H. J. Res. 157

One Hundred Third Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,

the fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-three

Joint Resolution

To designate September 13, 1993, as ‘‘Commodore John Barry Day’’.

Whereas the United States of America is a nation of immigrants

and the contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants

to the defense of the public liberty has been a hallmark of Irish

Americans;

Whereas during the War for Independence Captain John Barry,

a native of County Wexford, Ireland, achieved the first victory

for the Continental Navy while in command of the ship ‘‘Lexington’’ by capturing the British ship ‘‘Edward’’, organizing General

George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River which led

to the victory at Trenton in 1776, transported gold from France

to America while in command of the ship ‘‘Alliance’’, and achieved

the last victory of the war for the Continental Navy while in

command of ‘‘Alliance’’ by defeating the British ship HMS

‘‘Sybille’’;

Whereas during the War for Independence Captain John Barry

rejected British General Lord Howe’s offer to desert the Continental Navy and join the British Navy, stating: ‘‘Not the value

and command of the whole British fleet can lure me from the

cause of my country.’’;

Whereas after the War for Independence the United States Congress

recognized John Barry as the premier American naval hero of

that war;

Whereas in 1787 Captain John Barry organized the compulsory

attendance of members of the Pennsylvania Assembly in Philadelphia, thus ensuring the quorum necessary to call a Convention

and recommend the ratification of the Constitution;

Whereas on June 14, 1794, pursuant to ‘‘Commission No. 1’’, President Washington commissioned John Barry as commodore in

the new United States Navy;

Whereas Commodore John Barry helped to build and lead the

new United States Navy which included his command of the

U.S.S. ‘‘United States’’ and the U.S.S. ‘‘Constitution’’ (‘‘Old Ironsides’’);

Whereas Commodore John Barry is recognized along with General

Stephen Moylan in the Statue of Liberty Museum as one of

six foreign-born great leaders of the War for Independence;

Whereas in 1991 and 1992 President George Bush proclaimed

September 13 as ‘‘Commodore John Barry Day’’; and

Whereas designating a day to commemorate Commodore John Barry

would be important to United States Navy veterans, Irish Americans, and to all the people of the United States: Now, therefore,

be it

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H. J. Res. 157—2

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

United States of America in Congress assembled, That September

13, 1993, is designated as ‘‘Commodore John Barry Day’’, and

the President of the United States is authorized and requested

to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United

States to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies and

activities.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.

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