Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-12-01
WHAT IRELAND HAS DONE FOR AMERICA.

of our native American citizens 1t contains some
slight inaccuries, which the Intelligent reader will
be at no loss to correct.
tits matter of deep and bitter disappointment
to the thinking, liberal minds in Europe, who have
been taught to look to this country as the land of
the freedom and equality-the boosted asylum for
Gus freedom go hand in hand, and to the blessings
of which the world has been thousand times in
vted-it is matter of heart.fe grief with them to
hear of the existence of party here whose living
principles consist in making the accident of birth
and the form of religion the test of fealty to the
country and of admittance to privileges and fran
chises which the spirit of our institutions, we'll
the positive enactments of constitution and law
guarantee in the most explicit and positive terns-
1t is not to be wondered at that minds should
be refreshed from abroad by such "reminiscences as
those we publish below:
"What has Ireland done for America?
In the first Border among the settlers we find
two Irshmen heading the opposing factions-Colo-
nes Plunkct and Butler but their bravery and skill
were afterwards employed in nobler warfare About
tls time, also, the Indians were retiring westward
before the White Man and, in fight against them,
young emgrant boy is performing prodigies of
vaor At length he fell into the hands of the Indi-
ans, but they admired him for his bravery that
they spared his life. And this afterwards John
Stark, the Irish Republican General of Brigade,
who was of the fist to under Washington.
Montgomery and Sullivan had begun their militia
ry career under Wolfe in the Canadian wars, but
threw aside the sword for the peace of domestic
tirement. Disafection began to sway the American
colonies. Combinations were formed. Irish settlers
were among the most active in their organization.
1t was an Irishman who flung the first pebble at the
Philistine of the Old World by uttering the first
treason. When Franklin wrote from London-'Thc
Sun of Liberty is set-the Americans must light
the lamps of Industry and Economy AN Irish set
tier in Pennsylvania replied to him in these signif-
cant words: BE of it shall light torches
of quite another sort" Two Irishmen-Sulvan
and Laugdan-brought munitions of war from Fort
Newcastle TO Bunker's Hill and Irish hands were en-
raup at in dra he tirSth Of the
Revolution.
Montgomery retired with fair young wife to the
quiet scenes of the domestic ireside; but Congress
called him from his happy home to become of
the first Brgader Generals of the revolution"
event. he says which must put end for while,
perhaps for ever, to my quiet scheme of life But
the will of the oppressed people, compelled to choose
between liberty and slavery must be obeyed." He !
soon at the head of his troops. He fought at |
the taking of Quebec and that night the frosty |
stars Of Canadian sky looked down upon the stiff. |
fened corps of the Donegal Highlander, the proto-
martyr of American independence. O'Connor, in
his Military History of the Irish Nation states
that General Montgomery was second only to Wash
ington in martial fame during the American war
He fell beneath the walls of Quebec with three balls
buried in his breast and forty years afterwards his
ashes were gathered by the nation, with whose glory
his name is imperishahly interviewer, and whose
deepest foundation is cemented with his blood-then
were they gathered amid a nations gratitude to their
last resting place, in the principal church of New
Iork-then did his memory receive the national
canonizaton which has stamped it for ever upon the
page of American history-and then, Also did the
tears OF his early love, in her hoary wdowhood fall
fresh upon the ashes of the martyr.
The first Commodore of the American navy was
Barry, native of TacumShane in Wexford. He
a merchantmen, and marked by
Washington in Philadelphia as the man of the sea :;
lnd IN due time he was raised to this post of honor
or which he proved himself so worthy. He was
'orn in 10, the year of Fontcnoy, and received
lis commission from Congress in l776. lie inter-
,fn1lfI Rrit,e
he Atlanta and the Trespassa at sea- and his naval |
discipline won for him the proud title of Father of
# the American navy" He p,ous Catholic
the last having made his will in favor of the Cath
lic Orphan Society, of St. Joscph's Church. Phiia-
elphia. 1t was he who brought Lafayette back to
'rance-who would not be bribed bv Lord Howe
for the value or command of the whole British
Get; and who received the public thanks of Wash
1gtOn for his services to the of independence
And then there are General jackson and General
hicldS, besides Sullivan who carried the powder
nd arms from Fort Newcastle to Bunkers Hill
nd who ultimately rose to be member of Congress,
nd was elected General of Brigade Know, anoth-
lrishman, left his book-shop in Boston, and be-
'mc the first Commander of the Ordinance of the
nlted States. The ClintOnS were natives of Ire
nd, one of whom had succeeded Montgomery and
tark, whom we found fighting against the Indians
the age Of eighteen, drove Burgoyne 10 Saratoga
here he surrendered to the American General
he Buffers, whom found engaged in border
artare were Irishmen, and Lafayette states that
henever he wanted anything we'll done he got
Iter 10 90 IT, Anthony wayne was Suruamed
Had, from his desperate assaults; General Edward
and was remarkable = for the same reckless
ring. He was a native of Queens County and -
Migrated to Canada as surgeon 10 the Irish Brig
e IN the French service, under General Motcam, da
no fell at Quebec with Montgomery and Wolfe. lg
ephen Moyian, native of Cork, and brother to tn
e Catholic Bishop of that city, was Commissary in
neral and Abide Camp to Washington at Cam ri,
ldge. Mad Anthony Wayne" and Stephen Nor by
J, fought side by side during the war. And the a s
encn agents decorated with the Order of the Gin 49,
matt, the Marquis MMahon, and Count Dillon |
10 were the descendants of Irshmen in the French :,
vice; and at the present day, General M'Mahon "a,
'ccndant OF the former, of the bright ~,
aurels at the late capture of the Malakoff by ~
French. OH
General Jackson, tho of Tyrone parents, was sn
IN on their passage to America He was true mc
der oil the Republic, who marched from the bat tbt
field to the Presidents chair. General Shields ROY
ght IN the Mexican war, and is described as be- w.
one OF the first living soldiers of the Irish race
OF excepting Cavaignac Guyon," the descen- tur
ITS of Irishmen. And who backed America in M.
English parliament The Irishmen Burke col
,ridan, Barrett, Flood, and Grattan and the Eng he;
IMAM Chatham. When England wanted to raise bai
300 men in Ireland for the prostration of the or
'nes, the Irish parliament denounced the project
refused the request One Of the first addresses wit
Congress to Ireland generating it from all ;nr
ne in the atrocous cruelties practised upon the the
erican people by the mother country. Franklin tor
tc in similar spirit from Paris to the Irish peo- to
And thus the part that Ireland acted Inn
he cause of American freedom. 7