The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-04-13
New ireland and Now England.

New ireland and New England.
Richard McCloud, ESQ, of Hartford, in
his lecture at Breed Hall, in Norwich, Con-.
on Monday evening, March 18th, gave some
interesting facts regarding the increase in
population and strength OF the Irish race
and blood in New England, and argued
that the six States now called New Eng
said Captain John Smith, in l6l4, upon
visiting what is now called Massachusetts,
named this section of the American CONT
nent New England, in compliment to Old
England but long before Captain john
Smith was born, or Columbus, either, an
Irishman from the county of Kerry, st.
BreBdan, discovered it, with the rest of
the Continent, and named it Ireland ct
Mikla, or Great ireland. This, according
to Irish annals, coToborated by Scandana
Wan history, took place about the year
A d. $50. Bot as the Irish at the time were
busy at home, and were governed by their
own kings, they had no desire to populate
foreign country, and neglected their
possessions. But after the lapse of thir-
teen hundred years the descendants of St.
Brendan have returned. They have been
coming over for some years at rapid rate,
and have now so much increased in num-
bers that we call upon the MAP makers
and cOmpiers of geography to cali this
part Of the United States New Ireland.
The census of 1870, just come to hand, in
forms us that there are but SO 627 persons
born in England residing in the six States
knowR as New England, and in these six
States there are 300, 299 persons who were
born in Ireland, while of Irish parentage
there are 600, 600 more, making in round
numbers say one million people in New
England born in Ireland and of Irish par
entage. Of descendants of Irishmen there
must be at least 500, 900. The total popu-
lation of these States is 3,4s7, 924, SO that
about half of the population of New Eng
land in 1870 was of Irish blood, and in 1873
mainder of the population is by no means
of English blood, for the Germans and
Canadians now form q great proportion of
the people. AS Ireland by historical proofs
first discovered the country, as her chill
dren have returned to it's shores, and EGG
lish blood is but speck on the sea of hu-
manity, why call it any longer New Eng
land. Look at Connecticut, our ewn State.
l cannot tell you the number of Irishmen
in the State thirty years ago, but the num-
Der of Catholics was ,SI7 and as some
other natonalites were Catholic, and some
Irish were Protestant, we can safely put
the number of Irish at that figure. The
census of 1870 reports that there are 20, $50
persons in Connecticut born in Ireland,
| and born of Irish parents there must be
over 1907 600 more, as there were 203, $50
persons in the State born offoreign parents.
The Irish in general keep ap in the growth
of their families with others of foreign ma
tivity. So to-day, taking into accout the
increase from 1870, there must be almost
800 900 persons in Connecticut either born
in Ireland or of Irish parentage. 1t is
computed by reliable authority there are
about that number of Catholics in the State.
What q change in quarter of q century.
In Rhode Island and Connecticut in 1874
there were but ak priests, eight churches,
and 9,997 Catholic sonls. There are now
| over 100 churches besides GA chapels and
| stations, Us priests, seventy clerical stu
dents, ten male and female academies,
forty-fou parochial free schools, orphan
asylums, and over $50 900 Catholic popu-
lation. The first Mass offered in Connecti-
cut was by priest who came with the
| French troops to aid America in her strug-
| gle with England for independence, and
was said in the town of Hartford. The
first Catholic sermon preached in English
in this State was at Hartford, in the year
| 1913, at Congregational meeting house,
by the Rev. DR.. MatignOn, of Boston while
on his way to New York by stage coaches.
| He was invited by the minister, it is said,
to please the ladies who wanted to see
real live "Popish priest" Thirty years ago,
Norwich had but $50 Catholics to- day she
has about 5000.
Massachusetts also is rapidly changing
its population, and the Irish and Catholic
element largely preponderates. A Catholic
Church now overlooks Plymouth rock.
The state librarian, or the official that gat-
hers statistics in that state, says in 3 recent
| report, that Massachusetts has gained more
than fifteen per cent in Eve years, and at
this rate in the year 1900, there will be
more than three million people in the state,
making a country more densely populated
than England now is. But he says this is
due to the immigration of the foreign born
while the natives go to other states. The
births are greatly in favor of the Irish
born. In that state in 1870 there were 3d.
ESQ births, .of which only $500 were of
American parents, the balance of foreign
parents, the greater part Irish, and the
official gets so convinced by the figures of
! births and immigration that he concludes
by saying That the character of our popu-
lation is undergoing q great change, surely
aud not very slOwly. mixed stock of Irish,
Germans, aud Canadians are taking the
place of the purely English stock which
has possessed Massachusetts for more
| than two centuries" In Connecticut we
get no information as to the nativity of
the parents in regard to births each year,
as in Massachusetts,. just look around and
see if what ia true in regard to Mas
ssachusetts does not produce the same