
against him, every dream of ameliora-
ting the condition of his people flu
tile. Is it any wonder that he turned
his eyes toward the setting sun? Is
| it strange that. his thoughts went in
fancy to the new El Dorado? He
heard Of a Republic. young but full
of vigor and promise-a land where
| no tyrant reigned, where caste an,
king We're unknown, where the only
aristocracy was that OF intellect and
of worth-a land that was giving shell
, ter and opportunity to all who were
, oppressed. and fair field and no IA
vor in the race for honors and for
wealth
So young Shields, at the age of sew
enteen, stepped on these shores. with
no friend to advance his interests,
with no capital but a strong arm, a
courageous heart, Il good clear head
and fund Of high moral principles
inherited from his .virtuous parents.
/, Soon lie came to sii1E,n,s:. New see
| him advance from honor to honor like
giant exulting On his way After
ten years of hard work and study AMI
, sometimes privation, We find him at
: the age OF twenty-seven member OF
the legislature. at twenty-nine he is
State Auditor, at thirty-,hree he has
reached the summit of every LAWYER $
ambition-he is Justice OF the Su-
preme court, handing down decisio
| where Stephen A. Douglas and Abra.
ham Lincoln read their briefs. Now
Fhe passes from prominence in the
state to prominence in the nation. AT
! thirty-hve President Polk appoints
him Commissioner of the General
Land Office. Next year the Mexican
war broke out and he was made Brig
adler General Of Volunteers; and Ger
10 Gordo, Chapultepec and the City
! OF Mexico are names that will ever
be inseparable from the memory of
General James Shields.
| And now We see the wonderful ver-
satility of the man. After the war he
came to Minnesota and established
the colony named after hm-Shields-
vllle. And oh! If his countrymen
would only listen to him. He saw
the possibilities of the then almost
virgin soil Of Minnesota and the West.
He knew how his countrymen were
emigrating from Ireland, how they
were settling in the large cities of
! the East, where they were but hew-
ers of wood and drawers Of water,
and he begged Of them to come out
west, to come to the fairest fields and
the richest soil the sun ever shone
upon. Many listened to his call The
same cry was raised short time aft
erward by young priest of Irish
birth, Father John Ireland, now the
great Archbishop of St. Paul. And
today we have in Minnesota not only
Shieldsville, but Graceville, Clontarr,
Avoca, Green Isle and dozens of 9TH
er colonies where thousands of farm
ers not only own their land, but are
the happiest people in these United
States.
Be mine the task to say one word
before concluding of his love for Ire
| land. A true American who gave to
this land of HIS adoption no mere lip
service, but his hearts blood, he was
a true lover OF bis native land. He
held it true that no man could be q
good American who does not love the
land Of his birth or of his sires. How
could he-how could anyone help Low.
ing the dear old land where he first
.. knew a mothers smile and fathers
blessing-the land of the laughing
rivers. of the sweet wales, of the lakes
and dells. where Angels fold their
wings and rest," thinking they are
home? He knew Ireland's picturesque
| history, the battlefle1ds where such