, 1861-08-23
APPEAL To THE PUBLIC.
Capt. mcMuRray OF the Irish Rrtxaas,

;, At time Like the present when the destruc-
tton OF cur Government and our country Is
not only menaced, but in actual and rapid pro.
gress, We hold 1t the duty OF ali patriotic citi-
zens to come to the aid Of the General Gov
erIment With all the aid in men and money
at thelt command, and to assist more By acts
than by speech in its preservation and per.
petuato on-and that the true man aud the
patriotic msy have faith In cur professions
and deeds Of loyalty, and to encourage him IN
battling with the common enemy for the
rights and authority of our glorious Union,
We respectfully lay before the public case in
point.
The subject OF tAis article, the Late Captain
Francis McAu1ay, native born citizen, and
located here for many years practiclug a. an
to give np lucrative practice for the pur-
pcsa Of organizing an LIsh regiment, for the
preservation Of his beloved country. He not
only organized ard drilled the Jackson Guard
Company, <of which he was Captaia,) Of chat
Regiment, but Was the hesrt aud soul and chief
promoter In getting it up; for weeks he WAS
through the Statc, collecting and eaIisting re-
cruits, boarding and psying all expe7Bas out
of his own pocket, and, In tset, when leaving
for the seat Of war, he left his poor wife and
family penniless, aud, I may say, house1ess.
This was not the first time he served bis coup-
try in the capacity OF aoldier; he honoraoly
aid maufu1ly acquitted himself in the Mexican
war, and IVES there promoted, but without PEN
sion.
The soldiers Of the Irish Regiment loved
him to a man, with brotherly affection for he
had tie big heart of true soldier, ever ten
der, afectionate, and loyal to all; Chicago
has lost in his death patriotic and worthy
citizen, and the State and the Union brave
officer wEo was to make bis mara ; alas that
the good cause should haye lost Lyon and 9
McAuFray. His parents have lost good and
ever obedient son, his afact. wife q faithful
and tender husband, and his poor children,
{for his wife will soon have an other to claim
the protection Of parent, the best ofia.aers.
May his ashes rest in peace.
But will the citizens Of Chicago allow his
memory and his eKertionB for the preserve
ton Of their heerths and homes and I'll that is
dear to them, rest here. We trust not! We
truet it never will be said, either ut the pres
ent or at after time, that they neglected this
good mans widow; that they gladly accepted
and landed mis- services while he lived, but
when he died in the service Of his country
their sympathy died with him, that they fer
got their duty to his family the moment he
and stsrvipg family. This opportunity is,
alas! now given them to prove whether they
ere hollow or wanting in their promises to
protect the widow aud orphans Of their dead
so1die1E. This one case Of justice and
humanity properly attended to, will have
more effect in obtaining volunteers tkan
all the meetings. that can be got up, In
fact, We believe if this particular case is neg
lected 1t will have bad efees here, and put q
damper On the present enthusiasm. We there
fore respectfully SOLICIT the public at their
great melting on Saturday. to take up their
case, and aid the Defence COMMITTEES who nave
the matter in hand and the press who have
kindly volunteered t,1ei1 services for this poor
family. The Post has already taken the matter
up in pointed article this day. May we
trust the good TRIBUNE will rot be back ward.
Let it not be said that because poor McMur-
ray Was 8 douglas Democrat" that there.
fore he was passed over, bus show the public
that, Us the Democrat is az willing d any
other citizen to shed his blood for his coun.
try, his deserts and EXERT ,ns will! NEE. as
public reward as any other citizen. Some
cne has without authority published that the
Captains life was inSxred, and that
he left bis wife property Both statements
aze utterly untrue. Let the citizens OF Chi
cago lock to it that the soldiers' widows and
orphans will have a home, and be not allowed
10 steTze, at least until able to support .hem-
selves. We trust confidently that The Judges
and the bar OF our city {as he WAS an hoaora-
bic member Of the latter) will assist in the
good work, and that the City Council, Board
Of Trade, and every good citizan will giyo
their mite, "a little from each, will insure the
family comparative comfort and happiness ;
and the public confdtnce iu the speedy and
successful termination Of this unho1y war.
MANI CITIZENS.