Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-05
THOMAS MOORE, POET
Omission Of His Name From Congress
sional Library List.
ANCIENT HIBERNIANS MAKE PROTEST
Statement of the Case by Assist
ant Librarian Spofford.
BARD'S POEMS ON AMERICA

1t has been determir &c. by the members
| Of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in this
city to interest their brethren throughout
| the country TO the end that the name of
| Thomas Moore. the sweet singer of the
| Emerald Isle, be INCLUDED 'in the list Of
poets inscribed in the new Congressional
Library building. 3"
The announcement of the fact that his
| name was omitted caused n sensation In
| the ranks of fellow .countrymen of Moore
and their descendants. The meeting
| Gently held by the Ancient Order Of Hi
| bernians here passed a resolution to inter
| est several senators and representatives
| / the matter, so that legislation can be Sc
cured to accomplish the desired end at the
| next session of Congress.
| The matter of fixing upon the poets
| whose lanes were to be inscribed in the
| library was left to committee of which
| Mr.. Ainsworth r. Spofford was the head,
| he being at the time librarian of Congress.
| When asked by a Star reporter as 20 why
| thc name of Moore was omitted Mr.. Spot
| ford stated that the committee did not con-
| sider Erir'S representative a poet of the
| first class, and as the space was extremely
| limited the name was not inscribed. There
| were SO many first-class poets. Mr.. Spofford
said. that it was impossible to use the
| Eame of one who was in the first division
of second-rate bards. The name of Cow
per. it was stated, was omitted for the
| same reason
Did Not Like Us.
| While no doubt the motive mentioned
was the one gctuatirg the committee in
| their decision, other officials of the library
call attention as interesting in this con-
ne elton to Moore's attitude, shown by
| bis writings, toward this country.
| 1t must be remembered that while Thos
| Moore was a sweet singer at times, he was
| not always so. While for the most part he
| allowed his numbers to flow as if the ideas
| had fallen from the mount of Hymett Is,
| occasionally it, would seem il they ORG
| mated from the black depths of the infer
| no.
| Poems on America.
Unfortunately, perhaps, such was the
| case when he felt called upon TO indite the
| verses, now published in his complete
| works, under the head of Poems Rotating
| TO America" In these can be found the
/ most bitter attacks. not only on the coun-
| try itself and its people, but on one, If no
| more, of its decentralization Ief
| ferson. who was then President of the
United States With his pen seemingly
| dipped in gall, and with an intense bitter
ness. the poet traced these lines, and it is
| needless to say that the effect they pro-
duced rebounded the author.
| In the preface to his Poems Relating to
| America" Moore again takes occasion to
express his opinion of America. In order.
| it would appear, to make the dose still
| more unpalatable, the poems are dedicated
| to Francis, Earl Of MORA, general in his
| majesty's forces, master general of the
ordnance. constable of the tower" etc
This Earl of MORA had seen service dur
ing the revolutionary war in South Caro-
/ lima, and had gained considerable reputa-
tion on account of his cruelties and bar
parlties exercised against the patriots. He
progressed to despise everything American.
SO the force of the verses on this account
| 1t is thought, were intended to be more
strongly felt.
Moore's Personal Remarks.
Extracts from the preface are as follows:
1.-The impression which my mind received
from the characters and manners of these
republicans suggested the epistles which
We're written from Washington and Lake
Erie. How FAR was right in thus assurn-
ing the tone of a satirist against the people
Wnom L viewed stranger and visitor
IS doubt which my feelings did not allow
me time to investigate. All 1 presume to
answer for is the fidelity of the picture
winch L nave given. and though prudence
might have dictated gentle language truth
L think. would have justified severer.
went to America with impressions by
no means unfavorable, and, indeed rather
INDUCED in many of those ideas with re-
spect to the purity of the government and
the primitive happiness of the people which
had early imbibed i'm my native country,
where unfortunately discomfort at home
enhances every distant temptation and the
western world has long been looked TO as
the retreat from real and imaginary OPP
preston AS. in short, the elysian Allan
tic, where prosecuted patriots might find
their visions realized and be welcomed by
kindred spirits to liberty and repose In all
these hattering hopes 1 found myself disap-
pointed.
He Quotes Brfssot
'Brissot. in the preface to his travels. OBJ
serves that freedom in that country is car
ried to so high degree as to border on the
state of nature; and there certainly is a
close approximation to savage life. not only
In the liberty which they enjoy, but in the
violence of party spirit and of private ami
mostly which results from it. This i'll
liberal zeal embitters all social intercourse
and though 1 could scarcely hesitate in Sc
iecting party whose views appeared. to
me more pure and rational, yet i was sorry
to observe that in asserting their opinion
they both assume an equal share of intoler-
ance; the democrats consistently with their
principles exhibiting vulgarity of rancor
which the federaliSts too often are so for
getful of their cause as to initiate.
THE rude familiarity of the lower orders
and indeed the unpublished state OF society
In general, would neither surprise nor dis
gust, IL they seemed to flow from that SIM
plicity OF character, that honest ignorance
of the gloss of refinement which NAV be
looked for in a new and inexperienced peo-
pie: But when We find them arrived at ma
turity in most OF the vices, and all the pride
of civilization, while they are still so far
removed from its higher and better charac-
teristics, it is impossible not to feel that
this youthful decay, this crude anticipation
of the natural period of corruption, must
LEGAL" NOTICES.