The sun., 1894-04-26
The Iri.hm.n and th. un,..d States.

To THE EDITOR OF THE BuN-Sir. AZ .
meeting Of the Daughters OF the Revolution,
New York city. April 20. during discussion Of
the proposal that the municipality buy
Fraunce's Tavern. In which Washington bade
farewell to his officers. Mrs. Fay Pelrce is re-
ported In THE Sun as saying:
There are too many Irishmen in power
here. They own the city as completely as II
they had come over with guns and cannon
and taken possession OF it."
Some years ago when studying In the library
OF the British Museum. found the report Of
the com mittee appointed by Parliament In
1878 to inquire into the conduct Of the Ameri-
can war. One OF tho witnesses was Major
Gen. Robertson. who had served twenty-four
years in America. n portion OF the time as
Quartermaster- General. One OF the questions
put to him was " How are the provincial corps
omposed7" Part OF his answer is: Gen.
Leo informed me that half the Continen ntal
army were from Ireland" Mrs Peirce was
not nearly so erroneous az the amiable lady
believed herself to be.
II. after the surrender at Yorktown, Eng
land had chosen to continue the war by send
Ing over a fresh army and fitting out . new
navy IL is likely that American independence
desperate struggle. The voice that from the
beginning had been most coRent in favor Of
throushout I the world with ' a stesdiastness Of
friendship for America uneaualed in duration
% re ~ M sIs ay wss .hft 81 n ya@
permitted to have his way at 25 he too would
that Ed dmund Burke should emigrate from Ire
land to England instead OF to America.
American Independence was not secured By
the Reyolutionary war alone; that the war OF
two OIL rants left Ireland % tor u this M @ Country try
some years before that England might not
haye encountercd resistance SO formidable at
New orleans The name OF those emlRrantB
i is piIiiul that race questions should ever
call n little Calculating history to the atten-
tion OF Mrs: FAY Peirce than she was to give
this were not so inopportune a time to raise
such question. Many OF the best women OF
Before the nay
extension OF the franchise to women. The AS
so Sns the
aspersed BY Mrs. Peirce Ii would not be ex-
traordinary u such aspersion shall have the
wise to add to the sum OF racia! prejudice In
the voting population as now limited.
but only In thoughtlessness. She has fallen
Into the error OF assuming that there are no
those who participate In q Kind Of politics
Fnst n Agreeable Tai,es i,t To- her prsiudcss Ms
st. Gaudens. the sculptor. were a member
ofthe Constitutional Assembly: for man is
liable to he resentfui under implied affront on
his mother or Gis motherand. Mrs; Fay
Peirce II her implication were practically ap-
plied. would not ind a competent voter in
Eliza Greatorex, first Of the women painters OF
New York. nor in her daughters. Dr. Mary
Putnam Jacob should beg Mrs. Peirce not TO
wound the sensihili:ies OF u race to whose
capital city. Dublin. women seeking medical
diplomas in tho United Kingdom were wei:
driven out OF Edinburgh
1t is not only nobler. but II is more expsdi-
ent for Americans. men and women. native or
adopted, to feel in their hearts. as well as to
utter with thsi lips on questions OF race or
color or creed no principles but those laid
down 10 the Constitution OF the United States.
Especially is this duty incum bent on the
Daughters Of the REVOLUTION. who am conf-
dent. Will accept my letter In the spirit OF cour-
tesy in which 1t is written
Another OF the ladies' present ut the meeting
said she was addressing the most aristo-
cratic body on earth" The word was used il
must be assumed in its true sense. In Plsto's
sense, driStOS the best; and the best Ameri-
can women are those who love most the Con-
stitution OF the United States.
MAEGAREr +. SULLIVAN.
CHICAGO. April 81. 1894.