The Portland daily press., 1883-02-20
HON. JOHN KELLY. /.
His Lecture on the Early Irish Settlers of
America.

lion. John n Kelly, the celebrated leader of
Tammany, whose influence is power in New
York politics, and therefore in the nation, ar
rived in Portland yesterday. and lectured in
City Hall, in the evening, on the early Irish
Settlers of America" in behalf of the Catholic
orphan asylum. Mr.. Kelly was accompanied
by Judge Quinn, Judge John Rooney, P. j.
Hanway, John II. Mooney, Edward Cahill {,
John B. Haskin, John H. Straham and Coro-
ner Martin, all from New York
AT the appointed hour for the lecture Mr..
Kelly met large number OF gentlemen, by
invitation of Bishop Healy, in the Mayors
Office who afterwards took seats on the plat
form. Besides the Bishop and the trustees of
the asylum, were noticeable Collector Dow
Hon. G. f. Libby, Hon. Bion Bradbury, A. A.
Strout, Esq, Hon. L. d. NJ Sweat, Judge God
dard, Judge Quinn of New York, De. C. o.
Donoghue, Esq, Gen. j. j. Lynch, w. H.
Looney, Esq, Rev. DIR. Hill, Thos. Tash, ESQ.,,
M. G. Palmer. Esq, JAS Cunningham, Esq,
Patrick MCGOWAN, Esq, Geo. W. Parker, ESQ.,,
VIM. Chenery Esq, 7. J. Scannell, ESQ.,, Thos
Hassett,Esq. Several Of the Catholic clergy of
the diocese were also present, including Rev. T.
z. Linehan, Rev. c. W. Doherty, Fathers
Murphy and Cooney of Portland, Rev T. Fl.
Wallace of Lewiston, Rev. j. W. Murphy of
Augusta, Rev. j. Mccarthy of Gardiner and
Rev. A. D. Decelle of Saccarappa.
Mr.. Kelly is a man of splendid physique.
He is at least six feet in height, and has a pair
OF massive shoulders. He might be not inapt-
ly compared to Atlas for he bears no small
portion OF the globe on his shoulders. His hair
IA iron md ;n Iii
short. His face is broad and has smiling ap-
pearance in repose, while his half closed eyes
give him shrewd expression of countenance.
He bears certain resemblance, even if dis
tant, to ex-Sheriff l. d. Cushman. He is
straight as an arrow and bears himself like
military man
Rt. Rev. Jas. A. Healy briefly addressed the
assembly reminding them of the laudable pur-
pose for which the lecture was to be delivered
!. 6. for the benefit of the Catholic ophans of
the State, and thanking them for their gener-
GUS outpouring, he then introduced Hon.
Chas f. Libby as the chairman.
Mayor Libby received most hearty greeting
and after alluding to the Catholic orphan
asylum which he said occnpied prominent
place in the front ranks of our noble charit-
able institutions, he introduced as the lecturer
Hon. John Kelly of New York. Mr.. Kelly was
greeted with tremendous applause which was
repeated again and again. He then read his
lecture in strong clear voice, from his manu-
script He spoke in brief as follows the
lecture covering almost two hours:
have prepared a lecture on the early Irish
settlers of America, and there are many things
sNfr 6tal, r
written lecture, from which will endeavor
to read, that you may understand. 1t is a
natural curiosity that prompts US to inquire
what our grandfathers were. Many think that
the Irish blood is a recent arrival in the United
States, or, at least, since the great famine of
1876. They feel that 100 years ago there were
scarcely any but English or English descen-
dants. The more closely we scan the records,
the more we find that large proportion of the
early settlers were of Irish descent. Mr.. Kelly
then sketched in graphic manner the history
of the Irish race during the reign of the an
cient English soveregns, and the brilliant
deeds accomplished by the Irish soldiery during
the 10Th and 10th centuries, and the various
acts of oppression and tyranny done by the
English rulers during the same time The
Irish linen industry was strangled, because it
intefered with the sale of English goods of the
same style. The various oppressive measures
had the effect of driving off 100000 skilled
artiSaus, tne majority OF WbOm were ProteS-
tants out of Ireland, and the result was that
they were found, as Lord Macaulay says, ev-
erywhere in Europe except in Ireland. The
names of IriShmen are found in the records of
the armies of the mighty nations in Europe
and MacMahons the grandfather of the past
marshal of France, was one of the commission
ers sent to investigate the American colonies
Froude says that the Irshman rose to his prop
or level when he was removed out of his un-
happy county. Any one who thinks he can read
American history and find all the Irish names
commencing with Nc will find himself much
mistaken. The speaker traced the history Of
the settlement of the several states and showed
that in nearly all large number OF the lead
ing men were Irishmen. After reviewing the
history of the settlements of the colonies, the
speaker considered few of the MANY repre-
sentatives of the Irish people in the United
States. OF the names signed to the declara-
tion Of independence nine are those OF Irish
men, and the deciding vote that elected
Thomas Jefferson, President of the United
States was cast by an Irishman, and the result
was that the federalists were hurled from pow
or The remarks of Mr.. Kelly were listened
20 with the closest attention, and he was FREE
'quontly interrupted with applause