Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1917-03-17
sT. pATRICK,S DAY.
lrrom The irish World. J

CFrom The Irish World
1t is the Seventeenth day Of March.
No need for stating in whose honor
this day has been set apart by the
Catholic Church to commemorate his
resplendent virtues and his heroic
deeds, the effects OF which have
made themselves felt during the CEN
turies down to the present hour In
all English-speaking countries it is
known alike to Catholics and nom
Catholics, to men and women of tho
Irish race and to men and women
who cannot trace their blood to that
race. In the worlds history few are
the men who leave the impress of
their character upon succeeding gem
erations and thereby make their in
fiuence felt centuries after the grave
has received their mortal remains.
Among these few, st. Patrick stands
out conspicuous. Almost fifteen cen
turies have rolled by since this hero
or the cross landed on the shores or
Ireland animated with the high pur-
pose OF converting a whole nation to
Christianity. 1t was a noble mission,
nobly carried out.
The faith delivered to our fathers
by Patrick and carried by their des-
cendants to The remotest region of
the earth was, in the course of time,
to become the means of keeping alive
and intensifying the spirit Of Irish
nationality The English invaders,
after they apostalized, tried to make
the irish share In their apostacy.
The savage penal code was enacted
for that purpose. Montesquieu, the
great Frencn writer, dealing with
this infamous code declared that It
twas conceived by devils, written IN
human gore, and registered in hell."
Its enforcement was an attempt TO
rob the Irish at one and the same
time of their religion and of their
nationality
1t was challenge flung at the
Irish. History tells us how they met
the challenge and fought till they
wrung from the English enemy a
pledge for the concession OF civil ana
religious liberty-a pledge that was
shamelessly violated as soon as made.
Patrick Ford asleft us this descrip
tion OF the dupliclty practised by the
English on that occasion: Hating
at no infamy, teaching both by pre-
cept and by example that the end
justifles the means, England's feudal
habits and treacherous tactics pre-
vailed. The Irish, after a long and
gallant struggle, were outnumbered,
trampled upon, thrice decimated by
famine, disease and legalized mas
sacre. But the vitality of the race
was indestructible. Pursued with
fire and sword-aye, sometimes
seemingly blotted from the face OF
the earth--the remnant rose again
and again, giving the alien garrison
neither peace nor rest, and more than
once gaining a large share Of its lost
liberties, only to be tricked out OF
them by English artiice and treach-
cry, playing on Irish crcdulity! BY
way Of example we may cite the
Treaty OF Limerick, by which com
paratively fair allowance of civil and
religious rights was guaranteed to
the Irish under the most solemn
pledges. Having won these conces-
sions at the swords point with valor
such as the world never saw sur
passed, Sarsheld and his heroic Bri-
gade sailed away. Having done all
that mortal men could do, and scorn-
ing to register any obedience to Eng
lish laws, they took their stout arms
into the service of France. But the
fash or their cleaning swords had
scarcely disappeared below the
oceans rim when the solemn treaty
was torn to fragments, and the Penal
Code OF Elizabeth revived"
These words were penned by
Patrick Ford forty-two years ago
Read in the light shed upon English
duplicity by the manifesto MI John
Redmond and the Irish parlamen-
tary published TO the world last
week, they show that the Irish peo-
pie are no more justified in placing
faith in England's pledges in the
opening years OF the twentieth CEN
tuly than they were in the last de-
cade of the seventeenth century. The
Leopard has not changed his spots
The treaty OF Limerick was torn in
shreds. The Home Rule Act of 1914
on the Statute Book has been vir-
tually nulliiled. And this after Irish
blood has been poured out like water
in England's defence. because young
Irishmen who fought and died for
England were convinced that she
would keep her word solemnly |
pledged to ireland. That is the latest |
specimen or English treachery which |
win be obtruded upon the attention |
of men Of our race as they assemble |
On this ST. Patrick's day to do honor |
to the memory OF Ireland's Patron |
Saint The ugly fact that Ireland |
has been tricked again will not down.
If she Is treated in that way in the |
hour Of England's deadliest peril, |
what hope will there be for her II |
England emerges a victor from the |
mighty conflict in which she is bat |
Ting for her very life?
This year ST. Patrick's day win be |
celebrated in circumstances of un-
paralleled gravity The hopes Of our
Motherland for a speedy deliverance |
from Castle rule have been dashed.
America, the land of our love, stands
on the verge of war The same Eng !
Iish influences that would rob Ire
land of the fruits of her well earned |
victory are at work trying to drag !
America into the conflict that is de- |
solating Europe. Such Is the black
outlook on the present st. Patrick's
day But the millions who win |
celebrate it the world over belong to