and to remember that it has responsibilities, and that it owes a helping
hand to others that honestly struggle for such benefits. Especially is
this the case with the American people, made up as they are from all
races, and absorbing yearly as they do so much of the best blood of all.
America has thriven and grown strong upon the misfortunes of Europe. Our
toast specially refers to the political exiles of Europe, but the truth
is, that all the exiles of that continent are political. Every shipload
of emigrants that seeks our shores has been banished by political
causes; for had the institutions of their country been such as to secure
to them freedom and the prosperity of freedom, do you think they would
have forsaken their homes and the homes of their fathers to seek new
homes beyond the ocean? We owe then to Europe a debt for all this
population and power that it has flung upon our shores, and how else can
we pay it except by doing what we can to help the European nations to
gain their freedom and form institutions under which there will be no
political exiles? For one I go for paying that debt, according to our
means and opportunities. I saw the other day in the streets a large
body of Europeans of various nations, marching along with a red flag.
In Paris, or Rome, or Vienna, such a procession would have been
impossible, or if it could have got into the streets, it would have been
assailed by the soldiery, and its members either shot down or flung into
prison. Yet in New York they went peacefully on their way, made their
demonstration in all freedom, and no trouble or harm came of it. Very
many of those men were political exiles. And why? Not because they were
bad men, for here in New York nothing could be more quiet and
appropriate than their behaviour. But they prove, that from whatever
country there are political exiles, there the institutions are bad. I
know we are in the habit of hearing about Red Republicans and Socialists
as men who are dangerous on account of their opinions, and who have
deserved to be banished from France, from Germany, from Italy. I will