The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-18
ENTHUSIASTIC CELEBRATION OF ST. PATRICK'S FEAST BY
 KNIGHTS OF ST. PATRICK
Ninth Annual Banquet at Atlantic Hotel Proves Unqualified Suc GessBrIIant Speeches by Distinguished Orators
 Evoke Enthusiastic Applause

and as much spirit as the CeIt has He has the heart, an attribute that is
 given to him by the mother whC
 bears him, for the Irish mother is the flower that goes to decorate the
 wreath that surrounds us and holdG
 us together in our faith. and love o-
 justice and freedom.
 Attorney General John H. Light wht responded to the toast Irish Influ ence in American Life, said in part ''I esteem it an honor and pleasure tt be here this evening, for I would rather speak to American 1rishmeI than any other class know of TheJ have the responsive temperament thaJ makes every other Irishman an ora. tor. The speaker of the Legislature in an adjoining State had the ap- pOintment of a messenger for whick position there were 15 applicants. He turned to a, small boy who was one of the seekers for the place and said What is your name?'
 tt John Hancock was the reply. who signed the Declaration of Inde- pendence?'
 $ No. sir, but would have done it if I had been there was the reply
 t'The Irishman has the characteris7 tic of adaptibiIity He can out Eng fish the Englishman and he can be a better rnerican than the American.
 etOn hearing of the battle of Manila Bay a boy in the streets of Dublin threw his hat in the air and cheer ed.
 .' What are you cheering for? You are not an American he was admon- ished.
 .Ft4t aren't we their ancestors? re- 5slied tt Q boy
 ..Ae Douglas stewart says, The con -rfIz2tioa that the Irish people gave in heu eht and life to the American col
 i-I not have been obtained without that influence and thought
 Ire loyal Irishman never forgets lis native land. He can see the Emerald Isle in the face of his sweet heart Historians find Irish names in the lists of the names of the early colonies. In 1880 they were in Vir- ginia Shortly after the rise of Cron- well in 1851 many Irishmen came here. h. 1z20. there were so many Irishmen in Massachusetts, that the Governor of the colony issued an order that they move on. In 1723 Massachusetts pass ed a law compelling Irishnen to regis ter. In 1736 thousands of Irishmen landed in Boston, and in Boston to- day there are more Irishmen than there are in Belfast. They tell a story about a Chinaman in New York who purchased a ticket for Ireland. Ask ed what he was going to do there, he said that he had travelled all over the world and had come to the conclusion that Ireland was thes only country in the world where the Irish did not rule.
 "One-haf of the people in the col onies were against England in the American Revolution and 5one-half was for England, and there was hard Iy an Irishman in America who did not take up arms against England. In 17S9 England conducted an investi- gation to learn who made up the American Revolutionary army Jo- seph Holloway who made the report said that not one-quarter were native born Americans one-half were born in Ireland and one-quaFter were born either in Scotland or England. John Knox was with Washington in every battle and there was not a battle in the American Revolution where Irish blood did not flow There were Blate- Iy, Decatur Lawrence of Don't give up the ship fame; Thomas McDon- ough, hero of Lake Champlain; Oliver Hazard Perry, who had an Irish moth CT There was the battle of New Or leans in the second war with England where the men who defeated were largely Irfstmen led by Andrew Jack son. another Irishnan. Thomas Du- gan. the first colonial Governor of New York, was Irish. The first con- stitutionaI Governor of New York. Clinton, was Irish. So. was Dewitt Linton. In 1894 Thomas Addis Elm to this country and rose rapidly to be the leader of the New York bar, be- coming attorney general of the State in 1872 Out of the 90 contributors to- the half million dollar fund for the relief of Washington's army at Val ley Forge 29 were Irishnen- From 15o;o0O to POO, GOO native born Irishnen answered the call of Abraham Lincoln to save the Union, to say nothing of the American born Irishmen. Essen italy this is country founded by the Irish American and Irish valor.
 1+One-half of the Catholics of the country are Irish. John Ireland, now an archbishop; Bishop McMahon- and many other Catholic clergymen were chap1ains in the Union army. Arch bishop Hughes was sent to Europe on a special mission by Abraham Lincoln and his efforts greatly aided in build ing up sentiment and confidence among the European nations in the armies of the North Of the 9O,000,- 900 people in the United States 30, ,000,- GOO belong to the Irish race. As Campbell sees it we could not have been for the Irish who fought that this country might exist
 Congressman William Kennedy of Naugatuck responded to the toast Lessons from Irish History" He said:
 This day is full Of history, not the twenty-four hours alone, but centur- ies, years, months and days leading LID to this very night. Eloquent speeches have been delivered, true poetry has been read, melodious songs have been sung and the best Irish music has been composed and played in honor of St. Patrick
 is great day if nroDerlv JIQ- derstood and should be honored by all people America has some events in her history that occurred upon this day and Irishmen and women and their descendants should now ce1ebra te this day
 St. Patrick gave to the Irish people a religion, and to their honor, as a rule they remain true to the Roman Catholic faith.
 When St. Patrick died he left Ire