The daily union., 1854-10-24

We would recommend careful perusal of the following
very able and sensible article which we take from the
Georgian Telegraph of the 18th instant to those who
in favor of excluding rishmen, and particularly Irish
Catholics from participation in those great privileges Of
freemen for which their gallant countrymen fought and
bed during the times that tried mems souls
IRISH CATHOLICS IN THE TIME OF THE REVOLT
TlON.
It's with no particular reference the know-nohing
organization but rather with the view OF presenting
mere historic yndicaton of body of men who have been
much misrepresenied and greatly misunderstood that
now call the attention OF our readers 10 few OF the
services rendered the OF American liberty by
Irish Catholics in the time OF the revolution AT the pc
riod of which we write the colonies were making the
struggle for independence. Monarchy and repubicanlsm
arstocracy and democracy, the Crown and the people
were fairly ped against each other There was no time
for hesitation doubedealng Large armies were in the
feld-each party had flung out its banner before the
worldunder the other for good or evil every man
was forced to enroll himself iii be true many Yhect
believe that the spirit OF the Romish church anu the
spirit of eemen in necessary and eternal antagonm
if preference for certain religious forms implies pref
erence for certain corresponding poucai forms II The
Roman Catholic faith imposes on It's professors an en-
NIFTY to free institutions il surely at time like
this that their lurking hostility to liberty would DC made
manifest The chance of the colonies seemed hopeless
few weak provinces arayed against an ancient mon
archy, which boased itself match for all Europe besides
and an undisciplned militia had flung down the gauntlet
TO the trained armies which had hitherto proved them
selves invncble. 1t in crisis like this that the Cath
oc settlers in the United States called upon TO choose
their side and it for history tell their decision
and the fruits which sprung of IT.
The following facts CLEANED from various sources may
throw light upon the of Irish Catholics during
the times that tried mems souls
In April I77o Major John Sullivan and John Langdon
surprised fort Newcastle and carried Ola captain and
five men, together with hundred barrels of gunpowder
from near Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Abou, the same
time Stark and Reid both Londonderry men, commanded
800 Of the New Hampshire militia and did good service
their troops being chiefly Irish Catholics Before the ba,
Ia Splli
! Andrew McCary distinguished themselves AT the first
council of held at Cambridge in July lT75 Montgom-
cry and Sullivan appointed brigadier generals and
Henry Knox the Of Irish parents, was appointed to
the command Of the ordnance department In New York
Colonel Clinton commanded the third regiment and his
brother-inaw, Colonel James McCeary, who consid
cred one of the baves officers in America also command
ed a regiment; they both Irish, and at least
Catholic George Clinton brother of James attained the
rank of brgadier general in the American service
In Pennsyvanis-in the same year. l775-the following
Irish soldiers received the rank Of colonel Anthony
Wayne, VIM Irving VIM. Thompson, Walter Stewart
Stephen Movlan, and Richard Butler; Lieut. Col Thomp
received his commission in March, l776 and in the
year Col Butler brought his five to the service
Gen Montgomery Who can forget his servcesl CRATE
ry. And Commodore Barry, of Taccumshane, county
Wexordsha his be unrecorded on the list Of Amer
can heroes those of Captain James Mcee or Captain
| OBrien?
newspaper article enumcrate all the Catholic rishmen who
held command in the American service, but must not
omit the of Fitzgerald, Roche, Fermoy Lewis, and
Murphy-many, very many more, might name, if our
limits permitted itand these, be it rccoected, only the
men of note.
Of the Roman Catholics of Maryland, of Charles Car
roll of Carroon the Roman Catholic signer Of the Dea
ration of Independence is not necessary to speak, since
their history known every schooboy In those days
man thought of mingng religion with politics No
man asked his neghbor whether he Protestant or
Catholics whether he believed in infant damnation the
efficacy of auricular confession whether he favored the
white bands of Geneva the flowing abominaon of the
lsrru There wore he red pml ttrpW
Whoever brought one down was good patriot and no
cared to inquire whether the trigger was pulled by
Paplst Methodist finger. When the victory
gained they thanks together and far from fighting
sectran battles with each other the first public religions
rejoicing the of the American cele
braed in St Josephs cathedral in the city of Philadelphia
grand II DeRm sung, and George Washington him.
self there in the blue and buff uniform thankful God
for the triumph and much too sensible to trouble himself
about the fact that Joseph was Catholic saint.
This spirit not confined to the armies bat pervaded
the statesmen of the revolutionary The trainers of
the constitution never dreamed of excluding Catholics
from Office On the contrary, they sudiously prohibited
any religious test and General Washington in address
to the Catholics of the United States December 1885, thus
testified his grateful recollection OF their services:
AS mankind become more LIBERAL they will be more
apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as
worthy members of the community equally entitled TO
the protection of civil government hope ever to see
America among the foremost nations in examples of JUS
tice and berality; and presume that your feow-cit
zens will not forget the part which you took in the ae
complshment Of their revolution and the establishment Of
received from nation in which the Roman Catholic
Il ligon is professed
q" thank you gentlemen, for your kind for
While my life and my health shall continue in whatever
situation be- it shall be my constant endeavor to
justify the favorable sentiments You pleased to express
Of my conducts and may the members of your society IN
America animated alone by the pure spirit Of Christianity
and still conducting heseve, the faithful subjects OF
our free government enjoy temporal and spiritual
felicity. GEORGE WASHINGTON
i Such were the sentiments of the of those times
the etpelim pt the ufh ofb q
fast people we live in fast age; have the steam
engine the electric telegraph the sewing machine and va
rious other very wonderful contrvances but it is much
TO be doubted whether know Of the princ
pies of government than forefathers and however
much it may SAVIOR of "ogyisn we would willingly eI-
change all the enlightened know-nohings of the present
time for very few of those brave old spirits who not only
knew something but who also did something for the glory
and happiness Of America.
The Ebenezer Community, peculiar body of people
who have settlement Buffalo, desirous of break
ing their establishment in order to TO OF
the States Territories the West where they