The Irish standard., 1916-04-15

with provisions and clothing, The
total sum raised to supply the army
was $1,575,O00, of which amount $780,
600 were subscribed by members of the
Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and the
Hibernian Society.
One historian, speaking of the
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick, has this
to say:
In December, 1881, Gen. George
washington was elected an adopted
member of the Society of the Friendly
Sons of st. Patrick of Philadelphia,
and in his letter of acceptance to the
president of the society he said: 81
accept with singular pleasure the en-
sign Of so worthy fraternity as that
OF the Friendly Sons of st. Patricia
society distinguished for the firm ad-
herence of its members to the glor.
1ous cause in which we are embarked"
Brilliant are the pages of our coun-
try's history with the deeds and cour.
age OF the Irish race. From the birth
OF the Republic the Irish have shed
their blood and sacrificed themselves
upon the altar of our country in order
that liberty might prevail throughout
the land and the government of free
people be maintained. In all the wars
OF our country they have been ever
ready to do and dare and die. And
they stand today, as of yore, ready
to do their country's bidding.
No Drawer soldiers ever wore the
, trappings of the United States than
men of Irish birth and descent. This
was shown in splendid manner in
the late Civil War. The correspond
ent of the London Times, writing to
his paper, had the following to say
OF the charge of Meagher's Irish bri-
gade up the slopes of Marys Heights
at Fredericksburg:
Never at Fontenoy, at Albureau, or
at Waterloo did men show the daring
and the courage of their race than
was evinced by the sons of Erin in
their six frantic dashes against the
impregnable position of the foe. That
any mortal man might carry the DO
sltlon seems idle to believe, but the
dense masses which lay within 40
yards of the muzzles Of Col. Walton's
guns is the best evidence of what
manner of men were they that pushed
on to death with the dauntlessness of
race that have won glory upon a
thousand battlefields and never more
richly deserved it than at the foot
OF Marys Heights, December H. 1862.
NOT alone in warfare but in the
material pursuits of life they have
contributed a large share of our coun-
try's brain and Drawn. And they will
continue to do so, for an Irishman is
by nature true American citizen in
all that the word typifies.
The Irish settlers of the Pan Han
die were scoffed at because of their
rough appearance and lack of educa-
ton, but those who scoffed were ig-
norant of the character of those peo-
pie. Little did they know about the
Irish, and they took no trouble to
lind out anything about their past.
But character will always tell, and
those who scoffed soon found out how
foolish they were. for the Irish people
from the beginning showed themselves
thoroughly adapted to their new con-
dition.
Those men and women had suffered
Tor liberty and justice as their fathers
before them. They had come to Amer
lea to enjoy those natural rights which
God ordained that all men should en-.
JOY, and which are so clearly annun-
clated in the Declaration of Independ.
ence. They found in the Pan Handle
that haven where under the Stars and
Stripes they could practice and enjoy
true liberty and contribute their share
In the upbuilding of the state and
| nation.
1t was my good fortune to have
grown up among those people. A
child of the race learned early their
characters and as time went on nv
desire to emulate those good old men
and women grew upon me-
Often have l stood for hours meath
the shade of one of the clustering
trees of a grove in a favorite spot
where they were wont to gather and
listen to the jestings and gatherings
OF the men folk. What wit! Humor.
GUS and keen, that flowed in as natural
manner from their lips as the water
trickles from the miller's wheel. No
Grecian god ever enjoyed a feast
more than I enjoyed those gatherings.
AS recall to mind many of those
occasions l laugh at the quaint things
said and marvel at the wonderful nat.
ural ability shown by them.
Who of our generation can accurate.
ly portray the sufferings endured by
the Irish settlers? Yea, to do that,
one must have suffered with them,
They endured hardships and suffered
privations because they loved liberty
and Justice. No poor words of mine
can pay those men and women a
higher tribute than to say, that they
were honest, generous, Industrious,
GOd.fearinc 1ihorfv- Iovino Ar,o,soon.