The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-14

The Irish im America.

The Irish in America.
A lecture was delivered, last Thursday evening,
at the S,uyvesant Institute, by Charles James
Cannon, ESQ on {" the Irish America" He oom-
menced by paying q tribute to America for the
reception Of the Irish, and the aEeiioration of
their condition. The Irish people were never for
getful Of fsvors OF no people could 1t be moro
truly said, that their memory Of wrong was written
in sand but that Of kindness was incribed on brass
They remembered all that America had done for
them, and they knew that she was entitled totheir
warmest gratitude, and that at that moment there
was not heart in the land which throbbed more
warmly than that which quickened the blood of
" old Ireland" But while it was admitted that
the Americans had done much for the Irish, had
not the Irish done much for America They bore
their part in cultivating the soil. The wrongs
they received at homo gave them thought OF
expatration andlong before the tide Of emigration
commenced TO flow, many Of the best Irish families
had gone to make their homes in foreign land
He did not allude to those expelled by Cromwell,
and at some subsequent periods, but to the early
settlers. Though at one time night had covered
them with gloom, yet no fear for the future existed
The English colonists received the Irish with great
favor and confidence; but this was not always the
case, especially in Massachusetts. That may DO
accounted for. England had committed her first
wrongs against Ireland long before that PERIOD and
down to the time of Lord John RUSSELL Ireland had
received nothing from her but wrongs. England,
even before the invasion Of Ireland had sought her
subjugation. England had become the victim of
unholy designs She forgot what lrelaad had done
for the literature of the world England, in great
degree, stood indebted to her for her position in
literature and learning The lie ,turer adyerted to
those men who had decried Ireland. To the stain
encouraged by England-fancied superiority--was
added religious persecutio Persecution had never
da md had fha Iris haap iu 90
themselves, never would the emerald gem of tho
Western World have been taraished. The Irish
bad succeeded in establishing themselves in Massa-
chusetts, and had greatly increased and contri-
buted largely TO the success Of the American revo
lutionary struggle. (Applause) He Ohe leo
ture asked for the Irish fair proportion of credit
for the part they took in that struggle, which was
not small. The names of many history had re-
corded, and traditions had also come down to us.
He alluded to the ISLANDERS Of novel writer's and to
the characteristic impulsiveness of the Irish
people; but q blow was never given until words
were useless The fidelity of the Irish troops,
history, although they were tempted by the Eng
lish eBissaries. OF the ffty.six names which were
appended to the Declaration of Independence, a
great proportion were those of Irisbmen. Gap
plsuse) America was greatly indebted for her in
dependence to the Irish A review of the names Of
our mercantile ard professional men would also
show what Ireland had done for America. If the
Irish were poor, they were not lazy. The poorest
Va tuem Wolo onhy duuiue W tno WCnisA VA VIZ
country. Our railroads were the work of their
hands, and so were the magnificent structures in
our cities They were to be honored moro for their
poverty and ignorance than We were for our wealth
and intelligence. No honorable mind could despse
them on that account. The lecturer extolled tho
talents and attainments Of tho irish iterat. The
conservatism Of her church had been raised against
her as fault; and another fault urged was, that
she rendered progress little or no assistance. He
admitted that Ireland was behind the age, for it
was go fast an age that we had to run pretty hard
to keep up with it. (Applause) She made little
progress except in the way of Christian salvation.
The conservatism of her church was lost sight
Of 1t was built upon a rock, and nothing could
destroy it, AS she had no pet theory of govern
ment, she not disposed to interfere with other
governments. The church had always protected
the pure rights of the people against encroach-
ment, and she had opposed herself against wild and
Utopian schemes. By the power of the despised
lrish and their faith we were protected from abo-
litionism, secessionism, Kinkelism, and Kossuthsm
-(gre at applause)-and all the other isms which
hsd been imported from abroad He adverted to
the scantinees of the provision which existed for
Catholic worship during the earlier periods of
colonization During the "reign Of terror" in
France, many priests had come to America to
labor, where they had found Ialuable coadjutors.
1t was not to wealth that the church looked for
support The lecturer then alluded to the spread
OF Catholicism in America, and to the alarm which
it created, and with few concluding observations,
closed his discourse.