The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-03-20

eulOglzed Abraham Lincoln most er-
fectively.
Dwelling upon the personnel of the
army, he recalled the sta
tistics that showed half the men were
Irish. Every banner raised in the
struggle had it's Irish followers. Half
a million dollars was raised by the
Irish patriots by subscription. When
washington crossed the Delaware, his
trusted confidant was Major General
Sullivan. Mad Anthony Wayne storm
ing West Point, Montgomery at Mon
treal-these and other revolutionary
heroes were recalled as among the first
Of the great patriots of irish lineage
to play their parts In the establish
ment and maintenance of the nation.
Both land and sea boosted it's Irish
heroes. Perry, Decatur, Blakeley,
John Barry John Paul Jones, were in
cluded in the roster Of Irish naval he
roes Then he turned to the glor-
ious record Of the Irish brigade of
New York, to Sheridan who plunged
into the very heart of the South when
the plan of campaign was outlined.
But if a. democracy needs strong and
courageous men In war, said the
speaker, that democracy needs intel
lectually honest statesmen at all times.
He turned to the Declaration of indie
pendence with its many Irish signers.
and stopped to point out the record
of John Hancock. whose name was
greeted with applause. These men,
said he of the signers OF the Declara-
ton of Independence. were not afraid.
If Sullivan, at Washfngton's right
hand in the perilous venture across the
Delaware, and Mad Anthony Wayne.
in the storming of West Point, are
borne in grateful remembrance by the
patriotic American, who can forget. he
asked, that peerless logician of the
Senate, John c. Calhoun? Who can
forget the stirring addresses of Pat
rick Henry? Who Is there, he asked,
who does not feel a thrill Of reverence
as he reads the achievements Of these
men inspired by the emotions and
for higher and better things?
Turning towards the present day, he
called to mind the achievements of
Mayor Dunno of Chicago, Mayor Col
Inns Of Boston. But besides soldiers
and statesmen, the nation must have
its strong men to mould public opin-
ion. because the people rule. The
nation must have strong yet conserva-
tive judges. He mentioned the names
connection. Then taking up anew the
journalistic field, he spoke of Collier,
Dana and Greeley. To John Boyle
O'Reilly he paid especial tribute. It
is the same in all walks of life. said
he. education. science, religion. Morse
with his telegraph, Mccormack who
gave the western world the binder in
substitution for the reaper-which
meant cheaper bread for all mankind
Dr. William Harper of the Univer-
sity Of Chicago, the greatest Baptist
college Of the world; ORei1ly who did
good for the public school
system Of New York city, and others
were briefly mentioned.
But if a nation would become great,
If a nation would rise to the place
marked out for it as leader of the
have running under all her institutions
permeating every sphere of human ac-
tivity a deep and rich sentiment of
religious spirit. The Celtic element
has given its share in this particular
as we'll as others. He spoke of great
Of several faiths. Car
dina1s Mccluskey and Gibbons coming
er reminded his auditors of the prac-
teal side of religion, and instanced
the work of w. F. Dunn Of Washing
ton, the founder Of home for unfor-
tunate men, as an illustration Of the
deep religious and charitable spirit of
the Irish people.
One of the most effective passages
u the lecture WAS Ludl III WHiCQ the
Jrator dwelt upon the toiler. He gave
an especially vivid description of a
storm at sea in which he himself
had experienced close call from
Natery grave. When the storm had
said the speaker, he peered
1eep into the hold of the vessel as
she hove to in the sheltering arm Of
Jaw lying upon a bed of rope, red
With the blood that had streamed
rom the hands Of the toiler, mas
,ive man in sleep Of exhaustion.
worm out by the struggle to keep the
craft afloat. Had the vessel been
ost, he said, the world would have
:aptain who stuck to his post as the
hip sank But the world never would
ave heard of the equally worthy toll
r, just as dear to his wife and chill
Lren, just as brave and generous and
aithful. 1t Is to this sort of citizen
aid the speaker, that he wished to
Jay a Just need Of praise.
lis feast day, the speaker said he be-
ieved the apostle who lifted the Irish
,eople step by step from their State
# idolatry to Christianity is best hon.
red not by any false pride, but by re-
alling the deeds Of the men Of whom
We are proud. not only of our own
ace Out VI every TdCO anu VI every
reed and giving to every man and
very woman and to every race and
o every creed that which they have
worked for and that which they de-
erve, and in the second place to pick
10 and carry forward the work they
ave commenced. All over this land
specially in this month celebrations
re being held; theatres are crowded, !
are filled and the press is
live with tribute to the great sons
f Ireland. Two-thirds Of the Irish
'eople profess the Catholic faith. But
ave you ever stopped to think of the
nen to whom the Irish pay their hon.
ge and for whom they organize their |
atriotic societies? See the Wolfe Tone |
hubs. the Robert Emmett organizations, |
he associations formed to revere the |
memory of Henry Grattan. the splen- |
i'd Irishman who as an aged man |
talked down the aisles of parliament |
rhen 1t was on Irish soil and remon- |
trated with all the strength he had |
eft against the act which brought !
ogether the two parliaments because
aid he 1t was unfair to vote away |
he Irish parliament, unfair because
wo-thirds Of the people could not vote
r hold office. 1t was unfair because
raud and intimidation were used by
he government which was seeking to
AXE from Ireland its parliament.