The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 74 text:

48 . 'th an body if he differs with me. I-Ie has as W1 Y . . much right to his opinion as I have to mine, and it is an equal chance that he is right and I am Wrongg but I have my conviction and I must stand by it. So if in drawing a picture of what I think IS the ? True American, I may run counter to your opinion, no offence. If I did not say what I mean I should make no speech at all. - If you had left it to me to choose my toast to- night, I could not have picked one to suit me better, for there is nothing which appeals to me so much as the True American. Let me drink to him ! Let me drink in Warm, red Wine,- the symbol of the blood that is driven by his brave heart through-his vigorous arteries. Not blue blood, but red blood- the red blood of the aggregate people of America -blood that tingles with patriotism, blood that burns with love of liberty g blood thatseethes with hatred of oppression. It is the blood of no one peo- ple of the old world. Not Dutch, nor English, nor Scotch, nor Irish, nor German, nor Italian,-but the mixture of the best blood of all the ,nations of the earth, for it is the blood of the liberty-loving, freedom-seeking people of all the earth. It is the cream of the nations. It is this blood, drawn from all the sources of freedom in the World, that has produced the True American, and in producing 'him has built up the greatest republic 'the World has ever seen. The' True American stands to-day the young Ffolossus of civilization. The nations are watch- mg to see yvhat he will do. Oppression and tyranny tremble in his presence, and freedom and liberty come to him as a friend and a champion. I-Ie is broad and liberal in all his views. He is I mean

Page 73 text:

I 6 B R ,--'N's '4fX.g'R'g, . 6 5- lsr ADDRESS GF MR. KELLER. THE TRUE AMERICANQH y I Confident of the greatness of his own country, he does not build his hopes of her future upon expectations of the patron- age of any foreign power. Mr. Ckazkfmam, Ladzks, cmd Genilemewz .- D HE other day a man Walked into my office and said : We are going to have a meet- ing in sympathy with the Boers, and we want to use your name as a Vice-Presi- dent. I ansvvered instantly, Use it I Then I looked at him and said, But you are an Irish- man. Oh, yes, he replied, most of asin this movement are Irish. But why notlleave it to the Dutch in America to hold the meeting? I inquired. Sure, said he, if We left it to the Dutch, the War would be over before the meeting was held, and then we would n't have a list in the iight I Gentlemen, if the Holland Society has any doubt about which end of the British lion to tackle, there are other citizens in this community who will gladly relieve them of the responsibility. I am accustomed, gentlemen, to say what I mean, and to mean what I say. I don't quarrel 47 ' .

Page 75 text:

firm in his convictions and is courageous in his opinions, but he does not assume that other men have not the right to differ with him. He is keenly alert to the interests of his own country, and he is sympathetic with other countries that are struggling to attain the greatness of his own along lines that led to that greatness. His birth, his breeding, and his education make him a democrat in principle and a republican in government. He does not envy a richer man and he does not scorn a poorer one. He believes in a condition of affairs that shall leave the Held wide open for individual endeavor, so that the best man may win without fear or favor. It has always been his proudest boast that the poorest boy in the land may grow into the greatest mang that the humblest child may some day sit in the nation's presidential chair. He looks askance at any proposition or any tendency of the times that shall make it impossible for this condition to continue. As between republican and monarchical forms of government, the True American is always repub- lican on general principles. He remembers -the history of his country, and in any conflict between a monarchy and a republic he is for the republic. As between a superior monarchical forceinvading a country, and an inferior republican force defend- ing it, he is for the defenders. As between a battalion crossing the seas and marching in solid phalanx, and an individual shooting from his Hre- side to protect his home, he is for the individual. If ever he is otherwise there must be some abnor- mal cause for his position. The True American is generous. He is charita- ble. We hear much of late about hands across the