The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-24
THE scoroH.IRIsM SOCIETY.
Tho Importance of the National Congress
to 10 Hold at sprIngliell.

INC lunpOftNnue OF lhc NhtlouWi SohBfpbs
to Bo Held at Springfield.
SPRINGFIELD, o., April 23,-The fifth
annual congress Of scoteh-Irish Society
OF America will convene here May IL
and continne in session three days, The
first session OF this society was held at
Columbia, Tenn, on suggestion of Col
\, I. Wright, OF Nashville, and but four
years an organization the society has
on its membership roll many OF the
most prominent men in the country,
statesmen, soldiers, iurists, diyines,
educators and scholars.
The Scotch Irish have been so closely
associated with the history OF Ohio
from its beginning as part OF the
Northwest territory that it can be
said that the state owes its very being
to this race otpeople, Ohio is a Scotch
Irish state in Its inception, in Its being,
in its every fiber that gives it it's dis
tinguishing characteristics, the forceful
factors, that have ,made Ohio pre.emi-
pent in the siaterhood Of states,
The Scotch.Irish pioneers OF Ohio
were men We're keen foresight, whose
healthy bodies, energy and force and
boundless ambition, their integrity of
character, patriotism and hatred OF tyr
amy, fitting them 10 rear state on
the principles OF civil and religious lib
erty. They were men who recognized
the power OF religious influence as well
us Intellectual force in a country, and
so soon as the forest was opened there
was built the church and the
school house, And the log COL
leges they built, from Princeton
all along the westward course
OF the star OF empire, stand as munu-
ments OF the confidence the pioneer
fathers had in intellectual force. These
colleges were built by the followers OF
the sainted Tenant, mono OF whom more
faithful to the educational spirit OF st,
Patrick than DR.. John McMillen, the
first Presbyterian minister west OF the
Ohio river, the founder of several col
leges, including Washington-J Jefferson,
the alma mater OF the lately lamented
James q. Blaine, a scotch-Irishman Of
the most pronounced type. McMillen
buiIded we'll. and his work like the rip
pie made by the pebble thrown into
the sea. goes on forever. Old Father
Mccormick, the first Methodist minis
ter to invade the interminable forest of
the northwest territory, the founder Of
the first Methodist church northwest, OF
the Ohio river, was q noble specimen OF
the Scotch-Irish race, as was also the
Rev. Finley. that, characteristics
pecimen OF the pioneer initerant
preacher. So was Matthew Simpson,
the most distinguished OF Ohios
native ministers OF the Gospel, perhaps
the most eminent, certainly the most
influential man OF the cloth OF his time,
the most powerful orator aud the most
profound mind in the great Methodist
minisit, whose judgment was 80 sound
as to affairs OF state that both Lincoln
and Grant sought his confidence during
the dark days OF the struggle between
tho states. Alexander Campbell, the
founder OF the Disciples church and OF
Bethany College; Rev. Rankin, the
founder OF the FREQ Presbyterian. and
Rev. DR.. Alexander Clarke, one OF the
founders OF the Methodist Protestant
church, all were of tho blood that drew
it's religious inspiration and love Of
liberty from the fountain OF Knox and
Melvill. So was DR.. Charles @. G.
Beatty, the son OF revolutionary
soldier and the founder Of the first dis
tinctive female college west OF the
mountains, an institution of far-reach-
ing influence.
Tho Scotch.Irish society Is thoroughly
American. Tho great majority Of mem.
bers arc defendants of Revolutionary
soldiers, the royal American blood, If
such thing there be, and the great OBJ
ject OF the organization is not to keep
in memory the history OF any foreign
country. although oil people have a
tender feeling tor tho soil upon which
were born their ancestors, but to per-
petuate tho achievements OF Scotch
Irishmen as Americans.