The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-06
THE IRISH IN AM ERR "A.

.EIHE lkLSn lin AN. EhlCA,
An Important Tactpr ia the Political
History Of The United
StaIes
So Says Mayor Grace, Of New York, il
His Eloquent Address at the
Eoston Theatre.
The Carney hospital, which as its
name Indicates, represents the beneyo-
lence of(a philant hFopist of Celtic origin,
| occupies a warm place in the affections
Of Bostonians, andsis often the benefi-
CARY Of lecture, d fair, or concert got
ton up to swell its income. Hon. III
liam e. Grace, mayor Of New York
city, consented some months ago to de-
liver q lecture in behalf of the institu-
ton, and last Sunday night the Boston
theatre was filed to REPETITION by people
Elaesireus Of hearing him and at the
same time adding q half a dollar of the
treasury of the hospital. Five thou
sand people were in the building when
the preliminary concert was ended, and
Mayor O Brien introduce the speaker.
Mr.. Grace's subject was 1.-The Irish in
America = as follows:
The American Irish are an important
factor in the political history Of this
and the mother country. They have
created and modified public opinion in
Its relation to themselves and to their
kinfolks across the sea and have IN
fuenced and even determined state pol
icy. Active, aggressive, and at the
same time loyal TO principle, their
very community Of race feeling has CIV
en- them facility of organization which,
while it may leave them a prey to I'M
scrlpulous politicians. has, IN connee-
ton with the charactist1cs named, a
permanent political value. They have
impressed themselves upon national
conduct, and have in large measure
successfully met and overcome these
preiudices against their race and relig-
ion with which from the earliest times
they have been forced TO contend. How
bitter thoee preiudiices have been we all
know. 1.-THE Irish are the spendthrift
sister of the Aryan race" says Mr..
Froude, the brilliant but trustworthy
anti-Irish historian. And in this SEN
tence he seems to have summarized the
i,.dgseaRtu wFriNsr 4 bassc who have not
been brought in contact with Il
formed. The coGaduct OF the
America has beeLi strongly il
in winning for those at home Il
al support whiati comes from the SYM
patty of strangers to the blood, and
which ssln itself almost as valuable as
the material assistance which has been
SO lavishly bestowed. So, too, organi-
cation has enabled Ireland to carry for
ward aland agitation which in its be-
ginnings seemed based upon a forlern
hope. but which now, in the light OF re-
cent events, seems certain to be crown
ed with an abiding success. OF this re-
suit the American Irish may we'll fell
hopeful, and without them 1t is not too
much to say it's realization would have
been indefinitely postponed. Prior to
the American revolution, though there
had been a steady tide of emigration
from Ireland, it had not assumed any
thing like the proportions which this
century had Witnessed. The expulsion
Of Janesu. and the accession of Will
liam and Mary to tbs throne was ac-
companied by q revival Of discrimina-
ton against Irish manufactures, and a
food of emigration followed. These
enig1ants leave nodefinite trace behind
them until we come to the settlement
founded at Logan, in Pennsylvania
which at the time 1899 was a colony
that afforded much greater freedom OF
religious thought than others under
British control. Pennsylvania contin-
| ued to be favorite point of destination
though various settlements we're made
| inNaryiand Virginia, North and South
| Carolina and Kentucky. III New Eng
land strong prejadices existed against
| the Irish. Settlers were, however, not
deferred from attempting 10 gain foot.
hold, and, besides adding largely to the
population Of Boston, established set
/ tlemen at Concord, Mass. Puritan
| New England afforded a limited tolera,
ton to Catholics of all nationalities
thongn as class, it denied to them pol.
itical privileges. the Irish, neverthe-
| less, demonstrated their fitness 70 sur,
yiTa. and Hoarishine settlements were
soon founded throughout all the terri
tory OF New England It was in 1774
| that the emancipation OF the Catholics
/ in the United States first began. &
was movement which lad its origin
/ in tile desire OF the English government
TO strengthen its own hands against tbs
colonies, and its action forced tbs con
tenental congress to similar policy
Between ITS and 1883 the great DrInci
pie of religious freedom found organi
zed expression in the constitutions adj
opted by eight Of the newborn states
From the foregoing brief tketch it ma,
be seen that the Irish element Was
highly important in the struggle be-
tween the colonies and the crown Pro
baby one-third of the officers and 9